> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.contractor-co-pilot.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Centralize client emails and follow-ups

> View your communications inbox, send emails to clients, browse per-client message history, and set follow-up reminders — all without leaving the platform.

The Communications inbox gives you a central place to view, search, and manage client correspondence. Messages can be linked to the clients, projects, estimates, or proposals they belong to — so your team has full context without digging through separate email threads.

## The communications inbox

The inbox uses a two-pane layout:

* **Left pane** — A list of messages showing sender name, subject, preview text, and unread indicators.
* **Right pane** — The full message content and metadata for whichever message you've selected.

Click any message in the left pane to open it in the reading pane.

### What each message shows

| Field           | Description                         |
| --------------- | ----------------------------------- |
| **From**        | Sender name and email address       |
| **Subject**     | The email subject line              |
| **Content**     | Full message body                   |
| **Timestamp**   | When the email was sent or received |
| **Read/unread** | Visual indicator for new messages   |

## Searching and filtering

Use the controls at the top of the inbox to find specific messages:

* **Search** — Find messages by subject, sender name, sender address, or message content.
* **Unread filter** — Toggle to show only messages you haven't read yet.
* **Pagination** — Navigate through large inboxes. The default view shows 25 messages per page.
* **Refresh** — Sync the latest messages from your inbox.

## Sending emails to clients

You can send emails to clients from within Contractor Co-Pilot without switching to an external mail client.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Open the client record">
    Go to **Clients** in the sidebar and open the client you want to contact.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Go to the Emails tab">
    Click the **Emails** tab on the client detail page to see all messages linked to this client.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Compose a new message">
    Click **New Email** to open the compose window. The client's email address is pre-filled. Add a subject, write your message, and click **Send**.
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Viewing email history per client or project

Every client and project has an **Emails** tab on its detail page. Any message that has been linked to that record — whether sent from within the platform or imported from an external thread — appears here.

This means your whole team can see the communication history for a client or project without asking who sent what, or searching through personal inboxes.

<Tip>
  Use the AI message review feature in the Communications inbox to import an email from outside the platform, let Hank suggest which client or project it belongs to, and confirm the link. The message then appears on that record's Emails tab automatically.
</Tip>

## Setting up follow-up reminders

To avoid letting a client conversation go cold, you can set a follow-up reminder directly from a message or from the client's pipeline stage.

1. Open the client record in **Clients**.
2. In the **Overview** tab, look for the follow-up date field.
3. Set a date. The platform will surface this client as needing attention when that date arrives.

For more structured follow-up tracking, use the [Client Pipeline](/clients/pipeline) to manage follow-up dates alongside pipeline stage.

## Notification preferences for client replies

Contractor Co-Pilot sends you notifications when clients interact with proposals and invoices — opening a proposal, accepting, declining, or making a payment. You can control which notifications you receive.

To adjust your notification preferences:

1. Go to **Settings** in the sidebar.
2. Open **Notifications**.
3. Toggle the events you want to be alerted about — proposal viewed, proposal accepted, invoice paid, deadline approaching, and more.

Each team member can set their own preferences, so the right people get the right alerts without noise for others.

<Note>
  Direct Gmail and Outlook inbox sync is planned for a post-launch release, pending required provider certification. Today, you can import individual messages into the platform for AI-assisted review and linking. The full two-way inbox sync will be announced when it's available.
</Note>

## Related pages

* [Clients](/clients/index) — Manage client relationships and contact info.
* [Pipeline](/clients/pipeline) — Track leads through your sales pipeline.
* [Notifications](/tools/notifications) — Configure alert preferences for your account.