Turn a client email into clear tasks with AI

One client email can contain two tasks, a restriction and a deadline that still needs agreement. AI can help sort them out — if you ask for more than a summary.

1. 01

   Gather

   The email and the right attachments.

2. 02

   Separate

   Actions, constraints and open questions.

3. 03

   Review

   Agree on scope before dates and owners.

Start with a familiar request

Here is a fictional example: an agency is preparing an event registration page. The client writes:

Creating a task called “Update the page” would lose the important details. Optional changes how the form works. The logo must not be published. And Thursday is a request, not a promise.

What the email becomes

Ask AI to propose one task per verifiable outcome. This example needs two actions. The other information should stay visible without becoming work to start immediately.

Keep the email link and PDF with the tasks: they remain the source of truth if the request changes.

Before sharing the material with AI

Three checks prevent a lot of rework:

• The right file. Is the PDF present, readable and current? A filename does not prove that its contents were read.
• The right context. Include the relevant page and the last useful exchange, not the client’s entire history.
• The right tool. Use a service approved for these documents and remove unnecessary personal information.

If an attachment is missing, AI should flag it. It should not invent the contents or fill gaps with a plausible date or name.

Selecting relevant information is central to Anthropic’s work on agent context. For sensitive documents, also decide whether to process them locally or in the cloud.

The prompt to copy

This prepares a proposal while keeping the decision with you.

Then review the email sentence by sentence. Is every request covered? Have the restrictions survived? Has the AI added anything the client never asked for?

Put the plan into Stellary

After approval, create the cards and their checklists, then link useful documents from the knowledge base. Check for existing tasks first to avoid duplicates.

You can start with a manually copied email. This method does not require a connected inbox or permission for the agent to send messages.

Keep the client reply specific: “We’re preparing the two changes and will confirm the preview slot after checking the schedule.” That acknowledges the request without committing to an unconfirmed deadline.

Next: how to check the agent’s work when it says “done”.