Use this article to diagnose and resolve common reasons why the AI Assistant doesn't reply to employee emails sent through the Outlook channel.
Missing replies are typically caused by configuration issues, unsupported email scenarios, or safety protections.
Check your configuration
Before troubleshooting a specific issue, verify the following:
| Check | Verify |
| Connected mailbox | The shared mailbox is connected and appears in Manage mailboxes. |
| Microsoft administrator consent | Administrator consent is still active for your Microsoft 365 tenant. |
| Email recipient | The connected shared mailbox is included in the To field, not in Cc or Bcc. |
| Sender | The sender's work email address matches an active Applaud user account. |
| Outlook channel | Your subscription includes the Outlook channel, and it's connected. |
If these checks are correct, review the following common issues.
Sender isn't recognized
Symptom
The email arrives in the shared mailbox, but the employee doesn't receive a reply.
Possible cause
The AI Assistant couldn't match the sender's email address to an active Applaud user account.
Resolution
Verify that:
- The sender has an active Applaud account.
- The sender's work email address matches the email address stored in Applaud.
Ask the employee to resend the email from their registered work email address.
The email doesn't meet Outlook channel requirements
Symptom
The employee doesn't receive a reply, or receives a message explaining that the request couldn't be processed.
Possible cause
The email doesn't meet the requirements for the Outlook channel. For example:
- The shared mailbox isn't in the To field. Applaud ignores emails where the mailbox is only included in Cc or Bcc.
- The email was sent to multiple connected shared mailboxes.
- The email doesn't contain a message.
Resolution
Ask the employee to:
- Send the email to one connected shared mailbox.
- Include the shared mailbox in the To field.
- Include a question or request in the message body.
For more information, see One-to-one conversations.
The email is an automatic or system-generated message
Symptom
The AI Assistant doesn't respond to the email.
Possible cause
The Outlook channel doesn't process automated messages, such as:
- Out-of-office replies
- Delivery notifications
- Messages sent automatically by systems or rules.
Resolution
Send a new email from the employee's work mailbox instead of an automated account or process.
The mailbox isn't connected
Symptom
Email arrives in the shared mailbox, but the AI Assistant doesn't respond.
Possible cause
The mailbox is no longer connected, or Microsoft administrator consent is no longer valid.
Resolution
Verify that:
- The shared mailbox appears in Manage mailboxes.
- Microsoft administrator consent is still active.
- The mailbox is a supported shared mailbox.
Reconnect the mailbox if necessary.
Additional recipients are included
Symptom
The sender receives a reply, but other recipients don't.
Possible cause
The Outlook channel supports conversations between one employee and one connected shared mailbox. Additional recipients are removed from replies to protect employee privacy.
Resolution
Ask employees to send requests directly to the shared mailbox without adding additional recipients.
For more information, see One-to-one conversations.
Safety protections prevent a reply
Symptom
The AI Assistant doesn't respond to a message or returns a failure message.
Possible cause
Safety protections prevented the AI Assistant from processing the request.
Resolution
Ask the employee to rephrase the request and send a new email.
If the issue continues, contact Applaud Support.
Contact Applaud Support
If the issue can't be resolved, collect the following information before contacting Applaud Support:
| Information | Details |
| Connected mailbox | The Outlook mailbox address. |
| Subscription status | Whether the mailbox appears as subscribed in Manage mailboxes. |
| Microsoft consent | Whether Microsoft 365 admin consent is active. |
| Sender | Whether the sender exists in Applaud with a matching work email address. |
| Email recipient | Whether the AI mailbox appeared in the To field. |
| Time sent | The approximate date, time, and time zone of the email. |
| Previous replies | Whether the sender received AI replies earlier in the thread. |
Related articles
- One-to-one conversations
- Manage connected shared mailboxes
- What employees can do with the Outlook channel