# Configuring our Support category for email-only topic creation
**URL:** https://meta.discourse.org/t/configuring-our-support-category-for-email-only-topic-creation/295512
**Category:** Support
**Created:** [February 15, 2024, 5:36pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/configuring-our-support-category-for-email-only-topic-creation/295512 "2024-02-15T17:36:32Z")
**Posts on this page:** 2
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@friednanners](https://meta.discourse.org/u/friednanners)
#### Post date: [February 15, 2024, 5:36pm UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/configuring-our-support-category-for-email-only-topic-creation/295512/1 "2024-02-15T17:36:32Z")
Hello!
We run a technical support category in our community and use Typeform to ensure new topics contain the necessary info our team and other members need to offer help. It’s a two-step flow:
1. Users submit support requests via a Typeform survey
2. These submissions are automatically converted into new topics by sending them to the `handle_mail` API endpoint
This approach has significantly improved the quality and completeness of the information provided in new support requests. However, users can still skip the Typeform and create topics directly in the support category.
We’re looking to restrict new topic creation to the `handle_mail` endpoint only, while still allowing replies from all community members. Currently, disabling create permissions blocks the `handle_mail` endpoint with an ‘Access Denied’ error.
Is there a way to configure Discourse to allow new topics to be created exclusively via the `handle_mail` endpoint?
Any guidance, workarounds, or insights into how we can achieve this setup would be greatly appreciated!
---
### Author:  [@jericson](https://meta.discourse.org/u/jericson)
#### Post date: [February 16, 2024, 7:52am UTC](https://meta.discourse.org/t/configuring-our-support-category-for-email-only-topic-creation/295512/2 "2024-02-16T07:52:29Z")
In the category settings, just under the place where you set the email address, there should be a `Accept emails from anonymous users with no accounts` setting. In my testing that allows me to send an email that isn’t registered to a private category.
Unfortunately, it appears this doesn’t work for emails that are registered:
> [@Category not accepting "anonymous email" from known users](https://meta.discourse.org/t/category-not-accepting-anonymous-email-from-known-users/42871):
>
> Reproduce: Have a “private” category that only has create/reply/see access for members of a specific group. No other permissions. Enable “anonymous email in” for that specific via a unique working alias to the incoming POP account. Have a non-staff user that is not a member of the group send an email report in to the category email address from the email address associated with their account. Send in an email from an account not associated with any known Discourse account. Expected Behavior: …
Maybe [form templates](https://meta.discourse.org/t/introducing-experimental-form-templates/278631) would help? It would mean duplicating the Typeform survey (maybe imperfectly), but people would not be able to create free-form topics.
Is this too big of a problem that it can’t be solved with social pressure? Maybe just remove topics that don’t have the right format and send them a message about how to do it the right way.