Get Mail

Retrieves emails from Microsoft Exchange Server via Exchange Web Services (EWS). This node allows you to fetch emails from specific folders, filter by read status, and optionally mark messages as read.

Common Properties

Name - The custom name of the node.
Color - The custom color of the node.
Delay Before (sec) - Waits in seconds before executing the node.
Delay After (sec) - Waits in seconds after executing node.
Continue On Error - Automation will continue regardless of any error. The default value is false.

info

If ContinueOnError property is true, no error is caught when the project is executed even if Catch node is used.

Input

Exchange Web Service Url - The EWS endpoint URL (e.g., https://mail.company.com/EWS/Exchange.asmx or https://outlook.office365.com/EWS/Exchange.asmx). Required.
Mail Folder - Folder name to retrieve emails from (e.g., "Inbox", "Sent Items"). Default is "Inbox". Required.
Number of Messages - Maximum number of emails to retrieve. Must be greater than zero. Default is 10. Required.

Output

Result - List of Mail objects. Each mail object contains:
- From - Sender email address (string)
- To - Array of recipient email addresses (string[])
- Cc - Array of CC recipient email addresses (string[])
- Subject - Email subject line (string)
- Body - Email body content as plain text (string)
- Id - Unique email identifier (string)
- DateTime - Email received date and time (DateTime)
- Attachments - Array of attachment objects, each containing:
  - Name - Attachment filename (string)
  - Id - Attachment identifier (string)

Options

Only Unread Mails - If true, only retrieve unread emails. Default is false.
Mark as Read - If true, mark retrieved emails as read. Default is false.
Exchange Version - Exchange Server version for compatibility:
- Exchange2007_SP1
- Exchange2010
- Exchange2010_SP1
- Exchange2010_SP2
- Exchange2013
- Exchange2013_SP1 (default)
Credentials - Exchange Server login credentials (username/password) from vault. Required.

How It Works

The Get Mail node:

Connects to Exchange Server using provided credentials and EWS URL
Locates the specified mail folder (case-insensitive for "Inbox")
Retrieves up to the specified number of messages
Filters by read status if "Only Unread Mails" is enabled
Loads full email properties including sender, recipients, subject, body, and attachments
Optionally marks emails as read if "Mark as Read" is enabled
Returns list of mail objects with all metadata
Implements automatic retry logic for transient errors (3 attempts with exponential backoff)

note

The node uses a 100-second timeout for Exchange operations and implements robust error handling for connection issues, server throttling, and temporary failures.

Examples

Retrieve Unread Inbox Emails

Get the 10 most recent unread emails from Inbox:

// Get Mail node configuration
exchange_url = "https://mail.company.com/EWS/Exchange.asmx"
mail_folder = "Inbox"
number_of_messages = 10

// Options:
// Only Unread Mails: true
// Mark as Read: false
// Credentials: exchange_credentials (from vault)

// Output: Result
emails = message.Result

// Process each email
for (email of emails) {
    from = email.From
    subject = email.Subject
    body = email.Body
    has_attachments = email.Attachments.length > 0

    console.log(`From: ${from}, Subject: ${subject}`)
}

Monitor Specific Folder and Mark as Read

Retrieve emails from a custom folder and mark them as processed:

// Get Mail node
exchange_url = "https://outlook.office365.com/EWS/Exchange.asmx"
mail_folder = "Customer Requests"
number_of_messages = 50

// Options:
// Only Unread Mails: true
// Mark as Read: true
// Exchange Version: Exchange2013_SP1

emails = message.Result

// Process customer requests
for (email of emails) {
    customer_email = email.From
    request_body = email.Body

    // Extract and process customer request
    // Email is automatically marked as read
}

Extract Email Metadata

Get email details for processing and logging:

// Get Mail node
exchange_url = "https://mail.company.com/EWS/Exchange.asmx"
mail_folder = "Inbox"
number_of_messages = 20

emails = message.Result

// Create email log
email_log = []

for (email of emails) {
    log_entry = {
        id: email.Id,
        from: email.From,
        to: email.To.join(", "),
        cc: email.Cc.join(", "),
        subject: email.Subject,
        received: email.DateTime,
        attachment_count: email.Attachments.length,
        attachment_names: email.Attachments.map(a => a.Name)
    }

    email_log.push(log_entry)
}

// Save to database or file

Filter Emails with Attachments

Process only emails that contain attachments:

// Get Mail node
exchange_url = "https://mail.company.com/EWS/Exchange.asmx"
mail_folder = "Inbox"
number_of_messages = 100

emails = message.Result

// Filter emails with attachments
emails_with_attachments = emails.filter(email =>
    email.Attachments && email.Attachments.length > 0
)

for (email of emails_with_attachments) {
    console.log(`Email from ${email.From} has ${email.Attachments.length} attachments`)

    // Process each attachment
    for (attachment of email.Attachments) {
        console.log(`- ${attachment.Name}`)
    }
}

Retrieve from Sent Items

Access sent emails for audit or archiving:

// Get Mail node
exchange_url = "https://mail.company.com/EWS/Exchange.asmx"
mail_folder = "Sent Items"
number_of_messages = 30

// Options:
// Only Unread Mails: false (get all sent items)
// Mark as Read: false

sent_emails = message.Result

// Archive sent emails
for (email of sent_emails) {
    archive_record = {
        to_recipients: email.To,
        subject: email.Subject,
        sent_date: email.DateTime,
        body_preview: email.Body.substring(0, 100)
    }

    // Save to archive system
}

Tips for Effective Use

Folder names: Use exact folder names as they appear in Outlook (case-sensitive except for "Inbox")
Message limits: Start with smaller message counts (10-20) to avoid timeout issues
Unread filtering: Use "Only Unread Mails" to process new emails efficiently
Mark as read: Enable "Mark as Read" to prevent duplicate processing
Error handling: Always use Try-Catch for robust automation
Retry logic: The node automatically retries on transient errors (3 attempts)
Email IDs: Save email IDs to track which messages have been processed
Performance: Fetching large numbers of emails may take time; consider pagination
Credentials: Store Exchange credentials securely in vault
Exchange version: Match the version setting to your actual Exchange Server version

Common Errors and Solutions

"ErrInvalidArg: Exchange Web Service Url cannot be empty"

Cause: No EWS URL was provided.

Solution: Provide the correct Exchange Web Services URL:

// For on-premises Exchange
exchange_url = "https://mail.company.com/EWS/Exchange.asmx"

// For Exchange Online
exchange_url = "https://outlook.office365.com/EWS/Exchange.asmx"

"ErrInvalidArg: Mail Folder cannot be empty"

Cause: No folder name was specified.

Solution: Specify a valid folder name:

mail_folder = "Inbox"  // or "Sent Items", "Drafts", etc.

"ErrFolderNotFound: Folder 'XYZ' not found"

Cause: The specified folder doesn't exist in the mailbox.

Solution:

Verify the folder exists in Outlook
Check spelling and capitalization (except for "Inbox")
Use standard folders: "Inbox", "Sent Items", "Deleted Items", "Drafts"

"ErrInvalidArg: No Credentials Content" or "Username/Password not found"

Cause: Credentials are missing or improperly configured.

Solution: Create proper credentials in vault:

// In vault, create credentials with:
{
  "username": "user@company.com",
  "password": "your_password"
}

// Then select these credentials in Credentials option

"ErrExchangeService: Failed to access folder"

Cause: Authentication failed or insufficient permissions.

Solution:

Verify username and password are correct
Ensure account has mailbox access permissions
Check if account requires additional authentication (MFA)
For Exchange Online, verify Basic Auth is enabled for EWS

"ErrTransientData: Failed to retrieve email after 3 attempts"

Cause: Exchange server throttling, connection limits, or temporary network issues.

Solution:

Wait a few moments and retry
Reduce the number of messages requested
Check network connectivity to Exchange Server
Verify Exchange Server is not experiencing issues
For high-volume scenarios, add delays between requests

"ErrTimeout: Timeout error"

Cause: Exchange Server operation exceeded 100-second timeout.

Solution:

Reduce the number of messages to retrieve
Check Exchange Server performance
Verify network latency to Exchange Server
Try again during off-peak hours

"ErrConnection: Network error"

Cause: Network connectivity issues to Exchange Server.

Solution:

Verify the EWS URL is accessible
Check firewall settings
Ensure DNS resolution works for the Exchange Server
Test connectivity using a browser or ping

Best Practices

Incremental processing: Process emails in batches rather than all at once
Track processed emails: Store email IDs to avoid reprocessing
Error handling: Implement Try-Catch blocks for robustness
Credentials security: Store credentials in vault, never hardcode
Folder organization: Use specific folders for different email types
Message limits: Balance between efficiency and timeout risk
Mark as read: Use strategically to track processing status
Logging: Log email processing for audit trails
Performance monitoring: Monitor execution times for large batches
Version matching: Use correct Exchange version for best compatibility

Email Processing Workflow

// 1. Configure retrieval parameters
exchange_url = "https://mail.company.com/EWS/Exchange.asmx"
mail_folder = "Inbox"
batch_size = 20

// 2. Get unread emails
// Get Mail node
// Only Unread Mails: true
// Mark as Read: false
// Number of Messages: batch_size

emails = message.Result

// 3. Process each email
for (email of emails) {
    try {
        // Extract data
        subject = email.Subject
        from = email.From
        body = email.Body

        // Process based on subject or content
        if (subject.includes("Invoice")) {
            // Process invoice
            processInvoice(email)
        } else if (subject.includes("Request")) {
            // Process request
            processRequest(email)
        }

        // Mark as read after successful processing
        // Or use a separate update operation

    } catch (error) {
        console.error(`Failed to process email ${email.Id}: ${error}`)
        // Continue to next email
    }
}

Save Attachments - Use with Save Attachments node to download email attachments
Send Mail - Reply to retrieved emails using Send Mail node
Email Processing - Combine with programming nodes to extract data and trigger workflows
Automation Triggers - Use with trigger nodes to monitor mailbox continuously

Common Properties​

Input​

Output​

Options​

How It Works​

Examples​

Retrieve Unread Inbox Emails​

Monitor Specific Folder and Mark as Read​

Extract Email Metadata​

Filter Emails with Attachments​

Retrieve from Sent Items​

Tips for Effective Use​

Common Errors and Solutions​

"ErrInvalidArg: Exchange Web Service Url cannot be empty"​

"ErrInvalidArg: Mail Folder cannot be empty"​

"ErrFolderNotFound: Folder 'XYZ' not found"​

"ErrInvalidArg: No Credentials Content" or "Username/Password not found"​

"ErrExchangeService: Failed to access folder"​

"ErrTransientData: Failed to retrieve email after 3 attempts"​

"ErrTimeout: Timeout error"​

"ErrConnection: Network error"​

Best Practices​

Email Processing Workflow​

Related Operations​

Common Properties

Input

Output

Options

How It Works

Examples

Retrieve Unread Inbox Emails

Monitor Specific Folder and Mark as Read

Extract Email Metadata

Filter Emails with Attachments

Retrieve from Sent Items

Tips for Effective Use

Common Errors and Solutions

"ErrInvalidArg: Exchange Web Service Url cannot be empty"

"ErrInvalidArg: Mail Folder cannot be empty"

"ErrFolderNotFound: Folder 'XYZ' not found"

"ErrInvalidArg: No Credentials Content" or "Username/Password not found"

"ErrExchangeService: Failed to access folder"

"ErrTransientData: Failed to retrieve email after 3 attempts"

"ErrTimeout: Timeout error"

"ErrConnection: Network error"

Best Practices

Email Processing Workflow

Related Operations