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By connecting the action builder to external systems, such as Microsoft Outlook, admins can integrate Zendesk with external systems in automated workflows, improving collaboration and maintaining a seamless experience across multiple platforms.
Note: The steps associated with external systems in action flows are referred to collectively as external actions.
This article contains the following topics:
  • Connecting Microsoft Outlook to action builder
  • Using Microsoft Outlook actions in action flows

Connecting Microsoft Outlook to action builder

Before you can include external actions in your action flows, you must connect the action builder to the external system.

When connecting to external systems for use in action flows, the following best practices are recommended:
  • All external actions performed by an action flow are attributed to the user who connected the external system. Therefore, it is a best practice to use a dedicated service account rather than personal credentials when connecting to each external system.
  • All integrations request access to necessary scopes. However, it's important that you review and validate the scopes before authorizing the connection to the external system.
  • When managing credentials for API key-based tools, such as OpenAI, it's best to store keys in a secure vault or credential manager.
To connect Microsoft Outlook to action builder
  1. In Admin Center, click Apps and integrations in the sidebar, then select Actions > Action flows.
  2. Create or edit an action flow.
  3. Open the step sidebar.
  4. Under External actions, click Microsoft Outlook.
  5. Click Connect.
  6. Use Microsoft to authenticate the account.

    Ensure the account used for authentication has the necessary permissions to send and read emails. The following scopes are required: Mail.Send and Mail.Read, Mail.ReadWrite.

    Note: All external actions performed by an action flow are attributed to the user who connected the external system. Therefore, it is a best practice to use a dedicated service account rather than personal credentials when connecting to each external system.

After you've connected to the system, you'll see an indicator that it's connected and details about the instance you're connected to, as well as the actions available for Microsoft Outlook.

Using Microsoft Outlook actions in action flows

Microsoft Outlook action steps can be used to send, reply to, forward, and search for emails in Microsoft Outlook. These steps use the Microsoft Graph API to provide secure and reliable email automation, streamlining communication, reducing manual email handling, and improving response times.

The following Outlook actions are available:
  • Find email
  • Forward email
  • Reply to email
  • Send email

Finding an email

Use the Find email action to retrieve an email based on the email's subject or sender details for further use in the action flow.

This action has the following inputs and outputs:

  Variables
Inputs subject, from
Output body, categories, change_key, conversation_id, conversation_index, created_datetime, from_address, from_name, has_attachments, id, internet_message_id, is_delivery_receipt_requested, is_draft, is_read, is_read_receipt_requested, last_modified_datetime, parent_folder_id, received_datetime, replyTo_address, replyTo_name, sent_datetime, subject, web_link

Fowarding an email

Use the Forward email action to forward an existing email to a specified recipient.

This action has the following inputs and outputs:

  Variables
Inputs to_email, subject, body, content_type, cc_emails, bcc_emails, save_to_sent_items
Output email_id

Replying to an email

Use the Reply to email action to send a reply to an existing email using the email ID.

This action has the following inputs and outputs:

  Variables
Inputs to_email, subject, body, content_type, cc_emails, bcc_emails, save_to_sent_items
Output none

Sending an email

Use the Send email action to send a new email to a specified recipient with the defined subject and body.

This action has the following inputs and outputs:

  Variables
Inputs to_email, subject, body, content_type, cc_emails, bcc_emails, save_to_sent_items
Output none
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