There's a Drupal module called Support Ticketing System (I have not tried it myself), and one of its functions sounds like what you're looking for:

Email integration allows tickets to be created and updated via email, with support for attachments. New users can be automatically created. Ticket properties can be updated via email (using included support_mailcmd module).

http://drupal.org/project/support

I think if you frame it in terms of a support ticket, there should be more programs out there that satisfy your needs.

-----Original Message-----
From: Code for Libraries [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Cary Gordon
Sent: Wednesday, May 08, 2013 8:20 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [CODE4LIB] Email Forwards to Database

Thought: I have done something similar to this using Drupal and some contributed modules. It shouldn't be difficult.

Advice: Try doing it in Drupal.

Threat: NULL


On Wed, May 8, 2013 at 7:57 AM, scott bacon <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

> Just curious if anyone has any thoughts about this possibility (I 
> already know it's not practical): Can I automatically forward to a 
> database all emails sent to a specific email address? I've seen 
> proprietary things like Email2DB, but is there a simple open source alternative?
>
>
> Background: At MPOW there is an admin site where employees 
> periodically login and check for unanswered patron emails. Patrons 
> submit a PHP email form, the form data is saved in a SQL database, and 
> the admin site queries that database, which populates the tables in 
> the admin site. Yes, this is convoluted, but just imagine that I'm not 
> able to change this system to something more streamlined.
>
>
> This system was made by a previous employee I think in order to 
> alleviate all emails going to an email alias, which creates issues 
> with one email being answered twice by two different employees.
>
>
> So I would create a simple email address (say, [log in to unmask]) to give to 
> patrons (vs. pushing them to a site to fill out a PHP form), but I 
> want to avoid using an email alias that will push all new emails into 
> all alias members' email boxes. The admin site method then would 
> allows loggers-in to claim new emails and others then to see them as 'read'.
>
>
> Any thoughts, advice, threats?
>
>
> -Scott
>



--
Cary Gordon
The Cherry Hill Company
http://chillco.com