Plan: Available: All plans
Users: Not Available: All users Available: FYI Admins or User Group permissions
Practice Management Source: Available: All sources
The Email AutoFile feature streamlines the filing of emails and attachments in FYI, saving time, and maximising efficiency across the practice.
When configured effectively, the majority of emails can be automatically filed. FYI Admins can configure practice settings, filing defaults, and more, to ensure that emails are filed consistently according to the practice needs, while still allowing users to review exceptions where required.
For more information on Email AutoFile, refer to Introduction to Email AutoFile.
Practice Settings
Email AutoFile Settings
The Email AutoFile app manages the practice settings for how emails are imported and filed for the practice, including attachments, and which emails to be excluded. These settings are managed by an FYI Admin or a user with permissions to manage Automations.
The Best Practice recommendations are covered below. For detailed information on each option, refer to Managing Email AutoFile Settings and Practice Defaults.
| Setting | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| AutoFile Else In Tray |
This setting controls whether emails are automatically filed or sent for review. Recommended setting: AutoFile Else In Tray - Emails & attachments set to "On" (this will also set In Tray Review to "Off"). This means most emails will be automatically filed, with only exceptions appearing in the In Tray for review, for example, where the filing conditions aren't met, or mandatory fields are not provided. Users can then review the emails and either delete or file the emails as required. Individual user settings can be adjusted as required - refer to User Settings below. |
| Include Client Contacts |
This setting allows FYI to match emails sent to or from contacts associated with a client. Recommended setting: On When enabled, emails from contacts such as bookkeepers, advisers, or other third parties can still be matched to the relevant client and automatically filed. |
| Exclude Email Stationery Images |
This setting prevents small image files embedded in email signatures from being filed as attachments. Excluding these images helps reduce unnecessary documents being stored in FYI. Recommended setting: On For attachments with a file format of jpg, jpeg, png, gif, ico, SVG or bmp:
Refer to Filing Email Attachments in FYI. |
| Exclude Internal Emails |
This setting manages whether emails sent between internal users are automatically filed, i.e. the email addresses of any users added to FYI. Recommended setting: On AutoFile will exclude all of your internal emails. It's recommended to use the Comments feature, replacing the need for email forwarding by allowing users to easily add comments separately to the body of the email. If any follow-up actions are required, Tasks can be created and assigned to users. |
| Exclude External Emails |
This setting controls how emails that don't match a client or contact are handled. Recommended setting: On when initially configuring the Exclusion List, then set to Off once the list is complete. This ensures only emails matching clients, and client contacts (if enabled), are automatically filed. External emails will always be set to Draft Filed, and can be filed from the In Tray or from Outlook. If the emails do not relate to clients, they can be deleted from the In Tray. Regular irrelevant emails can be added to the Exclusion List to permanently exclude the sender if required. |
Maintain the Email AutoFile Exclusion List
The Email AutoFile Exclusions list allows practices to exclude specific email addresses or domains that should not be processed by AutoFile. This helps prevent irrelevant emails from appearing in users' In Trays and reduces the number of emails that require manual review.
FYI comes pre-loaded with Exclusion rules for common email addresses and domains. FYI Admins and users with permissions for Automations will be able to add additional rules as required.
FYI Admins can also use the Draft Filed view to see In Trays for all users to check for any other email addresses or exclusions to be added to the list.
Refer to Setting up your Email AutoFile Exclusion List.
Filing Defaults
Filing Defaults determine the Cabinet and Categories applied when emails are automatically filed. FYI applies the first available default in this order:
- Existing Email Thread
- Automation
- Template
- Client
- User
- Practice
Without these defaults, emails will be Draft Filed and placed in the In Tray. The user will be required to select the Cabinet, Categories, and any other required options to file the email.
To automatically set the Cabinet and Categories, Filing Defaults must be configured for at least one of these levels:
- Client
- User
- Practice
Refer to Managing Email AutoFile Filing Defaults.
User Settings
Once the practice-wide settings are complete, the AutoFile mode can be configured for each user.
When FYI is first deployed, all users will be set to Disabled by default.
When going live, FYI Admins will be able to set the AutoFile mode for all users from the Users Bulk Update feature, while individual users can update the mode from My Settings.
For standard users, the aim is to have most emails automatically filed, with minimal manual filing required.
Recommended setting: Practice Default.
Partners or Directors, or any other senior staff, may prefer to review emails before filing or deleting the emails from the In Tray.
Recommended setting: In Tray Review.
Users will be able to see their own Draft Filed emails, while FYI Admins will be able to see Draft Filed emails for all users from the Draft Filed view.
The In Tray can be shared if required, for example shared with an assistant, to ensure that relevant client emails are filed and made available to the wider team.
Client and Contact Settings
To support accurate client matching, practices should regularly review and maintain their client and contact data, ensuring the correct emails are included in the Email AutoFile import.
Email AutoFile uses the email addresses recorded for clients and their contacts. Ensuring that this information is accurate and up to date will significantly improve the success rate of AutoFile.
- Review the email address for the Client, displayed on the Client - Summary tab and on the Clients list Email column. If this is blank, or incorrect, emails will not be filed to this client.
Depending on your practice settings, clients can be managed in either FYI or your integrated practice management platform. Refer to Editing Client Details. - Review the email address for Contacts, displayed on the Client - Contacts tab. Ensure the email addresses are accurate and up-to-date, and the Include in AutoFile option has been enabled for the relevant contacts. Add any additional contacts if required. Refer to Creating and Editing Client Contacts.
For sensitive email addresses, for example spouses or friends, the Include in AutoFile option can be deselected as required. These emails will not be automatically filed in FYI.
Note: If the Contact's domain matches the sender the email will not be autofiled.
If multiple clients share the same email address, FYI may not be able to determine which client the email should be filed against. The email will be marked as Draft Filed and sent to a user's In Tray to select the correct client and manually filed.
To prevent this, one of the clients can be nominated using the Include in AutoFile setting, so that emails from that address are automatically filed to the correct client.
The Include in AutoFile setting can be managed via:
- Individually from the Client Workspace
- Using Client Bulk Update
- Using the Clients List Duplicates function
Refer to Nominating the Client to Include in AutoFile.
There may be situations where emails should not be automatically filed for certain clients or contacts.
The Include in AutoFile setting can be disabled for individual clients or contacts to prevent their emails from being automatically filed.
This may be appropriate for situations such as:
- Shared family email addresses
- Sensitive clients
- Personal contacts that should not be filed in FYI
Maintaining and Optimising Email AutoFile
Adopting consistent work practices across the team can significantly improve the effectiveness of AutoFile.
Users should regularly review emails in their In Tray to ensure that any emails with the status Draft Filed are completed or removed if they are not relevant.
FYI Admins can also review Draft Filed emails across the practice to identify configuration improvements or additional exclusions.
Emails created and sent from FYI are automatically filed as part of the creation process.
Automation Processes and Templates can also be configured to automatically set the Filing Defaults, reducing the need for manual filing and ensures that client communication is filed consistently across the practice.