The Outlook trigger, When an email is received, starts an automation when a matching email arrives in an Outlook folder you choose. You connect your Microsoft Outlook account, pick the folder, and add conditions on the subject, body or sender.
The trigger watches one folder and does not move emails. To catch other emails, add an Outlook rule that moves them into that folder.
Example: a Risk Register table in an Enterprise Risk Management solution. Staff forward risk reports to an Outlook folder called Risk intake. The trigger watches that folder and creates a risk record from each email's subject and body.
Plan Availability | All plan types. |
Permissions | Administrators, in any solution, and Solution Managers, in the solutions they manage, create and edit automations. |
Platform | Web |
Related Reading |
My Outlook trigger did not fire: check these four things, in order
You need the Administrator role, or the Solution Manager role for the solution, to open History and change the automation.
A permission problem. Delete the Outlook credential from the automation, add it again and allow access. See Common Automation Error Troubleshooting.
The folder. The trigger watches one existing folder. Emails that land elsewhere do not fire it. See Email automation: create records and manage threads.
The conditions. With AND, every condition must be true. With OR, any one is enough. See Automation Conditions: control when an automation runs.
The automation itself. The toggle is off, or the monthly limit is reached. See Fix an automation that did not run.
Still stuck: select the chat button in the lower-right corner of SmartSuite, then Ask a question. Include the automation link, the time the email arrived and its subject.
How do I add the trigger?
Open the Solution Menu and select Automations.
Select Add Automation.
The trigger list opens on its own. Under Integrations, point to Microsoft Outlook.
Select When an email is received.
Connect the Outlook account
Select Add new Microsoft Outlook Credential, or pick an account already connected.
Sign in to Outlook when asked and grant access.
If the account was connected before, a note says access is already set up.
The Microsoft Outlook When an email is received trigger settings with the account list and Add new Microsoft Outlook credential.
Folder and conditions
Pick the Folder to watch, such as Inbox, Archive or a folder you made. It is required, and it appears once you pick the account.
Optional: add conditions.
Choose AND or OR.
Select Add Automation, or Save Automation when editing.
Email property. | Comparisons. |
Subject, Body(Plain), From Name. | Equal to, Not equal to, Contains, Does not contain, Is empty, Is not empty. |
From Email, To Emails. | Contains, Does not contain, Equal to, Not equal to. |
Tip: Set up an Outlook rule that moves the emails you want into one folder, such as Risk intake. Then point the trigger at that folder.
Frequently asked questions
Does the trigger move emails to the folder?
Does the trigger move emails to the folder?
No. It only watches the folder you pick. Use an Outlook rule to move emails into it.
Can I filter on attachments or dates?
Can I filter on attachments or dates?
No. Outlook conditions cover Subject, Body(Plain), From Name, From Email and To Emails.
What do I do about a permission error?
What do I do about a permission error?
Delete the Outlook credential from the automation, add it again and allow access. Then trigger a fresh run.
Which actions can follow the trigger?
Which actions can follow the trigger?
Any action, such as Create a record to log the email as a record.
Need more help? Ask the SmartSuite Community, where builders, administrators and the SmartSuite team answer questions about building on SmartSuite. For your account, billing or data, select the chat button in the lower-right corner of SmartSuite to reach support.
Last verified 1 Nov 2026.