Managing Email Threads

Email threads are used in FYI to group related email conversations. This allows users to easily view replies, forwards, and associated emails as part of the same conversation.

FYI automatically creates email threads based on how emails are managed in Outlook. Because threading behaviour is controlled by Outlook, changes made to an email conversation can affect how emails are threaded and filed in FYI.

Emails cannot be manually added to a thread in FYI. However, individual emails can be unlinked from a thread when required.

Note: To group individual documents, refer to Stapled Documents.

Creating Email Threads

FYI automatically creates email threads using Outlook conversation behaviour. Outlook determines email conversations using a unique Conversation ID. FYI uses this Conversation ID to identify related emails and group them into the same thread.

Email threads are created automatically when:

• Emails are sent and replied to as part of the same Outlook conversation.
• Emails are filed from Outlook using the FYI Add-in.
• Replies are sent from emails already filed in FYI.

Once an email in a thread has been filed, FYI can automatically apply the same filing details to other emails in the thread using AutoFile.

As threading behaviour is controlled by Outlook, this means:

• Users cannot manually add emails to threads.
• Emails with BCC recipients will be threaded by Outlook under one client, using the subject and recipients. 
• Creating draft emails in Outlook by copying and pasting the same subject line and content may result in emails being threaded incorrectly.

To send multiple emails with the same content, or using BCC, a Custom Automation Process can be used to send the emails instead. Refer to Sending a Bulk Email to all Clients.

Note: If the Outlook Conversation ID changes, Outlook may identify the email as a separate conversation, resulting in a new thread in FYI.

Displaying Email Threads

Email threads can be viewed from the Documents List, the FYI Drawer, and the Thread List. This allows users to quickly identify related emails and move between emails in the same conversation.

The Thread icon is displayed when emails are part of a thread.

Working with Email Threads

Once emails are included in a thread, FYI uses the thread to help manage filing, activity, and related email behaviour. Some actions are managed by FYI, while others depend on Outlook conversation behaviour.

AutoFile for Email Threads

When emails are auto-filed in FYI, filing details are applied using the Email AutoFile Filing Defaults order. For emails in a thread, any new emails added to the thread are automatically filed using the same filing details.

If an email in a thread is filed manually by a user, FYI will also file any related emails in the thread that were received or sent before or after the filed email.

The Activity section of the Email Drawer displays a message similar to "Using AutoFile settings from original document in the thread." 

Changing the Name or Subject of Threaded Emails

Changing the name or subject of an email can affect how Outlook identifies the conversation and may result in a separate thread being created in FYI.

It's recommended to set the Name in the FYI Drawer before replies to the email have been received. 

When updating the name or subject of threaded emails, note the following:

• Changing the Name of an email in FYI does not update the original email subject in Outlook.
• Updating the name of the email in Outlook updates the email subject for the conversation. This will also update the names of emails within the thread.
• Changing the email subject in Outlook may break the thread, and file the email separately as a new email in FYI.

Threading is dictated by Outlook’s conversation ID and is known to have inconsistencies when breaking threads based on subject name changes. If a separate email thread is required, we recommend creating a new email instead of changing the existing subject line.

Changing Filing Details

Threaded emails share the same filing details unless the email is unlinked from the thread.

If you need to update the filing details for an earlier email in the thread, the email must first be unlinked from the thread. Refer to Unlinking Emails from a Thread.

Filing details that can be updated include Cabinet, Categories, Jobs, Tags, and Keywords.

Replying or Forwarding Emails

Replying to or forwarding emails, and in which platform, can affect how emails are threaded and filed in FYI.

Email Drawer Activity Section

The Activity section of the Email Drawer displays updates to the threaded emails. 

• When an Email AutoFile rule is applied to a threaded email, the user name is displayed as "System".
• If the filing details are updated, it will show the user's name who made the changes. When new emails are added to the thread, and the same filing details are applied, the same user's name is displayed automatically.
• When an email in a thread is removed or restored, the user who made the changes is displayed in Activity for that specific email only. All other emails in the thread display "System". 

Unlinking Emails from a Thread

Emails can be manually unlinked from a thread in FYI. In some situations, Outlook conversation behaviour may also cause emails to be separated into different threads automatically.

Manually Unlinking an Email

To unlink an email from a thread, click the Unlink icon in the Thread section of the FYI Drawer.

The most recent email in the thread cannot be unlinked, as this email represents the thread summary.

Once an email has been unlinked, it can be managed independently from the original thread, including updating filing details or deleting the email separately.

Note: If replies are sent from an unlinked email, Outlook may reconnect the replies to the original thread depending on the email subject and conversation behaviour.

Actions That Can Affect Email Threading

Because FYI relies on Outlook conversation behaviour, some actions can result in emails unlinking from the email thread and creating a separate email thread altogether.

• Changing the email subject in Outlook - Changing the subject line can cause Outlook to identify the email as a separate conversation.
   
• Forwarding emails internally - Forwarding emails to internal users can create a separate thread if replies are sent from the forwarded email.
   
• Adding emails using drag and drop - Emails added to FYI using drag and drop do not create an email thread automatically. Replies to the email that was added via drag and drop will create a new thread.
   
• Changing recipients in an email conversation - Updating recipients in Outlook can result in duplicate or separate threads depending on AutoFile behaviour.

To maintain consistent email threading, we recommend sending and replying to emails directly from FYI where possible.

Deleting Emails from a Thread

Emails can be deleted individually or as part of an entire email thread from the Documents List.

If the latest email has already been sent, or if an earlier email in the thread needs to be deleted, the email must first be unlinked from the thread. Refer to Unlinking Emails from a Thread.

If an email thread is deleted accidentally, change the view to the Deleted view and restore the email. Individually restored emails are not automatically re-added to the original thread.