Interfacing Applications to E-Mail

[William A. Lotozo]

I am looking for software that will effectively cover my departments's needs
for managing and tracking customer problems and gathering contact statistics.
*One* of the requirements is that the system should be able to interact with
our e-mail services.

Specifically: mail posted to bboards such as the microcomputer or mainframe
consultant etc. should automatically be routed into the Problem Tacking System
(PTS).  Answers should be posted to the PTS and automatically routed back to
the originating bboard.  Mail sent to individual ACS staff should be able to be
bounced or forwarded to the PTS.  Replies to individual customers should be
posted to the PTS and copied to the originating person's e-mail address.  In
addition, the system should be able to interact with our whois service.

My question is:  What specific technical questions should I be asking vendors
to determine if their product does or can provide these types of functions.

I don't know much about unix and even less about e-mail internals.  Are there
standard hooks in unix that need to be supported by the product for this to be
accomplished?  In this question, assume that the system will run under unix.

Can you give me some advice on this?

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
*  Name:     Bill Lotozo                    The Ohio State University         *
*  Internet: lotozo+ at osu.edu                Academic Computing Services       *
*  Phone:    614/292-4843                   Room 406 Baker Systems            *
*  FAX:      614/292-7081                   1971 Neil Avenue, Cols. OH 43210  *
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *


* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
*  Name:     Bill Lotozo                    The Ohio State University         *
*  Internet: lotozo+ at osu.edu                Academic Computing Services       *
*  Phone:    614/292-4843                   Room 406 Baker Systems            *
*  FAX:      614/292-7081                   1971 Neil Avenue, Cols. OH 43210  *
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *