> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.asknow.no/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Choose which emails the agent answers

> Decide, topic by topic, whether the agent drafts a reply, a person answers, or your team keeps it in the mailbox.

Here's how you decide what happens to each new email. The agent can write a draft, the email can go straight to a person, or your team can answer it in your own mailbox.

The agent never sends an email by itself. A person on your team always sends the reply.

No mailbox connected yet? Follow [Connect your mailbox](/channels/email) first.

Go to **Topics**. Only admins see it.

## 1. Check your topics

A topic is what an email is about, like returns or opening hours. On the **Topics** page, they are called labels. Each new email is sorted into one of **Your active labels**.

To add one, choose **Add label**. Give it a **Name** and a short description, and choose **Add label**. The agent reads the description when it sorts, so say what belongs there: "Questions about returning a product".

Under **Or add a suggested label**, you can add labels we suggest from emails that fit none of yours.

## 2. Choose what happens for each topic

In the **Email** column, click the choice on a topic's row and pick one:

* **Agent drafts**: the agent writes a reply, and a person checks and sends it. Every topic starts here.
* **A person**: no agent reply. The email goes straight to a person. Under **Goes to**, pick a colleague or the **Assignment pool**.
* **Not handled here**: we leave it alone, and your team answers it in your own mailbox.

You can also set the **Priority**. Choose **Save**. It applies from the next email.

## 3. Choose what happens when no topic fits

Go to **Settings → Inbox**. Under **When no topic fits a mail**, pick one of the same choices. Choose **Save email**.

## 4. Choose who gets the cases

Still in **Settings → Inbox**, under **When a case needs a person**:

* **Leave unassigned**: your team picks up cases from a shared queue.
* **Assign automatically**: one person gets every case, or cases take turns between the people you tick under **Assignment pool**.

Choose **Save assignment**. A case that is assigned still waits for that person to open it.

## Common questions

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Some customers should always get a person, whatever the topic">
    Add a rule. In **Settings → Inbox**, under **Rules**, choose **Add rule** and give it a **Name**, such as `Wholesale`.

    1. Under **When a mail matches any of these**, pick a condition, such as **Sender address contains** `@wholesale.`.
    2. Under **Then**, choose **A person, no agent reply**.
    3. Choose **Save rule**.

    A rule can send more email to a person, never less.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Newsletters and auto-replies fill up the Inbox">
    In **Settings → Inbox**, under **Junk mail**, switch on **Resolve junk**. Junk is then closed by itself and labelled Junk. If the sender writes again, the case opens again.

    Add addresses under **Never junk** or **Always junk** if we get one wrong. **Try it** shows which emails from the last 30 days it would have caught, without changing anything. Choose **Save junk mail**.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="I can't choose Not handled here">
    It only shows once you have connected a mailbox. See [Connect your mailbox](/channels/email).
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="An email fits two topics with different choices">
    The more careful choice wins. **A person** wins over **Not handled here**, and **Not handled here** wins over **Agent drafts**.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Do my changes affect emails already in the Inbox?">
    No. They apply from the next email. Nothing you've already received changes.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Does this change the chat on my website?">
    No. These choices are for email only. In chat, the agent answers first and hands over when needed.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="What does Routed to a person mean in the Inbox?">
    The email went to a person because of your topic choice or a rule. **Asked for a person** means the agent handed it over itself.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Related guides

* [Connect your mailbox](/channels/email): connect the address your customers write to.
* [Work cases in the Inbox](/inbox/cases): check and send the agent's drafts.


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