https://github.com/robocorp/example-windows-outlook
This robot sends email using Windows Outlook application UI. Application is launched or already open application is used.
https://github.com/robocorp/example-windows-outlook
email outlook robocorp robot robotframework rpa windows
Last synced: 8 months ago
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This robot sends email using Windows Outlook application UI. Application is launched or already open application is used.
- Host: GitHub
- URL: https://github.com/robocorp/example-windows-outlook
- Owner: robocorp
- License: apache-2.0
- Created: 2021-04-08T19:32:38.000Z (over 4 years ago)
- Default Branch: master
- Last Pushed: 2023-04-12T11:29:21.000Z (over 2 years ago)
- Last Synced: 2025-01-09T09:26:55.880Z (10 months ago)
- Topics: email, outlook, robocorp, robot, robotframework, rpa, windows
- Language: RobotFramework
- Homepage:
- Size: 64.5 KB
- Stars: 2
- Watchers: 7
- Forks: 0
- Open Issues: 0
-
Metadata Files:
- Readme: README.md
- License: LICENSE
Awesome Lists containing this project
README
# Send e-mails with the Outlook application on Windows
This example requires a working Outlook installation on a Windows system and a user
already configured and logged on.
Demo recording: https://www.loom.com/share/2b516869a9564fce85660229e1d6dc26
## Environment variables setup
- `OUTLOOK_ACCOUNT` (REQUIRED): This variable incorporates the Outlook account name.
(so the app window can be correctly identified and controlled)
- `EMAIL_RECIPIENT` (REQUIRED): To whom to send the e-mail. (can be the same address as
above)
- `EMAIL_ATTACHMENT` (OPTIONAL): A file path to a file to attach. (can be relative)
- `EMAIL_BODY` (OPTIONAL): A path to a file containing the content of the e-mail body.
(make sure that this contains an `` placeholder inside, as this
will be replaced by the file path you want to attach for confirmation purposes)
Our default [body](devdata/email_body.txt) contains:
```text
Greetings!
This e-mail has been sent by a Robocorp robot.
You can find my source at https://github.com/robocorp/example-windows-outlook
Best Regards,
Mark the Robot
```
## Subtasks
The main task (`Send email with Outlook application on Windows`) calls the following
keywords:
- `Set variables for this task`: Sets the final e-mail body content.
- `Open new Outlook or use the currently open one`: Ensures an active Outlook app open.
- `Press New Email button and send one`: Sends the e-mail with/out an attachment.
## Workarounds in use to improve automation efficiency
- Clipboard is used in some places to paste text into input fields / text areas instead
of sending keystrokes (faster). The clipboard is cleared with the `Teardown Actions`
keyword.
- A default e-mail body text is read from the [email_body.txt](devdata/email_body.txt)
file in the absence of a custom body provided by the `EMAIL_BODY` environment
variable. The file content should include an `` text inside, which
will be replaced with the file name of the attachment (if one is provided).
## Further reading
- [Desktop automation](https://robocorp.com/docs/development-guide/desktop)
- [Desktop robots in the Portal](https://robocorp.com/portal/collection/desktop-automation)
- [`RPA.Windows` library](https://robocorp.com/docs/libraries/rpa-framework/rpa-windows)
- [`RPA.Desktop` library](https://robocorp.com/docs/libraries/rpa-framework/rpa-desktop)
- [`RPA.FileSystem` library](https://robocorp.com/docs/libraries/rpa-framework/rpa-filesystem)