# Email Autopilot for tickets

Let AI reply to eligible email tickets, update their details or transfer them to your team.

*Release 3.3 · admin, operator, visitor*

**Settings › AI › Features** · **Settings › Events › Email Events**

## What it is

**Email Autopilot** handles eligible customer email tickets using your instructions. It can send a reply, update the ticket or pass it to your team. Customers receive an email reply through your normal ticket service when the selected action includes one.

## Who uses it and why

Users with the **Settings** or **Developer** role configure the AI feature. Users with the **Settings** or **Manager** role define the events that start automatic handling. Operators receive escalated tickets and continue the conversation. Customers can receive answers without waiting for an operator.

## Where to find it

Configure **Email Autopilot** under **Settings › AI › Features**. Use the **Settings** role with **AI** allowed under **Settings Permissions**, or the **Developer** role.

Set the triggering rule under **Settings › Events › Email Events**, available to **Settings** and **Manager** roles subject to event permissions. Powerfront manages email account setup under **Settings › Email › Email Accounts**.

## How it works

1. A matching email event invokes the selected feature for a customer message on an email ticket.
2. INSIDE checks feature and account eligibility and suppresses recent duplicate triggers.
3. The AI receives the ticket subject, recent messages, triggering message, available teams, queues and tags, and your instructions.
4. If you assigned additional functions, the AI can call them and use their results before choosing ticket actions. This process allows up to five decision turns.
5. INSIDE executes the selected ticket actions and records whether handling resolved the ticket autonomously, left it pending or escalated it.

Available ticket actions include replying, changing priority or status, transferring to an operator, team or queue, adding or removing tags, setting a disposition, marking spam and blacklisting the sender.

When the AI selects a transfer alongside a reply, INSIDE suppresses the reply so the receiving team can respond. A ticket already queued for humans is not reassigned to the AI's reply identity.

## Configure it

Ask Powerfront to prepare email tickets and the AI account. Create an **Email Autopilot** feature, choose **Account**, set **Instructions**, and select **Impersonate** where replies need an operator identity. Set the **Confidence Threshold** to guide autonomous resolution decisions.

Select any additional **Functions**. Workflow tasks are excluded from this email path. Then, with the **Settings** or **Manager** role and the required event permissions, add an **Email Autopilot** action to the relevant **Email Events** rule and choose **Select AI Feature**. Enable the feature and event.

Describe when the AI should reply and when it should escalate. The confidence setting guides the decision; it is not a guarantee that every reply passes an independently enforced score check.

### Settings

| Setting | Where | Applies to | Default | Who can change it | What it does |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Instructions | Settings › AI › Features | website | Not set: uses 'You are an email ticket autopilot assistant.' | Settings role, Developer role | Guides replies, ticket changes and escalation decisions. |
| Impersonate | Settings › AI › Features | website | Not set: uses the ticket's assigned operator, or AI Autopilot if unassigned | Settings role, Developer role | Selects the operator identity used for AI replies and eligible pending follow-up assignment. |
| Confidence Threshold | Settings › AI › Features | website | 90 | Settings role, Developer role | Supplies the AI with the confidence target for autonomous resolution decisions. |
| Validate URL(s) | Settings › AI › Features | website | Off | Settings role, Developer role | Stores the feature's URL-validation preference. |
| Functions | Settings › AI › Features | website | Not set: no additional functions | Settings role, Developer role | Adds enabled configured functions for gathering information or performing actions before ticket decisions. |

### Fields

| Field | Where | Required | What it is for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Select AI Feature | Settings › Events › Email Events | Yes | Chooses the Email Autopilot feature for an Email Autopilot event action. |

### Permissions

| Permission | Lets you |
|---|---|
| Settings | Configure AI features when AI is allowed under Settings Permissions, and manage Email Events. |
| AI | Allows AI configuration within Settings Permissions. |
| Developer | Configure Email Autopilot features and functions. |
| Manager | Access Email Events subject to the role's event permissions. |

## Limits and good to know

- Non-customer trigger messages are ignored. Recent duplicate replies are also suppressed.
- Selecting **Functions** does not make this the same process as live chat Autopilot.
- Ticket updates can occur without sending an email reply.
- Rules can associate pending and resolved statuses with tags. The default labels are **AI Pending** and **AI Resolved**.
- A customisation arranged with Powerfront can replace the standard processing.

## Depends on and works with

### This feature uses

- **Requires** [AI accounts and shared defaults](AIP-001.md): Email decisions need a configured AI account.
- **Requires** [Email account and mailbox setup](CHN-024.md): An email account receives customer messages and sends replies.
- **Requires** [Incoming email and ticket replies](CHN-025.md): Incoming email must form an email ticket.
- **Requires** [Email ticket handling and statuses](CHN-026.md): Email Autopilot acts on an existing ticket and its status and assignment.
- **Configured in** [Roles and permissions](ADM-008.md): Role permissions control AI configuration and event access.
- **Configured in** [AI feature settings and change history](AI-001.md): The feature selects the account, enablement and instructions.
- **Configured in** [AI instructions and templates](AI-002.md): Prompt configuration supplies the decision instructions.
- **Configured in** [Dispositions](CHAT-019.md): The disposition catalogue defines which classifications Email Autopilot can apply.
- **Configured in** [Email replies and support conversations](CHN-027.md): Email reply settings control the normal sending path used for Autopilot replies.
- **Configured in** [Email sender blocking and exceptions](CHN-030.md): Email address lists and content restrictions can prevent an Autopilot reply from being sent.
- **Configured in** [Email event rules and actions](ENG-022.md): Email Events invoke the selected Email Autopilot feature.
- **Works better with** [AI functions and required inputs](AI-016.md): Assigned functions can provide results before the final ticket action.
- **Works better with** [Custom scripts managed by Powerfront](EXT-015.md): A Powerfront-arranged customisation can replace the standard decision processing.
- **Needs licence or module** Admin settings and feature switches (managed by Powerfront): Powerfront must enable AI and email tickets for the website.

### Used by

- **Configures** [Email event rules and actions](ENG-022.md): The selected Email Autopilot feature defines the AI handling requested by the rule.
- **Configures** [Ticket sources and email event automation](CHN-032.md): The selected Email Autopilot feature determines how the AI handles eligible tickets.
- **Enhances** [Autonomous AI performance reports](REP-024.md): Email Autopilot has a separate channel performance view.

## FAQ and troubleshooting

### Why is my enabled feature doing nothing?

Check the **Email Events** rule, its selected feature and the triggering message. The feature needs a usable account, an email ticket and a customer message.

### Why was the ticket transferred without an AI reply?

Transfer takes precedence over a simultaneous reply. Your receiving team is expected to answer the customer.

### Does a Confidence Threshold of 90 guarantee every reply scored at least 90?

No. The value guides the AI's decision. Write explicit escalation instructions and review actual ticket outcomes.

### Why can I not use a Workflow function?

Email Autopilot excludes workflow functions. Use its ticket actions and supported assigned functions for email handling.