> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.spinnable.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Using a Corporate Email

> Set up your worker to send, receive, and monitor emails from your company email address

Your worker comes with a built-in Spinnable email address (e.g., `alice@getspinnable.ai`), but many teams need their worker to operate a **corporate email address** — like `support@yourcompany.com` or `valeria@yourcompany.com`.

<Info>
  **Standard plan and above:** You can give your worker a custom email address directly — no Gmail or Outlook account required. Check your worker settings to configure a custom worker email for your domain.

  The Gmail/Outlook integration approach described in this guide remains a valid alternative, for example if you need to connect a worker to a pre-existing mailbox already running on Gmail or Outlook.
</Info>

This guide walks you through the Gmail/Outlook integration setup so your worker:

* **Sends** all emails from your corporate address
* **Monitors** your corporate inbox for incoming messages
* **Uses a consistent, approved signature** on every email

<Warning>
  **Important:** Connecting Gmail or Outlook as a tool does **not** automatically make the worker monitor or send from that inbox. Each behavior requires explicit configuration as described below.
</Warning>

***

## Prerequisites

Before starting, make sure you have:

* ✅ A Gmail or Outlook account for the corporate email address. Ideally specifically for that worker. An alias is not enough, it needs to be an account.
* ✅ Admin access to that email account (for forwarding rules and signature settings)
* ✅ Both **Gmail/Outlook (send)** and **Gmail/Outlook (read)** tools authorized in your account **Tools** section

<Card title="Need help connecting tools?" icon="plug" href="/guides/connecting-tools">
  Follow the step-by-step tool setup guide first
</Card>

***

## Step 1: Connect Gmail or Outlook to Your Worker

You need both the **send** and **read** tools connected:

<Steps>
  <Step title="Authorize at account level">
    Go to **Tools** (left sidebar) and connect:

    * Gmail (send) or Outlook (send)
    * Gmail (read) or Outlook (read)

    Sign in with the corporate email account credentials.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Enable for your worker">
    Go to **Worker → Tools** (right sidebar with the worker open) and enable both tools for this worker.

    <Warning>
      **This is a two-step process.** Authorizing a tool in your Tools section (Level 1) doesn't automatically give workers access. You must also enable it at the worker level (Level 2). See [Tool Permissions](/concepts/tool-permissions) for details.
    </Warning>
  </Step>
</Steps>

***

## Step 2: Make Your Worker Always Send from the Corporate Address

By default, your worker sends emails using its built-in `@getspinnable.ai` address. To force it to always use your corporate email, add a **Worker Policy** instruction.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open Worker Policy">
    Go to **Worker → Knowledge → Worker Policy** and click **Edit**.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add the sender instruction">
    Add this to the policy:

    ```
    Always use the Gmail (send) tool for ALL outgoing emails — internal and external.
    NEVER use your default @getspinnable.ai email address.
    ```

    If using Outlook, replace "Gmail (send)" with "Outlook (send)".
  </Step>

  <Step title="Save">
    Click **Save**. Worker Policy instructions are treated as the highest-priority rules and apply across all conversations.
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Info>
  **Why the Worker Policy?** Unlike casual conversation instructions, the Worker Policy persists permanently and applies to every conversation. It's the right place for rules the worker must always follow.
</Info>

***

## Step 3: Set Up Inbox Monitoring

Connecting the Read tool does **not** make the worker automatically check for new emails. You need to explicitly configure monitoring using one of these two approaches:

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="Option A: Recurring Scheduled Task">
    Best if you want the worker to check the inbox at **specific times** (e.g., morning and afternoon).

    Tell your worker:

    ```
    Check the Gmail inbox for support@yourcompany.com every day at 10 AM and 4 PM.
    Review any new emails and respond using the Gmail (send) tool.
    Never use your default Spinnable email address.
    ```

    The worker will create a recurring scheduled task and check the inbox on that schedule.

    **Pros:**

    * Simple to set up — just a conversation with your worker
    * Predictable check times
    * Lower usage consumption

    **Cons:**

    * Emails aren't handled in real time
    * Delay between email arrival and worker response
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Option B: Email Forwarding Filter (Real-Time)">
    Best if you need the worker to respond to incoming emails **as soon as they arrive**.

    <Steps>
      <Step title="Create a forwarding filter in Gmail or Outlook">
        In the corporate email account settings, set up an automatic forwarding rule that sends a copy of all incoming emails to your worker's Spinnable address (e.g., `alice@spinnable.app`).

        * **Gmail:** [Set up forwarding filters](https://support.google.com/mail/answer/10957)
        * **Outlook:** [Set up forwarding rules](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/use-rules-in-outlook-c24f5dea-9465-4df4-ad17-a50704d66c59)
      </Step>

      <Step title="Instruct the worker">
        Add this to your Worker Policy or tell the worker directly:

        ```
        Anytime you receive a forwarded email from support@yourcompany.com,
        always reply using the Gmail (send) tool from support@yourcompany.com.
        NEVER reply from your default Spinnable email address.
        ```
      </Step>
    </Steps>

    **Pros:**

    * Near real-time responses
    * No manual checking needed

    **Cons:**

    * Requires setting up forwarding rules in Gmail/Outlook admin
    * Worker responds to every forwarded email (add filtering criteria if needed)
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

<Tip>
  **Which option should you choose?** If the inbox receives low to moderate volume and real-time response isn't critical, **Option A** is simpler. If you need fast response times (e.g., customer support), **Option B** is better.
</Tip>

***

## Step 4: Lock Down the Email Signature

Workers compose email content dynamically, which means they can accidentally alter your signature — changing images, missing logos, or reformatting HTML.

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="Preferred: Use Gmail/Outlook's Built-in Signature">
    The most reliable approach — let Gmail or Outlook handle the signature automatically so the worker doesn't need to touch it at all.

    1. Log into the corporate email account
    2. Go to **Settings → Signature** (Gmail) or **Settings → Mail → Compose and reply** (Outlook)
    3. Create or paste your approved signature
    4. Save

    Gmail/Outlook will automatically append this signature to every outgoing email. The worker doesn't need any instructions — the email provider handles it.

    <Info>
      **This is the recommended approach.** It completely removes the worker from signature management, eliminating any risk of drift or variation.
    </Info>
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="Alternative: Upload a Signature File">
    If you can't use the email provider's built-in signature (e.g., you need different signatures for different contexts), upload the approved signature as an HTML file:

    1. Save your approved signature as an HTML file (e.g., `signature.html`)
    2. Upload it to the worker's **Knowledge → Files** section
    3. Add this to the Worker Policy:

    ```
    Always append the exact signature from signature.html to every outgoing email
    when using the Gmail (send) tool. Never modify, regenerate, or rewrite the
    signature HTML.
    ```

    <Warning>
      Complex HTML signatures with images, logos, and custom formatting are harder for the worker to reproduce faithfully. The built-in Gmail/Outlook signature method above is more reliable.
    </Warning>
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

***

## Step 5: Test Everything End-to-End

Before going live, run through this checklist:

<Steps>
  <Step title="Test outgoing emails">
    Ask your worker to send a test email to your personal address.

    **Verify:**

    * ✅ Email comes from the corporate address (not `@spinnable.app`)
    * ✅ Signature appears correctly with all images and formatting
    * ✅ Reply-to address is the corporate address
  </Step>

  <Step title="Test inbox monitoring">
    Send an email to the corporate inbox from a different address.

    **Verify:**

    * ✅ Worker detects the email (via scheduled check or forwarding)
    * ✅ Worker responds from the corporate address
    * ✅ Response appears in the correct thread in the corporate inbox's Sent folder
  </Step>

  <Step title="Test a real scenario">
    Simulate a real workflow — e.g., send a mock client inquiry and confirm the worker handles it correctly end-to-end.
  </Step>
</Steps>

***

## Common Pitfalls

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Worker sends from @spinnable.app instead of corporate address">
    **Cause:** No policy instruction telling the worker to use the Gmail/Outlook (send) tool.

    **Fix:** Add the sender instruction to the Worker Policy (see [Step 2](#step-2-make-your-worker-always-send-from-the-corporate-address)).
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Worker doesn't pick up new emails in the corporate inbox">
    **Cause:** Connecting Gmail/Outlook (read) does not enable automatic monitoring.

    **Fix:** Set up either a recurring task or email forwarding (see [Step 3](#step-3-set-up-inbox-monitoring)).
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Signature keeps changing or is missing elements">
    **Cause:** The worker reconstructs HTML signatures dynamically, which can introduce variation.

    **Fix:** Use Gmail/Outlook's built-in signature setting instead of having the worker manage it (see [Step 4](#step-4-lock-down-the-email-signature)).
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Worker claims it hasn't sent emails when it has (or vice versa)">
    **Cause:** Each conversation is independent. If you give instructions on WhatsApp and check status in Chat, the worker in Chat doesn't automatically see what happened on WhatsApp.

    **Fix:** Use a single conversation channel for all instructions and status checks related to the same task. Or explicitly tell the worker to check its recently sent messages before answering.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Multiple people giving conflicting instructions">
    **Cause:** Only the account manager's instructions are treated as authoritative. Instructions from non-managers on different channels can create confusion.

    **Fix:** Designate a single point of contact for send approvals and critical instructions. Make this explicit in the Worker Policy.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

***

## Next Steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Communication Channels" icon="messages" href="/concepts/communication-channels">
    Learn about all the ways to interact with your workers
  </Card>

  <Card title="Security Best Practices" icon="shield" href="/guides/security-best-practices">
    Keep your workers and data secure
  </Card>

  <Card title="Training & Feedback" icon="graduation-cap" href="/guides/training-feedback">
    Fine-tune your worker's behavior through conversation
  </Card>

  <Card title="Scheduling Tasks" icon="clock" href="/guides/scheduling-tasks">
    Automate recurring tasks like inbox monitoring
  </Card>
</CardGroup>