How to Use Outlook with Your CRM

Connect Outlook to the Mailbox module so emails sync into the CRM and are matched to contacts. One-time OAuth setup, no forwarding required.

Introduction

Why connect Outlook to the CRM

When Outlook stays separate from your CRM, you switch between inbox and CRM to see what was said. Connecting Outlook to the Mailbox Module syncs your emails into the CRM and matches them to Individuals and Organizations. Open a contact and you see the full thread; open a deal or ticket and the conversation is in context.

This guide covers Outlook specifically. For a general email setup (Gmail or Outlook), see How to Connect Your Email to the CRM. For the full Outlook integration reference, see the Outlook Integration guide.

Step 1: Enable the Mailbox module

Check module availability

1. The Mailbox module must be enabled for your business. Your business administrator enables modules in the module or business settings.
2. Once Mailbox is enabled, it should appear in your navigation or sidebar. If you don't see it, check your sidebar or module list and enable it for your view so you can open Mailbox and connect Outlook.

Step 2: Connect Outlook

Connect your Outlook account

1. Go to Modules and open Mailbox (or use the Mailbox entry in your app).
2. Choose Connect Outlook (or the equivalent button).
3. You'll be redirected to Microsoft to sign in. Sign in with your work or school account (or personal Outlook if that's what you use for customer communication).
4. Review and approve the permissions Piraja requests (e.g. read and send mail, access to mailboxes). These allow the CRM to sync your messages and match them to contacts.
5. After you approve, you'll be redirected back to the CRM. The connection is complete and emails will start syncing.

One connection per user

Each user connects their own Outlook account. There is no need to share a single mailbox; everyone's emails are synced for their own account and matched to the same shared contacts and organizations in the CRM.

What gets synced

Incoming and sent emails

• Incoming and sent emails are synced into Mailbox. You can view them in the Mailbox module (e.g. by folder: Inbox, Sent, or All).
• The system matches emails to Individuals and Organizations using the sender and recipient email addresses. If a contact in the CRM has that email, the message is linked to their record.
• Each matched email can appear as activity on the related contact or organization.

What matching depends on

Matching works best when your Individuals and Organizations have correct, up-to-date email addresses. If the sender or recipient isn't in the CRM, or the address doesn't match, the message may still appear in Mailbox but won't be linked to a contact. Keep contact data current for the best results.

Using Mailbox after connection

Viewing emails

• Use the Mailbox module to browse synced emails by folder (Inbox, Sent, etc.) or to search.
• Open a contact (Individual or Organization) to see their linked activity, including emails that were matched to them.

Linking to deals or tickets

Depending on your setup, you may be able to link email threads to Opportunities or Tickets so the full conversation is attached to that deal or case. See How to Link Email to Contacts and Deals.

Best practices

Use your work Outlook account

Connect the account you use for customer and prospect communication so the emails that matter for sales and support are the ones syncing.

Keep contact email addresses up to date

When a contact changes email, update their record in Individuals or Organizations. Accurate addresses improve matching so more emails appear on the right contact.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to set up forwarding?

No. When you connect Outlook via OAuth, sync is automatic. Forwarding is only needed if you use the Mailbox forwarding option instead of connecting Outlook directly.

Can I connect both Outlook and Gmail?

Typically you connect one provider per user (either Outlook or Gmail). If your app allows multiple connections, check the Mailbox or integration settings.

What if emails aren't showing on a contact?

Confirm the contact has the correct email address saved. If the address matches the sender or recipient, the message should be linked. If matching still fails, see Mailbox: Emails Not Appearing for troubleshooting.

Who can I contact for help?

Contact support at support@piraja.io.

Conclusion

Connect Outlook to the CRM by enabling the Mailbox module and completing the one-time OAuth flow. Emails then sync and are matched to contacts so you have a full communication history in one place. For more detail see the Mailbox Module guide, the Outlook Integration guide, and How to Connect Your Email to the CRM.