Automate incoming email

Email automations can link matching incoming conversations to a client or assign messages to a person or an agent. When you assign Tidyflow Agent, you can include instructions such as checking client notes, drafting an acknowledgment, and creating a follow-up Job for a bookkeeper.

Email automations are included on Pro and during your trial. An owner or admin manages rules in Settings → Automations. See pricing for current plan details.

Prepare a shared inbox for email automations

Connect an email account with Whole team visibility. Email automations run for new incoming messages in active shared inboxes after the initial email import has finished. Private and Selected users accounts are not eligible for email automations.

Creating or enabling an email rule does not automatically process imported history. For a Link to client rule, you can separately review and apply it to existing conversations using the steps below.

To assign an agent, first turn on AI for your firm and check the agent’s client access and abilities in Settings → Agents. The agent needs access to the client and the tools required by your instructions, such as reading the inbox, reading client notes, drafting emails, or creating Jobs.

Create an email automation rule

1. Go to Settings → Automations and select New rule.
2. Give the rule a clear Name, such as “Client email intake”.
3. Under When, choose An email is received.
4. Choose an Inbox, or use Any shared inbox.
5. Use + Add condition to narrow the rule by Sender contains, Subject contains, Attachments, or Assignee. All conditions must match. Add Assignee → Thread is unassigned if the rule should leave already assigned conversations with their current owner.
6. Under Then, choose Link to client and select the Client, or choose Assign a user and select the teammate or agent.
7. If you selected an agent, fill in Agent instructions with the outcome you want.
8. Select Save & Close and check that the rule is enabled in the list.

For assignment rules, start with one shared inbox and the unassigned-thread condition so you can review the results before widening the rule. One general intake rule can handle different client requests; add a subject condition only when a separate process needs it.

Automatically link an accounts mailbox to a client

If your firm manages a mailbox dedicated to one client, choose that Inbox in the rule and use Then → Link to client to select the client. For example, supplier invoices sent to that client’s accounts mailbox can be linked even when the supplier is not one of the client’s contacts.

For a mailbox serving several clients, add conditions that identify the intended client’s messages. Use Any shared inbox only when those conditions should apply across all eligible mailboxes.

Client-linking rules leave existing client links and deliberate manual unlinking in place. Linking does not archive, move, close, mark read, or assign the conversation. To correct a link, use More → Change client on the conversation. See Find and organize client emails.

Apply a client-linking rule to existing emails

Apply to existing conversations is available for enabled Link to client rules. It includes matching incoming emails already imported into Tidyflow; it does not fetch more history from your email provider.

1. Go to Settings → Automations and check that the client-linking rule is enabled.
2. Open the rule’s three-dot menu and choose Apply to existing conversations.
3. Review the matching conversation count and the client shown in the dialog.
4. Select Apply rule to start linking in the background. If there are no matches, the button stays disabled.

The Linking queued message confirms the request was accepted. The links appear as processing completes. Conversations already linked to a client or deliberately unlinked are skipped.

If the request fails, select Refresh matches, review the current count and client, then try again. Changing the rule’s client or conditions, or disabling it, stops remaining queued work. Links already created stay in place.

Write useful Agent instructions

Use the rule for the task, client notes for client-specific facts and preferences, and Job templates for reusable procedures. Name the output, the person who should own any new Job, and how to handle existing work or missing information.

For example, on a general client-intake rule:

Read the email and relevant linked client notes. Check existing Jobs before creating work, and add updates to the matching Job. For a new request, use a suitable Job template where available, or create an ad hoc Job with relevant client context and a practical checklist. Use client notes to identify the appropriate team member and assign the work. Flag unclear ownership or scope internally. Draft a brief acknowledgment or ask for missing information. Leave the reply as a draft for review, and leave commitments on scope and delivery timing to the team. Post an internal summary with a link to any Job created or updated. Do not create Jobs for simple acknowledgments, FYIs, or automated messages.

An instruction to read a template does not start Jobs from that template. Say explicitly when you want the agent to create a Job or deploy a template. If the agent asks for a decision or approval, answer on the thread before that part of the work can continue.

Give the agent client context

Keep ongoing preferences and responsibilities in the client’s Notes, for example their usual bookkeeper, preferred greeting, and how report dates are agreed. You can also ask Tidyflow Agent to save a pinned client note for guidance the team needs to find first.

Tidyflow Agent is instructed to check notes for the linked client before client-specific delegated work. Check the client shown on the email thread. Contact email matches can link messages automatically; use More → Link to client or Change client to correct an absent or wrong link before relying on that client’s notes. If the client is unclear or inaccessible, the agent needs that resolved rather than guessing.

Client notes do not grant the agent extra permissions or override the task you assigned. Changes to notes are available when the agent next reads them.

Review the agent’s draft and follow-up Job

Open the email thread to see the agent’s internal update and any question or approval request. Review the prepared email draft, check the client’s details, and send it yourself when it is ready. The agent does not send email.

If the instructions asked for a Job, check its client, assignee, checklist, and dates in Jobs. The agent organizes the follow-up; your team still performs the bookkeeping or tax work.

Change or stop an email automation

Edit the rule to change its conditions, client, assignee, or instructions. New assignments use the edited instructions. Sessions already started keep the instructions they began with, including their retries and follow-ups.

Disable the rule to stop future actions. Disabling a rule does not cancel an agent session already working. Stop that session separately if needed. If your workspace no longer has email automations on its plan, saved rules stop running and their configuration is retained.