How to turn Outlook emails into Microsoft To Do tasks with AI Builder

In the Power Automate dashboard, select Prompts, then Build your own prompt. Paste instructions that ask the AI to analyze the email and output a title, due date, importance, status and note in JSON.

The instructions in the video say:

• Title: clear and actionable, 5 to 8 words, with no RE or FW
• Due date: judge the urgency, and use any date mentioned in the email body. Include a time
• Importance and status: decide from the email content
• Note: a short note with the right context

Replace each placeholder in the instructions with a Text input using Add content. Name them Subject, Body, Sender and Received time. The flow fills these in when it runs.

Keep the default model GPT 4.1 mini or pick another from the list. Change the output from text to JSON so each field shows up separately in the flow. Rename the prompt Outlook task and click Test to see the output structure. You can add sample content to the inputs and tune the instructions before you move on. Save the prompt.

In Outlook, click the three dots next to Inbox and select Create new subfolder. The video names it Task temp. Moving an email into this folder is what tells the flow to create a task. The email will not stay there.

In Power Automate, select Create, then Automated cloud flow. Name it Task from Outlook and choose When a new email arrives (V3). Open Advanced parameters, add Folder, click the folder icon and pick Task temp under Inbox. The flow now runs only for emails you move there, not for every new email.

Add Convert time zone from Date Time.

• Base time: Received Time from the trigger
• Source time zone and Destination time zone: your local time zone
• Time unit: Full date/time pattern

AI Builder cannot read Outlook's default received time format, so skipping this step breaks the flow.

Add Run a prompt and select Outlook task. Map the inputs:

• Subject: Subject from the trigger
• Sender: From from the trigger
• Body: Body from the trigger
• Received time: Converted time from Convert time zone

Click See more if a field is not listed.

Add Add a to-do (V3) from Microsoft To-Do (Business).

• To-do List: Tasks
• Title: the title output from Run a prompt
• Due Date: the due date output
• Importance: choose Enter custom value, then pick the importance output
• Status: choose Enter custom value, then pick the status output
• Body Content: the note output (click See more if you do not see it)

Add Move email (V2). Set Message Id to the trigger's Message Id and Folder to Inbox. This step is optional, but it keeps the trigger folder empty and puts the email back where you expect it.

Optionally add Assign an Outlook category. Use the same Message Id and type a category name such as Task created. You can then see at a glance which emails already have a task. Save the flow.

Click Test, choose Manually, and send yourself a test email. Right-click it in Outlook, choose Move and select Task temp. The run finishes in seconds. In Microsoft To Do you will see a new task with an AI-written title, a note, and a due date taken from the email body. In Outlook, the email is back in the inbox with the Task created category.

Moving an email to the folder from the Outlook mobile app also triggers the flow. Turn the flow off when you do not want it running.