Connect Outlook

Connect your Outlook / Microsoft 365 inbox to automatically capture event inquiries and reply from Joinways.

If your venue runs on Microsoft 365, connecting Outlook brings exactly the same benefits as Gmail: automatic detection of incoming inquiries and replies centralized in the event file. You stop juggling between your mailbox and your management tool, and the whole commercial conversation lives in the same place as your quotes, contacts and planning.

This guide walks through connecting an Outlook or Microsoft 365 account step by step, what actually syncs, how the mechanism works, and how to resolve the rare hiccups — notably blocks caused by an organization that restricts third-party apps.

Prerequisites

Before you start, make sure you have the following in place. They ensure the authorization goes through smoothly.

An Outlook or Microsoft 365 account: this is the address that receives the inquiries you want to surface in Joinways.
Rights to authorize an app: on a Microsoft 365 account managed by an organization, the admin may require IT approval before a third-party app can be authorized.
Access to Joinways with the permissions needed to open Settings and manage your workspace integrations.

What you'll learn

Connect Outlook / Microsoft 365 securely via OAuth2.
Choose the sync scope.
Check inquiries come through correctly to Inquiries.
Diagnose and fix the main issues: reconnection, sync delay, permissions.

Connect Outlook, step by step

Connecting takes only a moment. Follow these steps in order; at each one, the guide explains what you see on screen and what you authorize.

Go to Settings then Integrations. This is the control center for every external connection in your workspace.
In the Inquiry sources section, find the Outlook row and click Connect next to Outlook.
A Microsoft window opens. Authorize Joinways via the Microsoft window (OAuth): pick the relevant account, then confirm the requested access. You stay on Microsoft's servers throughout this step.
Back in Joinways, choose the sync scope to define how far back Joinways analyzes messages.

Once these steps are done, the connection becomes active and the first sync starts in the background. There is nothing else to configure to start receiving your inquiries.

Reference: what syncs and what you authorize

This section recaps, factually, the scope of the connection as described above. It helps you understand exactly what Joinways sees and does with your Outlook inbox.

What comes through to Joinways

Incoming inquiries surface in Inquiries and are qualified automatically by AI.
You reply directly from the event file, without reopening Outlook.
Outlook is one of the inquiry sources: you can combine it with others, such as Gmail.

How access is secured

The connection is built on OAuth2, Microsoft's authorization standard. In practice, this means you grant access from the Microsoft window, and no password is stored by Joinways. You can revoke that access at any time, either on Microsoft's side or by disconnecting the account in Joinways.

The administrator's role

On a corporate Microsoft 365 account, some organizations require IT approval to authorize a third-party app. If that's your case, the administrator must approve Joinways before the Microsoft window grants access.

How it works

Once the connection is established, Joinways watches your Outlook inbox according to the scope you chose. For each new incoming email, the content is analyzed to determine whether it is a relevant inquiry for a venue.

When an inquiry is detected, it surfaces in Inquiries and the AI qualifies it. From there, you handle the conversation like any other exchange: you reply from the event file.

Syncing is continuous: you do not need to refresh manually. The first sync may take a few minutes while Joinways processes the first messages.

Edge cases

Outlook and Gmail at the same time: you can combine several inquiry sources. Both converge into the same unified Inquiries.
Account managed by an organization: if authorization is blocked, it's most likely because your administrator requires IT approval for third-party apps.
Outlook calendar: connecting the mailbox is separate from connecting the Outlook calendar, which is set up independently.

💡 Good to know: the connection uses OAuth2. No password is stored by Joinways — you stay in control and can revoke access at any time.

Best practices

Connect the address that actually receives your commercial inquiries, rather than a rarely used secondary inbox.
On a corporate account, line up IT approval with your administrator in advance to avoid a block at authorization time.
After connecting, wait a few minutes then check Inquiries to confirm the first sync went through.
Always reply from the event file to keep the whole conversation centralized.

Troubleshooting

Connection blocked by your administrator

Problem: the Microsoft window refuses to authorize Joinways.

Cause: some organizations require IT approval to authorize a third-party app.

Solution: ask your administrator to approve Joinways, then restart the connection from Settings then Integrations.

Sync delay

Problem: inquiries take a while to appear after connecting.

Cause: the first sync processes messages in the background and can take a few minutes depending on volume.

Solution: let the sync finish, then refresh Inquiries. Subsequent new emails then come through continuously.

Reconnection after lost access

Problem: the connection shows as inactive, or emails stop coming through.

Cause: a Microsoft password change or an access revocation on Microsoft's side can cut the connection.

Solution: reconnect the account from Settings then Integrations, and re-authorize Joinways via the Microsoft window.

Real-world example

The Congress Pavilion runs entirely on Microsoft 365. The account manager opens Settings then Integrations, clicks Connect next to Outlook, picks the account in the Microsoft window, and authorizes Joinways.

Because the account is managed by the company, authorization is blocked at first; the IT team approves the app, then she restarts the connection. A few minutes later, incoming inquiries surface in Inquiries, qualified by AI, and she replies to the first one from the event file.

Another example

A sales team uses Outlook for corporate inquiries and Gmail for individuals. Rather than choosing, they connect both inquiry sources: Outlook first, then Gmail.

The result: every inquiry, whatever mailbox it originates from, converges into the same unified Inquiries and is qualified by AI. The team handles everything in one place, without reopening Outlook or Gmail.

FAQ

Outlook and Gmail at the same time?

Yes, you can combine several inquiry sources. Outlook and Gmail come through to the same unified Inquiries.

Is my Microsoft password stored by Joinways?

No. The connection uses OAuth2: no password is stored by Joinways. You grant access via the Microsoft window.

Why is authorization blocked?

Some organizations require IT approval to authorize a third-party app. Ask your administrator to approve Joinways.

Are inquiries qualified automatically?

Yes. Inquiries surface in Inquiries and are qualified by AI, which helps you prioritize.

How long before I see the first inquiries?

The first sync usually takes a few minutes. After that, new emails come through continuously.

Can I reply without opening Outlook?

Yes. You reply directly from the event file in Joinways.

Should I also connect the Outlook calendar?

It's optional and independent. Connecting the Outlook calendar is set up separately from the mailbox.