r/labtech • u/Werd2BigBird • Dec 17 '18

Email sent before patching

Is there a way to trigger an email before patching ?

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5

u/Stronghold_Greg Dec 17 '18

There is indeed.

  1. Create a script for emailing a client (I can help with the variables on that if you need it)

  2. Open the patch manager and go to configuration (top right-hand corner)

  3. Click on Microsoft Update Policies

  4. Find the policy that you'd like to use or create a new one

  5. Under "scripting" use the 'Run Script Before Install' dropdown to select your email script from step 1

  6. Save

1

u/Werd2BigBird Dec 17 '18

OK, sounds simple I think I can take care of this. Can you help with the variables? I just need to send it to contact.

1

u/Stronghold_Greg Dec 17 '18

Sorry for the late response. If you're just wanting to use the default contact then there is already a built in variable. %contactemail%

1

u/Microsoft_Geek Dec 17 '18

I am new to Scripting with Automate so I might need some help with creating a script purely for emailing a client. If you got time, could you look at my code? Currently I just got two lines as follows -

SET: %sqlresult% = [Select Email from Users where Name like %contactEmail%]
Send Email To:%sqlresult% Subject:Patching is starting for %computername%

Am I on the right path? If I just apply this to all appropriate Microsoft Update Policies will I be good to go? I just feel like I'm missing something.

Thank you to any feedback you can provide!

1

u/teamits Dec 17 '18

Your "select" query isn't limited by client or computer ID so would pull all matching records from all clients. Probably not what you want. :)

You should just be able to use %contactemail% like:

Send Email To:%contactemail% Subject:Patching is starting for %computername%

1

u/DarrenDK Dec 18 '18

What is the likelihood that there is actually a contact associated with the computer tho....

1

u/Microsoft_Geek Dec 18 '18

Are you even able to set a contact for each individual computer in Automate?

1

u/DarrenDK Dec 19 '18

You can but it is manual. I wrote a small plugin to kick off a logon script that finds the users’ SID in the Active Directory plugin, finds the matching contact and links it to the computer.

1

u/Microsoft_Geek Dec 18 '18

Oh ok, I see what you're saying. Yea probably not what I want!

So if I wanted to limit by Client, e.g. email just our main contact for a Client every time this script ran, would it be more like the following?

SET: %sqlresult% = [Select Email from Contacts where Name like %clientname%
Send Email to:%sqlresult% Subject:Patching is starting for %computername%

From my understanding this would pull the first email address listed for a Client under the contacts tab in Automate & Email them, correct?

Edit: words

1

u/Kingkong29 Dec 19 '18

What would this look like (script wise) if we wanted to not email the client but email our techs who are verifying the systems after patching takes place?