Helpdesk Email Recipients FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the email recipients list?

The email recipients list is the set of admins who get notified by email when an employee files a Helpdesk ticket. Only people on the list receive the notification email — no one else.

Why do I need to manage email recipients?

Before this setting existed, every admin with salary view access received Helpdesk ticket emails — including C-levels and other admins who aren't tasked with handling employee concerns. Curating the list keeps ticket emails going to the people actually responsible for responding, and out of the inboxes of those who shouldn't be in the loop.

Where do I manage the recipient list?

Go to Helpdesk in Sidekick Central, open the Settings tab, and scroll to the "Email recipients" section.

Who can manage the recipient list?

Any Helpdesk Admin — that is, any user with the admin dashboard type AND salary / current payroll access in Sidekick Central. This is the same access gate as Helpdesk itself, so anyone who can see Helpdesk can manage the list. Users who don't meet both conditions don't see the settings at all.

Who can I add as a recipient?

Only Helpdesk Admins — the same pool that populates the assignee dropdown in Helpdesk. The picker shows admins with payroll access only; users who don't qualify don't appear there.

Can I add an external email address as a recipient?

No. Recipients have to be existing Sprout HR users in the Helpdesk Admin pool. Arbitrary email addresses (for example, a vendor helpdesk inbox) can't be added.

What was on my recipient list when this feature shipped?

On deploy, every company's recipient list was auto-populated with every Helpdesk Admin in the company — the same pool that was already receiving ticket emails under the old behavior. Ticket filing continued uninterrupted, and Helpdesk Admins curate the list afterwards by removing anyone who shouldn't receive ticket emails.

How do I add a recipient?

Search for a Helpdesk Admin, select them from the picker, and they're added immediately. A confirmation toast appears and the new recipient shows up on the list right away. People who are already on the list show as "ADDED" in the picker and can't be added twice.

How do I remove a recipient?

Click the X next to the recipient on the list. The removal applies immediately and ticket filing continues unaffected — as long as at least one recipient remains.

Can I remove myself from the list?

Yes, as long as another Helpdesk Admin remains as a recipient. If you're the only person on the list, the remove action is disabled and you can't remove yourself.

Why can't I remove the last recipient?

The list has to keep at least one recipient at all times. When only one recipient is left, the remove action is disabled in the UI — the list cannot be emptied through user action.

What happens if a recipient is no longer a Helpdesk Admin?

If a recipient loses either their admin dashboard type or their salary / current payroll access, they're automatically removed from the recipient list. If at least one other recipient remains, ticket filing continues normally; the only thing that changes is who gets the email.

What happens if the last recipient loses Helpdesk Admin eligibility?

They're still automatically removed, which leaves the list empty. Ticket filing is then blocked for employees, and a warning banner appears in Sidekick Central: "No recipients configured — ticket filing is blocked for employees. Add a recipient to restore service." Once a Helpdesk Admin adds a new recipient, ticket filing resumes.

What does an employee see if they try to file a ticket while the recipient list is empty?

Sidekick lets the employee know in chat that Helpdesk isn't available and points them back to their HR team for help.

Does the empty-recipients state turn off the Helpdesk feature flag?

No. The Helpdesk feature flag and the recipient list are managed separately. An empty recipient list triggers the block message and the admin warning banner only — it doesn't flip the feature flag off.

Are recipients notified when they're added to or removed from the list?

No. The recipient list is intentionally quiet — any Helpdesk Admin can view the current list at any time in Sidekick Central settings.

Does being on the recipient list mean I'm assigned to resolve tickets?

No. The recipient list controls who gets notified by email; ticket assignment is a separate concern handled in the ticket queue.

Can I route different ticket types to different recipients?

No. There's a single recipient list per company that applies to all new tickets. Per-ticket-type recipient routing isn't supported.

Can I get notified through push or in-app messages instead of email?

Not at this time — notifications are email only.

Is there a maximum number of recipients I can add?

No. There's no cap — the list can include up to every Helpdesk Admin in the company.