Documentation
Complete guide to Email to Azure DevOps - your powerful Outlook add-in for creating Azure DevOps work items directly from emails.
Overview
Email to Azure DevOps is an Outlook add-in that streamlines your workflow by allowing you to create Azure DevOps work items directly from emails. Whether you're tracking bugs, managing tasks, or capturing user stories, this add-in helps you stay organized without leaving your inbox.
💡 Who Should Use This Add-in?
Product managers, developers, QA engineers, and support teams who receive actionable requests via email and need to track them in Azure DevOps.
Features
📝 Work Item Creation
Create Bugs, Tasks, User Stories, Features, Epics, and any custom work item types defined in your project.
🤖 AI-Powered Summaries
Automatically generate concise titles, detailed descriptions, and suggested priorities from email content.
📎 Attachment Handling
Select and upload email attachments directly to the created work item in Azure DevOps.
🏷️ Field Mapping
Set Area Path, Iteration, Priority, Assigned To, Tags, and all custom fields available in your project.
🔗 Email Link Tracking
Automatically adds a link back to the original email in the work item description for reference.
👥 Multi-Organization Support
Connect to multiple Azure DevOps organizations and easily switch between them.
🔐 Secure Authentication
Uses Microsoft identity with OAuth 2.0 - your credentials are never stored by the add-in.
📊 Recent Items
Quick access to recently created work items with direct links to Azure DevOps.
🎨 Customizable Templates
Save your preferred field values as templates for faster work item creation.
Requirements
| Component | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Outlook | Outlook 2016+, Outlook for Mac 2016+, or Outlook on the web (outlook.office.com) |
| Microsoft 365 | Microsoft 365 subscription (Business, Enterprise, or Education) |
| Azure DevOps | Azure DevOps Services or Azure DevOps Server 2020+ |
| Permissions | Work Items: Read/Write, Project and Team: Read (Contributor role or higher) |
| Browser (web) | Latest versions of Edge, Chrome, Firefox, or Safari |
Installation
⚠️ Admin Deployment Required
This add-in must be deployed by a Microsoft 365 administrator. Individual users cannot install it directly from Microsoft Marketplace.
For Microsoft 365 Administrators
- Sign in to the Microsoft 365 Admin Center
- Navigate to Settings → Integrated Apps
- Click Get apps and search for "Email to Azure DevOps"
- Click Get it now and select which users or groups should have access
- Review permissions and click Accept to complete deployment
📌 Deployment Note
It may take up to 24 hours for the add-in to appear in all users' Outlook clients. Users may need to restart Outlook after deployment.
Usage Guide
First-Time Setup
- Open any email in Outlook
- Click the Email to Azure DevOps icon in the ribbon or message toolbar
- Click Connect to Azure DevOps
- Sign in with your Microsoft account that has access to Azure DevOps
- Select your organization and project
Creating a Work Item
- Open the email you want to convert to a work item
- Open the add-in panel
- Click ✨ Generate with AI (optional) to auto-fill title and description
- Select the work item type (Bug, Task, User Story, etc.)
- Fill in or adjust the fields as needed
- Select any attachments to include
- Click Create Work Item
Work Item Fields
| Field | Description | Required |
|---|---|---|
| Title | A brief, descriptive title for the work item | Yes |
| Description | Detailed information about the work item (supports rich text) | No |
| Work Item Type | Bug, Task, User Story, Feature, Epic, or custom types | Yes |
| Area Path | Organize by team or feature area (e.g., Project\Team\Feature) | No |
| Iteration | Sprint or milestone (e.g., Project\Sprint 5) | No |
| Priority | 1 (Critical), 2 (High), 3 (Medium), 4 (Low) | No |
| Assigned To | Team member responsible for the work item | No |
| Tags | Comma-separated labels for filtering | No |
Keyboard Shortcuts
Speed up your workflow with these shortcuts (when the add-in panel is focused):
| Shortcut | Action |
|---|---|
| Ctrl + G | Generate AI summary from email content |
| Ctrl + Enter | Create work item (submit form) |
| Tab | Move to next field |
| Shift + Tab | Move to previous field |
| Esc | Close the add-in panel |
Mac users: Replace Ctrl with ⌘ Cmd
Permissions
The add-in requests the following permissions:
| Permission | Scope | Why It's Needed |
|---|---|---|
| Read your mail | Mail.Read | To read email content for work item creation and AI summarization |
| Azure DevOps access | user_impersonation | To create work items, upload attachments, and read project metadata |
| User profile | User.Read | To display your name and identify your account |
✅ Privacy Assurance
We only access the email you're currently viewing. We do not scan your inbox, read other emails, or store your email content beyond the current session.
Troubleshooting
🔴 Add-in Not Appearing in Outlook
Symptoms: The add-in icon is not visible in the ribbon or message toolbar.
- Verify the add-in was deployed by your Microsoft 365 administrator
- Wait up to 24 hours after deployment for it to appear
- Restart Outlook completely (not just the window)
- In Outlook Desktop: File → Manage Add-ins → Check if it's enabled
- In Outlook Web: Click the "..." menu on a message → Check for "Email to Azure DevOps"
🔴 "Failed to Connect to Azure DevOps" Error
Symptoms: Authentication fails or organizations don't load.
- Ensure your Microsoft account has access to the Azure DevOps organization
- Check that third-party app access is enabled in Azure DevOps Organization Settings
- Try signing out and back in using the settings menu
- Verify your organization hasn't enabled conditional access that blocks add-ins
🔴 "Insufficient Permissions" Error
Symptoms: Work items fail to create with a permissions error.
- You need at least Contributor role on the project
- Check your permissions in Azure DevOps: Project Settings → Permissions
- If using a service account, ensure it has the required scopes
- Contact your Azure DevOps administrator for access
🔴 AI Generation Not Working
Symptoms: The "Generate with AI" button doesn't produce results.
- AI features require an active Pro subscription
- Ensure the email has enough content (very short emails may not generate good summaries)
- Check your internet connection
- Try refreshing the add-in panel
🔴 Attachments Not Uploading
Symptoms: Selected attachments don't appear on the created work item.
- Check attachment size limits (Azure DevOps default: 130MB per file)
- Ensure the attachment isn't corrupted or in a blocked file type
- Large attachments may take longer - wait for the progress indicator
- If consistently failing, try downloading the attachment and uploading directly to Azure DevOps
🔴 Add-in Loads Slowly or Freezes
Symptoms: The panel takes a long time to load or becomes unresponsive.
- Clear Outlook cache (instructions below)
- Disable other add-ins to check for conflicts
- Check your internet connection speed
- Try using Outlook on the web instead of desktop
Windows Cache Clear:
%localappdata%\Microsoft\Office\16.0\Wef\Close Outlook, delete the contents of the Wef folder, then restart Outlook.
Mac Cache Clear:
~/Library/Containers/com.microsoft.Outlook/Data/Library/Application Support/Microsoft/Office/16.0/WefKnown Limitations
Platform Limitations
| Platform | Limitation |
|---|---|
| Outlook for iOS/Android | Add-ins are not supported in Outlook mobile apps |
| Outlook 2013 and earlier | Not supported - requires Outlook 2016 or later |
| Shared/Delegate mailboxes | Limited support - may not work in all configurations |
| Public folders | Not supported |
Feature Limitations
| Feature | Current Limitation |
|---|---|
| Work item linking | Cannot create links to existing work items during creation |
| Inline images | Embedded images in email body are not automatically extracted |
| Bulk creation | Only one work item can be created at a time |
| Custom rules | Azure DevOps rules that require specific fields may cause creation to fail |
| Offline mode | Requires internet connection - no offline support |
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use this with Azure DevOps Server (on-premises)?
Yes, Azure DevOps Server 2020 and later is supported. Ensure your server is accessible from the internet or your network allows the connection.
Is my email data stored or shared?
No. Email content is processed in-memory only and is not stored on our servers. We do not share your data with third parties. See our Privacy Policy for details.
Can I connect to multiple Azure DevOps organizations?
Yes! You can connect to any organization your Microsoft account has access to. Use the settings menu to switch between organizations.
How do I change the default work item type?
The add-in remembers your last selected work item type per project. Simply select your preferred type and it will be pre-selected next time.
Why can't I see all fields for my work item type?
The add-in shows the most common fields by default. Some custom or process-specific fields may not be visible. Create the work item first, then add additional fields in Azure DevOps.
Can I edit a work item after creating it?
Not directly in the add-in. After creation, click the work item link to open it in Azure DevOps where you can make edits.
Is there a limit to how many work items I can create?
No limit on the number of work items. However, AI features may have usage limits based on your subscription tier.
Does the add-in work with encrypted emails?
S/MIME encrypted emails are not supported due to Outlook API limitations. Rights-managed (IRM) emails have limited support.
Can I use keyboard shortcuts to create work items faster?
Yes! Press Ctrl+G to generate AI content and Ctrl+Enter to create the work item. See the Keyboard Shortcuts section.
How do I report a bug or request a feature?
Email us at support@innovaapps.ai with details about the issue or your feature request. We review all feedback!
What happens when my trial ends?
After the 14-day trial, you'll need to subscribe to continue using the add-in. Your settings and connection to Azure DevOps will be preserved.
Can I cancel my subscription anytime?
Yes, you can cancel at any time. You'll retain access until the end of your current billing period.
Support
📧 Contact Us
For technical support, bug reports, or feature requests:
Email: support@innovaapps.ai
When reporting issues, please include:
- Outlook version (desktop or web)
- Operating system
- Steps to reproduce the issue
- Any error messages (screenshots helpful)