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This article describes the RPA Outlook functionality to summarise the inbox using AI.
For a full list of available functions, please read OUTLOOK functions.
Description
The OUTLOOK Summarise inbox function uses AI to summarise unread e-mails in a folder, highlighting action items, FYI messages, and urgent messages. This gives you a quick overview of what needs attention.
Setting it up
To use the OUTLOOK Summarise inbox function, follow these instructions:
{{popups:rpas/add:action=outlook-summarize-inbox}}
Once on a process map:
- Navigate to the process where you would like to add the OUTLOOK Summarise inbox function
- Click on the green button's drop-down (right side of the green button labelled "Process")
- On the menu that appears, click on the "+ Activity" item
- From here you can select the OUTLOOK Summarise inbox option
- Click "Add" once you are done
Input parameters
| Parameter | Required | Type | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Folder | No | Text | Inbox | Folder to summarise (unread only) |
| Limit | No | Text | 20 | Maximum number of e-mails to include |
| Variable | Yes | Text | - | Variable to store the summary |
Output variables
| Variable | Type | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Variable | Dictionary | Summary containing: total, summary text, action_required list, fyi list, urgent list |
Errors
| Error | Description |
|---|---|
| Outlook not open | Outlook is not running |
| Folder not found | The specified folder does not exist |
| AI processing error | The AI could not summarise the e-mails |
Tips
- Run this at the start of a workflow to prioritise e-mail processing
- Use the action_required and urgent lists to drive subsequent automation steps
- Increase the limit for busier inboxes