Email integration gives agents the ability to read, send, forward, and manage emails via IMAP and SMTP. You can also configure Errand to automatically create tasks from incoming emails.
Prerequisites
Section titled “Prerequisites”- An email account with IMAP and SMTP access
- An app-specific password is recommended (e.g. Gmail App Passwords, or equivalent for your provider)
Configuration
Section titled “Configuration”- Open the Errand UI and go to Settings > Integrations
- Find the Email card and click it
- Fill in the following fields:
| Field | Description | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Security | Encryption method for email connections | SSL/TLS or STARTTLS |
| IMAP Server | Your email provider’s IMAP server address | imap.gmail.com |
| IMAP Port | The IMAP server port | 993 |
| SMTP Server | Your email provider’s SMTP server address | smtp.gmail.com |
| SMTP Port | The SMTP server port | 465 |
| Email Address | The email account to connect | you@gmail.com |
| Password | Your password or app-specific password | — |
| Task Profile | Which task profile handles email-triggered tasks | Select from dropdown |
| Poll Interval | How often to check for new emails (minimum 60 seconds) | 120 (seconds) |
| Authorised Recipients | Whitelist of email addresses the agent is allowed to send or forward to (one per line) | colleague@company.com |
- Click Test & Save — Errand will verify both IMAP and SMTP connectivity
Poll interval and IMAP IDLE
Section titled “Poll interval and IMAP IDLE”The poll interval sets how frequently Errand checks for new emails. If your email server supports IMAP IDLE (most modern servers do), Errand will receive near-instant notifications of new emails, and the poll interval acts as a fallback.
What agents can do with email
Section titled “What agents can do with email”Once connected, agents have the following capabilities during task execution:
- List emails — browse messages in your inbox and other folders
- Read email content — open and read individual messages
- Send emails — compose and send new emails (to authorised recipients only)
- Forward emails — forward messages to authorised recipients
- Move emails — move messages between folders
- List folders — see available mailbox folders
Certain folders (Trash, Junk, Spam) are automatically excluded from agent access.
Auto-creating tasks from emails
Section titled “Auto-creating tasks from emails”When the email integration is active, incoming emails can automatically create new tasks. The task will use the Task Profile you selected during configuration. This is useful for workflows like support tickets, approvals, or any email-driven process.
Troubleshooting
Section titled “Troubleshooting”| Issue | Solution |
|---|---|
| Authentication failure | Use an app-specific password instead of your regular password — most providers require this when IMAP access is enabled |
| Connection timeout | Double-check the server addresses and ports — common IMAP ports are 993 (SSL) and 143 (STARTTLS), common SMTP ports are 465 (SSL) and 587 (STARTTLS) |
| Can’t send emails | Verify your SMTP configuration and make sure the recipient is listed in Authorised Recipients |
| Emails not being detected | Check the poll interval and ensure IMAP access is enabled in your email provider’s settings |