Microsoft 365 Outlook MCP server
Integrate Outlook email and calendar with AI agents to automate message management, scheduling, and communication. An AI agent connected to Outlook can send and read emails, manage folders, schedule meetings, check calendar availability, create tasks, and organize contacts—all from natural language instructions. Use this for email automation, meeting scheduling, task management, or intelligent inbox organization.
Setting up an MCP server
This article covers the standard steps for creating an MCP server in AI Gateway and connecting it to an AI client. The steps are the same for every integration — application-specific details (API credentials, OAuth endpoints, and scopes) are covered in the Authentication section on this page.
Before you begin
You'll need:
- Access to AI Gateway with permission to create MCP servers.
- API credentials for the application you're connecting (see the Authentication section on this page for what to collect).
Create an MCP server
Find the app in the catalog
- Sign in to AI Gateway and select App Catalog from the left navigation.
- Search for the application you want to connect, then select it from the catalog.
- Select Create MCP Server to start the wizard.
App Configuration
Confirm the Base URL for the API, then, under Tools, select the endpoints you want to expose. Select Next.
MCP Server Setup
- Enter a Name for your server — something descriptive that identifies both the application and its purpose.
- Enter a Description so your team knows what the server is for.
- Set the log level: choose Production Mode for terser logs, or Non-Production Mode for more verbose logs that can help with debugging.
- Select Next.
Authentication
Enter the authentication details for the application. This varies by service — see the Authentication section on this page for the specific credentials, OAuth URLs, and scopes to use.
Review
Look over the summary of your MCP server configuration, then select Create & Deploy. AI Gateway provisions the server and provides a server URL you'll use when configuring your AI client.
Connect to an AI client
Once your server is deployed, you'll need to add it to the AI client your team uses. Select your client for setup instructions:
Tips
- You can create multiple MCP servers for the same application — for example, a read-only server for reporting agents and a read-write server for automation workflows.
- If you're unsure which OAuth scopes to request, start with the minimum read-only set and add write scopes only when needed. Most application pages include scope recommendations.
Authentication
Outlook integration uses OAuth 2.0 authentication through Microsoft Graph. Register an application in Azure AD to receive your tenant-specific endpoints and configure your client ID and client secret. In the Azure Portal, go to Azure Active Directory > App registrations and click New registration to create your application.
| Value | Setting |
|---|---|
| Auth endpoint | https://login.microsoftonline.com/{tenant-id}/oauth2/v2.0/authorize |
| Token endpoint | https://login.microsoftonline.com/{tenant-id}/oauth2/v2.0/token |
| Scopes | Mail.ReadWrite, Mail.Send, Calendars.ReadWrite, Contacts.ReadWrite, Tasks.ReadWrite |
Available tools
These tools enable email management, calendar operations, contact management, task creation, and mailbox configuration.
| Tool | Description |
|---|---|
| List messages | Get emails from a folder with filtering and sorting options |
| Send message | Send an email with subject, body, and attachments |
| Create draft | Create a draft message for later editing |
| Move message | Move an email to a different folder |
| Delete message | Delete or archive an email |
| List folders | Get all mail folders and categories |
| Create folder | Create a new mail folder |
| List events | Get calendar events within a date range |
| Create event | Create a new calendar meeting with attendees |
| Update event | Modify an existing meeting's details or time |
| Delete event | Remove a calendar event |
| List contacts | Get contacts from the address book |
| Create contact | Add a new contact with details |
| Create task | Add a new task with due date and priority |
| List tasks | Get tasks with filtering and sorting |
Tips
Schedule messages during business hours to reach recipients when they're attentive.
Use calendar free/busy queries before suggesting meeting times to avoid conflicts.
Store frequently used email templates to speed up draft creation.
Organize mail folders consistently so the agent can route emails reliably.
Cache contact IDs when working with large contact lists to reduce lookup time on subsequent operations.
Cequence AI Gateway