Your Inbox Isn’t a To‑Do List

Turn flagged emails into actionable tasks — automatically

If you’re like most people, your Outlook inbox is a mix of urgent requests, meeting invites, newsletters, and “just in case” CCs. Somewhere in that chaos are the emails that actually matter — the ones you need to act on.

The problem? Using your inbox as your to‑do list is a recipe for missed deadlines, forgotten follow‑ups, and constant mental clutter.

The good news: Microsoft 365 and Power Automate can turn your inbox into a launchpad for action — without you lifting a finger after setup.

The Problem with Email‑as‑Task‑Manager

  • No prioritisation: Important tasks get buried under new messages.
  • No deadlines: Emails don’t remind you when something is due.
  • No tracking: You can’t see progress without digging through threads.

The Microsoft 365 Solution

By connecting Outlook to Planner, and so Microsoft To Do via Power Automate, you can automatically turn flagged emails into actionable tasks.

  1. You flag an email in Outlook.
  2. Power Automate creates a new task in Planner or To Do.
The task includes the email subject, a link back to the email, and a due date.

Step‑by‑Step: Setting It Up

  1. Make sure you access to a Planner or create one. If you create one, give it a minute to propogate through the system.  
  2. Open Power Automate and sign in with your Microsoft 365 account.
  3. Search for “Flagged email to Planner task” template.
  4. Select your Planner plan and bucket, and set default due dates (e.g., 2 days from flag).
  5. Save and test by flagging an email in Outlook.
This template is very much a starting point. The new task is not very informative with no data about the message attached. A suggestion is to update at least the title and date started task attributes for the new task to the subject and date received of the message.

If you have a category set up in Planner for your emails, change that colour to true too.  

Why This Works for Business Users

  • Consistency: Every flagged email becomes a trackable task.
  • Visibility: Managers can see workloads in Planner without chasing updates.
  • Speed: No more copy‑pasting email content into task lists.

Pro Tips

  • Use categories in Outlook to tag tasks by project or priority.
  • Add reminders in Planner for time‑sensitive items.
  • Combine with Teams notifications so you’re alerted instantly when a task is created.
Contact us to achieve more with the tools you already use.
💡 Worqbox Pro Tip: Set it up once, and your inbox becomes a launchpad — not a landfill.

👀 Coming Soon? We’ll share more Microsoft 365 + Power Platform hacks to save you time and keep your work organised. Let us know in the comments what you’d like to see next.

Stay in Control of Your Work

Automating your email‑to‑task workflow keeps your priorities clear, your projects on track, and your inbox clutter‑free.

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