Quick Start Guide

Get up and running with InboxPilot in 15 minutes - train your AI, connect your email, and start automating

Description: Get InboxPilot up and running in just 15 minutes with this streamlined guide. Follow these three essential steps to start automating your email workflow.

Recommended Path: Upload your data first so the AI can learn about your business, then connect your email account, and finally test everything in the Playground.

Step 1: Upload Your Data (5 minutes)

Navigate to: Knowledge Center tab in the left sidebar

Train InboxPilot's AI on your business information so it can respond accurately to emails.

Quick Setup

  1. Click the Knowledge Center tab

  2. Add your website:

    • Go to the Website tab
    • Enter your website URL (e.g., https://yourcompany.com)
    • Click Start Crawl
    • Wait for the crawl to complete (usually 1-2 minutes)

  3. Add FAQs (optional but recommended):

    • Go to the FAQ tab
    • Add 3-5 common questions and answers
    • Example: "What are your business hours?" → "We're open Monday-Friday, 9 AM - 5 PM EST"

  4. Upload key documents (optional):

    • Go to the Files tab
    • Upload product sheets, pricing info, or policy documents
    • Supported formats: PDF, DOC, DOCX, images, spreadsheets

Why this matters: The AI uses this data to generate accurate, on-brand responses. More data = better responses.

See detailed upload guide →

Step 2: Connect Your Email Account (7 minutes)

Navigate to: Connect Account tab in the left sidebar

Set up how InboxPilot handles your emails and configure your AI bot's behavior.

Quick Setup

The platform guides you through 6 configuration steps:

  1. Basic Setup:

    • Choose your email platform (Gmail, Outlook, Zendesk, or Zoho)
    • Select sending mode:
      • Draft for review ← Start with this for safety
      • Send directly (for full automation)

  2. Use Case & AI Behavior:

    • Select your use case (Support, Sales, HR, Billing, etc.)
    • Write AI instructions: "You are a friendly customer support representative. Be helpful and professional. Keep responses under 3 paragraphs."
    • Set Temperature: 0.0-0.3 for consistent responses
    • Set Max Length: Medium or 200-500 words

  3. Reply Settings:

    • Set minimum message length (e.g., 10 characters)
    • Add trigger keywords if you want the AI to only respond to specific topics
    • Add skip keywords for messages to ignore (e.g., "unsubscribe")

  4. Email Organization:

    • Enable email labeling to auto-organize your inbox
    • Add custom labels or use preset options

  5. Appearance Settings:

    • Choose font family, size, and color
    • Preview how your emails will look

  6. Review & Connect:

    • Review all settings
    • Click Connect to authorize your email account

Why this matters: These settings control when and how the AI responds to your emails.

See detailed connection guide →

Step 3: Test Your Setup (3 minutes)

Navigate to: Playground tab in the left sidebar

Verify that your AI bot responds correctly before going live with real emails.

Quick Testing

  1. Open the Playground

  2. Send a test email:

    • Enter a recipient name (any name works)
    • Add a subject: "Question about pricing"
    • Write content: "Hi, I'm interested in your product. What are your pricing options and do you offer discounts for annual plans?"
    • Click Send

  3. Review the AI response:

    • ✅ Is the tone appropriate?
    • ✅ Is the information accurate?
    • ✅ Is the length appropriate?
    • ✅ Does it match your brand voice?

  4. Test different scenarios:

    • Support question
    • Sales inquiry
    • Technical issue
    • Billing question

  5. Refine if needed:

    • Go back to Connect Account → Step 2 to adjust your AI instructions
    • Return to Playground to test again

Why this matters: Testing prevents embarrassing mistakes and ensures your AI is ready for real customers.

See detailed testing guide →

You're All Set

After completing these three steps, you have:

  • Trained AI that knows your business
  • Connected email account with configured automation
  • Tested responses to ensure quality
  • Draft or auto-send mode based on your preference

What Happens Next?

If You Chose "Draft for Review" Mode:

  • InboxPilot creates draft responses in your email account
  • You review and edit them before sending
  • Perfect for the first few days to build confidence

If You Chose "Send Directly" Mode:

  • InboxPilot automatically sends responses
  • Check the Logs tab to monitor activity
  • Adjust settings based on performance

Next Steps to Optimize

Once you're comfortable with the basics:

  1. Add more training data in Knowledge Center:

    • Upload email templates showing your writing style
    • Add more FAQs based on common questions
    • Upload additional product documentation

  2. Refine your AI prompt based on real responses:

    • Go to Connect Account → Step 2
    • Adjust tone, style, or boundaries
    • Test changes in the Playground

  3. Set up Email Actions for workflow automation:

    • Automatically forward emails to team members
    • Filter spam and promotional emails
    • Organize emails with labels and folders
    • Learn about Email Actions →

  4. Monitor and improve:

    • Review the Logs tab daily
    • Look for patterns in good and bad responses
    • Update your Knowledge Center and prompts accordingly

  5. Explore advanced features:

    • Edit your AI prompts for fine-tuned control
    • Set up multiple email accounts for different teams
    • Adjust reply rules for specific workflows

Getting Help

Need assistance during setup?

  • Email Support: support@inboxpilot.co
  • Documentation: Browse all guides in the left sidebar
  • Playground: Test any scenario before going live