Using the Outlook Add-In

In this article

• Pinning the Add-In 
• Setting Up an 'Actionstep' Category
• Associating an Email with a Matter
• Adding an Actionstep Contact as a Recipient to an Email
• Adding Matter Documents as Attachments to an Email
• Using an Email Template to Format the Message
• Creating and Adding a Contact to Actionstep
• Adding a File Note, Task, or Time Entry to Actionstep from the Outlook Add-In
• Saving Email Attachments to Actionstep
• Renaming an Email 
• Unassigning an Email from a Matter
• Resolving Ajax Errors

This article walks you through the different features that are available within the Outlook add-in and shows you how to use them once you have installed and authorized the add-in. These features include assigning emails, creating contacts, time entries, tasks, and file notes, using email templates, and much more.

You can use the Outlook add-in from both a private email account as well as a shared account. (Please note it does not work with external accounts.)

Pinning the Add-In 

You can pin the add-in so that it remains open each time you open Outlook.

To do this:

1. Open Outlook.
2. Click the Home tab and make sure an email message is selected. 
3. Click Open Actionstep in the ribbon.
4. Select the pin icon.
5. If the panel is too large or small, drag its left border to adjust the width.

Setting Up an 'Actionstep' Category

You can set up an 'Actionstep' category in Outlook to help you organize your Actionstep-specific emails. Then, when you use the Outlook add-in to add add an email to a matter in Actionstep, the email will automatically be tagged in Outlook. 

To do this:

1. Open Outlook and click the Home tab.
2. Click the Categorize button on the ribbon, followed by All Categories. The Color Categories window appears.
3. Click New. 
4. In the Name field, enter Actionstep.
5. Click the Color drop-down list and choose the color you want assigned to the category. For example, you might choose green.
6. Click OK to save the category and click OK again to close the Color Categories window. 
7. Select an email in the list and assign the Actionstep category to it.
8. In the Assign to matter field, type the name of the matter you want to assign the email to. 
9. When you find the name in the list, select it. The email is saved to the Comms tab of the matter. 

Now, when you assign an email to a matter (as described in Step 8, above), the Actionstep category will automatically be assigned to the email in Outlook. This includes any emails you've added to Actionstep in the past. 

TIP:  To quickly find emails tagged with the Actionstep category, type category: Actionstep in the Outlook search bar. 

Associating an Email with a Matter

When you create or receive an email, you can use the Outlook add-in to assign it to a matter in Actionstep. Both workflows are described below.

To add a new email to a matter:

1. Open Outlook. 
2. Click the Home tab and select New Email.
3. If it's not displayed, click Open Actionstep to view the Actionstep pane. 
4. In the Assign to matter field, enter the name of the matter you want to save the email to then select it from the list of results. 
   
5. Complete the rest of the email message and send it. Once sent, the email is assigned to the Sent folder of the matter's Comms tab and details about the matter are displayed in the Actionstep pane.

To add emails you've received to a matter:

1. Open Outlook. 
2. Click the Home tab and select one or more emails in the inbox. 
3. If it's not displayed, click Open Actionstep to view the Actionstep pane. 
4. In the Assign to matter field, enter the name of the matter you want to save the email (or emails) to and then select it from the list of results.
    The email(s) are saved to the Inbox for the Comms tab of the matter. 

Adding an Actionstep Contact as a Recipient to an Email

You can add an Actionstep contact as a recipient to an email message you're drafting. 

To do this:

1. Create an email message in Outlook. 
2. If it's not displayed, click Open Actionstep to view the Actionstep pane.
3. Click the envelope icon in the top-left corner of the add-in.
4. Select Add Recipients.The Add Recipients form appears.
5. In the Search contacts field, enter and select the name of the contact you want to add to the recipient list. The email address is added to the To field. 

Adding Matter Documents as Attachments to an Email

When drafting an email, you can use the Outlook add-in to add attachments saved with the matter to the email. 

To do this:

1. Create an email message in Outlook.
2. If it's not visible, click Open Actionstep to display the Actionstep pane. 
3. In the Assign to matter field, enter and select the name of the matter you want to assign the email to.
4. Click the envelope icon in the top-left corner of the add-in and choose Add attachments. This displays a list of documents that have been associated with the matter.
5. Browse to and select a document you'd like to include in the email.
   
6. Click Attach File. The document is attached to the email message. 
7. Repeat this process for any additional attachments you'd like to add.

Using an Email Template to Format the Message

You can use a template when drafting an email message. This can save you time drafting a message by providing you boilerplate text to use instead. 

To do this:

1. Create an email message in Outlook.
2. If it's not visible, click Open Actionstep to display the Actionstep pane. 
3. In the Assign to matter field, enter and select the name of the matter you want to assign the email to.
   
4. Click the envelope icon in the top-left corner of the add-in and choose Use a template.
5. Select which email template you would like to use. The template is applied to the email message.

To learn more about email templates, see Creating Email Templates.

Creating and Adding a Contact to Actionstep

When you receive an email, you can add the sender of that email to your Actionstep Contacts list. 

To do this:

1. Open Outlook and click the Home tab.
2. Select the email message from the contact you want to add to Actionstep. 
3. If it's not visible, click Open Actionstep to display the Actionstep pane.
4. Click the contact's name in the Add Contact box. The New Contact form appears.
5. Complete as many fields about the contact as needed.
6. Click Create. The contact is added to Actionstep.
   
   

Adding a File Note, Task, or Time Entry to Actionstep from the Outlook Add-In

While working in Outlook, you may need to record information for a matter in Actionstep. Using the Outlook add-in, you can create file notes, tasks, and time entries. 

To do this:

1. Open Outlook and click the Home tab.
2. Select an email message. 
3. If it's not visible, click Open Actionstep to display the Actionstep pane.
4. Click the Add icon. The Create new form appears. 
5.  Select any of the options and then complete the information that is requested.

Saving Email Attachments to Actionstep

You can save email attachments to the associated matter in Actionstep. 

To do this:

1. In Outlook, open the email. 
2. If it's not visible, click Open Actionstep to display the Actionstep pane.
3. In the Assign to matter field, enter and select the name of the matter you want to save the attachments to.
4. Click the envelope icon in the top-left corner of the add-in and choose Organize attachments. The Organize Attachments form appears.
5. Select the attachments you want to copy to the matter and click Move to to choose which folder in the matter you want to save the documents to. 
   TIP:  Click the pencil icon next to the attachment to rename it (if needed) and save.
6. Click Move to save the documents to the matter.
   

Renaming an Email 

You can rename an email's subject you've copied to a matter. Renaming does not affect the original email in Outlook—it only changes the copy of the email in Actionstep. 

There are a few different places you can complete the rename:

• In the Actionstep panel in your Outlook client.
• On the Matter View page for the matter you've saved the email to. 

To change the email subject line in Outlook:

1. In the Actionstep panel, find the email you've saved. 
2. Click the edit (or pencil) icon. The Rename Email window appears.
3. Enter a new Email name. 
4. Click Rename to save the change. 

NOTE:  You can also click the email icon and use the Rename option. 

To change the email subject line on the Matter View page:

1. In Actionstep, view the matter associated with the email you want to rename. (See Editing a Matter for help.)
2. Click the Matter View menu icon. 
3. Select the email in the list of files.
4. Right-click on the file and choose Rename from the list of options. The Rename window appears.
5. TIP:  You can also select the email in the list and then choose Rename from the More drop-down list, located above the preview pane.
6. Enter the New name.
7. Click Save to save your changes. The email in the list is updated.

Unassigning an Email from a Matter

You can remove the association between an email and the matter it has been assigned to.

To do this:

1. In Outlook, open the email. 
2. If it's not visible, click Open Actionstep to display the Actionstep pane.
3. Select the envelope icon in the top-left corner of the add-in and choose Unassign. The Unassign Email window appears.
4. Optionally, select Delete email. This will delete the email in Outlook but it will not delete it from Actionstep.
5. Click Unassign.
   

Resolving Ajax Errors

Sometimes when using the Outlook add-in, you may get an "Ajax error". 

To resolve these errors:

1. Open Outlook and click the Home tab.
2. Select any email message. 
3. If it's not visible, click Open Actionstep to display the Actionstep pane.
4. Click the person icon in the top-right corner of the add-in. The Profile form appears.
5. Click Logout.
6. Sign back in using the email address and password you use to sign in to Actionstep.

If this does not resolve the issue, please contact Actionstep Support.

Related Articles:

• Setting Up the Outlook Add-in