🚀 Quick Start Guide

Get up and running with Email to Azure DevOps in under 5 minutes.

📝 What This Add-in Does: Transform emails into trackable work items in Azure DevOps with one click. AI-powered by Google Gemini, it automatically generates structured summaries and extracts action items from your emails. Keep complete context, formatting, and email attachments intact.

🎉 Free Trial: Start with a 7-day free trial to explore all features. No credit card required. After the trial, a subscription is required for continued use.

Before You Start

✅ Requirements

Microsoft 365 License: Business or Enterprise (add-in not available for personal accounts)
Outlook Version: Desktop (Windows/Mac) or Web (mobile not supported)
Internet Connection: Required for API communication and AI processing
Admin Deployment: Add-in must be deployed by Microsoft 365 admin through Admin Center
Azure DevOps: Active organization with Contributor or higher permissions

⚠️ Important: This is not a self-service add-in. Your Microsoft 365 administrator must deploy it organization-wide or to specific users through the Microsoft 365 Admin Center.

Installation (For Admins)

Access Admin Center

Go to Microsoft 365 Admin Center → Settings → Integrated apps

Deploy Add-in

Click "Get apps" or "Upload custom apps"
Search for "Email to Work Item"
Select the add-in and click "Get it now"

Configure Deployment

Choose deployment scope: Entire organization or Specific users/groups
Review permissions required by the add-in
Click "Deploy"

Wait for Propagation

Deployment can take 4-24 hours to appear in users' Outlook. Users may need to restart Outlook or clear browser cache.

First-Time Setup (For Users)

Open an Email

In Outlook, open any email you want to convert to a work item.

Open the Add-in

Click the "Apps" button in the Outlook toolbar, then find and select "Email to Work Item" from the app menu.

Automatic Authentication

Azure DevOps uses Microsoft Single Sign-On (SSO). Authentication happens automatically using your Microsoft 365 account. No additional login is required.

🔐 Authentication: The add-in uses Microsoft's Nested App Authentication (NAA) with SSO. Your credentials are never stored locally. You must use the same Microsoft account for both Outlook and Azure DevOps.

Start Your Free Trial

On first use, you'll be prompted to start a free trial:

Click "Start Free Trial"
Enjoy 7 days of full access to all features
No credit card required
After trial, subscribe to continue using the add-in

Creating Your First Work Item

Select Organization & Project

Choose your Azure DevOps organization from the dropdown
Select the project where you want to create the work item

Configure Work Item Details

Type: Bug, Task, User Story, Feature, or Epic
Title: Auto-filled from email subject (editable)
Description: AI-generated summary with action items extracted (editable)
Assigned To: Select team member (optional)
Area Path: Organize by team or feature area (optional)
Iteration: Assign to sprint (optional)
Parent Work Item: Link to existing user story, feature, or epic (optional)

🤖 AI-Powered: Google Gemini analyzes your email and generates a structured summary with action items. You can review, edit, or skip AI processing before creating the work item.

Review & Create

Review all fields
Click "Create Work Item"
Wait for confirmation (usually 2-5 seconds)

Success!

You'll see a success message with:

Work item ID
Direct link to view in Azure DevOps
Option to create another or close the add-in

Note: The original email is automatically attached as an .eml file to preserve formatting and context.

Key Features

🤖 AI-Powered Analysis

Google Gemini generates structured summaries and extracts action items from emails automatically

📧 Email Preservation

Original email saved as .eml attachment with full formatting, headers, and thread context

🔐 Microsoft SSO

Seamless authentication using your existing Microsoft 365 credentials

👥 Team Assignment

Assign work items to team members directly from Outlook

🎯 Smart Organization

Area paths, iterations, and parent work item linking supported

🏢 Multi-Org Support

Switch between multiple Azure DevOps organizations easily

Quick Troubleshooting

Add-in Not Appearing in Outlook

Wait 24 hours after admin deployment
Restart Outlook completely
Clear browser cache (for Outlook Web)
Verify your admin deployed to your user/group

Authentication Failing

Ensure the same Microsoft account is used for Outlook and Azure DevOps
Clear browser cookies and cache
Verify you have Contributor or higher permissions in Azure DevOps

"No Projects Found" Error

Verify you have access to at least one project in the selected organization
Check your project permissions (Contributor or higher required)

🔧 Still Having Issues? Check our full documentation or contact support.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How does the free trial work?

A: You get 7 days of full access to all features with no credit card required. After the trial ends, a subscription is required to continue using the add-in.

Q: Can I use this on mobile devices?

A: No, the add-in is only supported on Outlook Desktop (Windows/Mac) and Outlook Web. Mobile support is not available.

Q: What happens to email attachments?

A: The entire email (including attachments) is preserved as a single .eml file attached to the work item in Azure DevOps.

Q: Does this work with Azure DevOps Server (on-premises)?

A: No, this add-in only supports Azure DevOps Services (dev.azure.com). On-premises Azure DevOps Server installations are not supported.

Q: Can I use multiple Azure DevOps organizations?

A: Yes! You can switch between multiple Azure DevOps organizations using the organization dropdown in the add-in interface.

Need Help?

If you run into any issues, check out our full documentation or contact support.

Support Hours: Monday-Friday, 9 AM - 5 PM CET

Response Time: Within 24 business hours