1. Read the message before extracting the action
Identify one message by sender, subject and date. Have the assistant read its body, not just a search-result snippet, and check it found the right thread.
Example requestUsing Pear and my selected email account, find the latest inbox email with the subject “Workshop agenda”. Show its sender, subject and received time, then read the body. Summarize the action requested of me. If the date or owner is unclear, ask me. Do not change the message or create a task.
What to check
Compare the response with the email in your mail app. A date mentioned in an email is not automatically your deadline. Replace “Workshop agenda” with a real message subject before trying this example.
2. Review the task and check for duplicates
Choose the destination list. Ask for existing tasks that might already cover the request, then review the proposed title, notes and any explicitly confirmed due date.
Example requestUse my selected Microsoft task account, list its Microsoft To Do lists and ask which one to use. Check that list for a task already covering this email. If none exists, propose one task with a concrete title, notes identifying the source message, and only the due date I confirm. Show me the complete proposal before creating anything.
What to check
The proposal should name the destination list and account. Resolve ambiguous dates and duplicates before approving. Keep unnecessary email content out of task notes.
3. Create it once, then check To Do
If the task is right and your client exposes writes, ask it to prepare the exact task for approval. Complete the applicable approval flow before execution.
Example requestPrepare this exact task for creation in the selected Microsoft To Do list using Pear’s available write-approval flow. Show the title, notes and confirmed due date for review. After approval and successful creation, read back the created task. Do not send an email, mark it complete or change the source message.
What to check
Open the chosen list in Microsoft To Do and compare the task with the approved proposal. A plan or approval artifact is not a created task. If execution times out, look for the task before retrying so you do not create a duplicate.
If the result is not what you expected
You can read mail but cannot create tasks
Mail and tasks have different permissions. Check that To Do is available on the connected account and that the AI client permits writes. A client may expose an approval tool instead of direct task creation. Reconnecting cannot override a client plan or an administrator’s policy.
The due date looks wrong
Confirm the date, timezone and what the sender actually asked. If no deadline was supplied, leave it unset until you decide. Do not accept a date merely because the assistant inferred one.
You only need a flagged-email list
Outlook and Microsoft To Do already offer a built-in flagged-email workflow. Use that if flagging is enough. This Pear example is for extracting and reviewing a specific action, adding context, or choosing a task list in your AI conversation.
Know what you are connecting
The source email can come from iCloud, Outlook or a supported IMAP connection; the task destination in this example is Microsoft To Do. IMAP itself does not provide tasks. Pear cannot access Apple’s upgraded Reminders store; legacy CalDAV reminder data has separate limitations. Google Workspace is coming soon. These instructions describe a workflow to verify, not a customer outcome or an authenticated client test.
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