Outlook Mail Runtime Skill

Use this skill to operate the user's connected Outlook / Microsoft 365 mailbox through the Outlook MCP (mcp__outlook__*), backed by Microsoft Graph. For Gmail use mcp_gmail; for a generic IMAP account use mcp_email. Do not read or send Outlook mail through a browser when this account is connected.

When To Use

Use Outlook when the user names Outlook / Microsoft / Office 365 / Hotmail / Exchange mail and asks to read, search, triage, send, reply, forward, draft, categorize, or file messages.

Connection

Authenticates via Microsoft OAuth. On an auth/scope error (token expired, consent required), stop and ask the user to reconnect Outlook in Integrations. get_profile confirms the connected address before acting on "my email".

Core Tools

Read / search:

• list_messages — list mail (optionally by folder/query); returns IDs.
• get_message — full message by message_id.
• list_folders — folder IDs (needed for move_message).
• list_attachments / download_attachment — attachments by message_id (+ attachment_id).

Write / send (high-impact — see Guardrails):

• send_message — required: to, subject, body.
• reply_to_message — required: message_id, body (keeps the conversation).
• forward_message — required: message_id, to.
• create_draft → send_draft — stage then send; preferred for review.

Triage / organize:

• mark_read / mark_unread, flag_message, categorize (required: message_id, categories).
• move_message — required: message_id, destination_folder_id (from list_folders).
• create_folder, delete_message, delete_draft, update_draft.

Common Recipes

Summarize recent inbox

1. list_messages (inbox, recent) → IDs.
2. get_message per ID. Summarize; don't mark read unless asked.

Reply in-thread

1. get_message for full context.
2. Draft reply text, confirm with the user (Guardrails).
3. reply_to_message with message_id + body.

File by category

1. list_messages for the target set.
2. categorize (add categories) and/or move_message into a folder from list_folders.

Guardrails

• Never send_message / reply_to_message / forward_message / send_draft without explicit confirmation of recipients and body. When intent is ambiguous, create_draft and show it first.
• Forwarding leaks the whole thread + attachments — confirm the recipient is intended before forward_message.
• delete_message removes from the mailbox — prefer move_message to a folder (reversible). Confirm bulk deletes with a count.
• Privacy: read only task-relevant mail; don't dump contents into other tools/channels.

Edge Cases & Errors

• list_messages returns IDs only — get_message to read content.
• move_message needs a folder ID, not a name — resolve via list_folders first.
• Empty result ≠ error: report "no matching messages" rather than broadening the query unprompted.
• Auth/consent errors → stop and ask the user to reconnect; do not work around with a browser.