Microsoft Outlook

Microsoft Outlook is a cloud-based service that manages your emails, contacts, and calendars. This document describes how to connect IBM watsonx Orchestrate to Microsoft Outlook and use its skills on watsonx Orchestrate.

General considerations

Before you connect watsonx Orchestrate to Microsoft Outlook, make sure that you have a work or school account at Microsoft.

Note:
  • You can't connect to a personal account. Use a work or school account instead.
  • If your Microsoft admin has blocked apps from accessing data in your organization, you need to work with your admin to allow watsonx Orchestrate to connect to Microsoft Outlook. If admin approval has not been given, when you try connecting, you see a "Need admin approval" dialog.
  • If you don't have a suitable Microsoft Outlook account, you can sign up for a Microsoft 365 Developer Program account, which gives you full access to Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft SharePoint, and more that you can use for testing with watsonx Orchestrate. For more information about the Microsoft 365 Developer Program, see the Developer Program FAQ.
  • Some app connections require you to allow pop-up windows and redirects in your browser for validation. If you're having trouble connecting to an app, check the address bar to see whether you must turn off popup and redirect blocking.
  • To connect with your IBMid email account, use authorization type: Using the application's website to sign in (OAUTH 2.0 AUTH CODE).

Connecting to Microsoft Outlook

Important:
- A credential type must be set for apps that are a part of team skill sets and AI assistants. Skill-based actions in AI assistants support only shared credentials.
- If a credential type of an app is not specified, an error message is displayed when users attempt to run the skills of the app. To resolve the error, an admin must set the credential type for the app. For more information, see Managing connections.

An app can be connected either through the skill catalog or through the watsonx Orchestrate chat. Use the method that suits you to connect to an app.

Connect to the app through the skill catalog when you add that skill to your skill set:

  1. On the watsonx Orchestrate chat page, click Add skills from the catalog.
  2. Search and click the app tile.
  3. Click Connect app.
  4. Configure the connection. For more information, see Configuring the connection.
  5. Click Connect app.

Otherwise, connect to that app through the watsonx Orchestrate chat when you use the skill:

  1. Open the watsonx Orchestrate chat.
  2. On the chat, start the skill.
  3. Click Connect app.
  4. Configure the connection. For more information, see Configuring the connection.
  5. Click Connect app.

Configuring the connection on watsonx Orchestrate SaaS

To connect watsonx Orchestrate to Microsoft Outlook, complete the following steps:

  1. Click Connect app.
  2. Select whether you want to connect as a Non-admin user or Admin user.
    • Non-admin user: As a non-admin user, you can give watsonx Orchestrate consent only to access the data for the Microsoft account that is used to connect to watsonx Orchestrate.
    • Admin user: It is not recommended to use Admin access to log in to Microsoft Outlook.
  3. Click Connect app.
  4. In the Microsoft Outlook authentication page, set your Microsoft Outlook account email and click Next.
  5. Enter your Microsoft Outlook account password and click Sign in. With two-factor authentication, you are asked to approve the sign in.
  6. Check the Permissions and click Accept.

watsonx Orchestrate connects to your Microsoft Outlook account automatically.

Note: The icon A green check icon appears to show that the app is connected. indicates that the connection was successfully established.

Configuring the connection on watsonx Orchestrate in IBM Cloud Pak for Data

  1. Click Connect app.

  2. Specify the following connection details:

    • Client ID: The unique identifier generated after the Microsoft Azure app registration gets mapped to the specific project requests.
    • Client secret: The application client secret for the project-specific client ID.
    • Access token: The access token generated from the application client ID and client secret. For more information, see Access tokens in the Microsoft identity platform.
    • Refresh token: The refresh token generated from the application client ID and client secret. For more information, see Refresh tokens in the Microsoft identity platform.

  3. Click Connect app.

Note:

The icon A green check icon appears to show that the app is connected. indicates that the connection was successfully established.

Permissions

To connect watsonx Orchestrate to Microsoft Outlook, you have to accept the following permission requests:

  • Have full access to your calendars allows the app to read, update, create and delete events in your calendars.
  • Have full access of your contacts allows the app to read, update, create and delete contacts in your contact folders.
  • Read and write access to your mail allows the app to read, update, create and delete email in your mailbox. This does not include permission to send mail.
  • Send mail as you allows the app to send mail as you.
  • Maintain access to data you have given it access to allows the app to see and update the data you gave it access to, even when you are not currently using the app.
  • Sign you in and read your profile allows you to sign in to the app with your organizational account and let the app read your profile. It also allows the app to read basic company information.

By accepting these permissions you allow watsonx Orchestrate to use your data as specified in the Terms of Service and Privacy Statement. You can change these permissions here.

Using the application's website to sign in (OAUTH 2.0 AUTH CODE)

  1. Click Connect app.
  2. To connect watsonx Orchestrate to Microsoft Outlook, you are asked to pick a Microsoft account and sign in with the account password. With two-factor authentication, you are asked to approve the sign in.
  3. You are asked to accept the permissions requested by watsonx Orchestrate to allow it to use your data as specified in their Terms of Service and Privacy Statement. If you have signed in as an admin user, you can select the checkbox to consent on behalf of your organization.
  4. watsonx Orchestrate connects to your Microsoft Outlook account automatically.

What to do next

After you connect to the app, you can use the app’s skills. For more information see, Using the chat. To know what skill you can use, see the skills and skill flow column of List of prebuilt apps, skills and skill flows.

Parent topic:

→ Prebuilt apps