Action items get buried in emails. A meeting summary contains five todos. A colleague's message requests three things. A project update lists deliverables. Without intentional extraction, these tasks disappear into your archive.

Email task extraction uses AI to identify and extract action items from your forwarded emails, creating linked todos automatically. This guide explains how it works and how to use it effectively.

What is Email Task Extraction?

Key Concept

Email task extraction is an AI feature that automatically identifies action items, deadlines, and assignments in forwarded emails and creates linked todos in your task list. The tasks retain context from the source email, so you always know why something is on your list.

How It Works

  1. Forward an email containing action items
  2. AI analyzes content for task-like language
  3. Tasks are extracted with relevant context
  4. Todos are created linked to the source note
  5. You're notified of new tasks via email response

What Gets Extracted

  • Explicit tasks: "Please review the document by Friday"
  • Action items lists: "Action items: 1. Call vendor, 2. Update proposal"
  • Requests: "Can you send me the latest numbers?"
  • Deadlines: "Need this by end of week"
  • Commitments: "I'll send the draft tomorrow"

The Task Extraction Process

Language Pattern Recognition

AI recognizes task-indicating language:

  • Imperative verbs: Review, send, update, complete, schedule
  • Request patterns: "Can you...," "Please...," "Would you..."
  • Assignment markers: "@John," "John to...," "assigned to John"
  • Deadline language: "by Friday," "due next week," "ASAP"
  • List structures: Numbered or bulleted action items

Context Preservation

Extracted tasks include context:

  • Link back to the source email/note
  • Deadline if mentioned
  • Person assigned if specified
  • Related project or topic

Duplicate Detection

AI avoids creating duplicate tasks from similar emails. If you forward multiple emails about the same action item, the system recognizes the overlap.

Using Task Extraction Effectively

Best Content to Forward

Meeting Notes

Meeting summaries with action items are ideal. The AI extracts each action item as a separate task, linked to the full meeting context.

Example

Email content: "Meeting notes: Discussed Q4 planning. Action items: 1) Sarah to finalize budget by Friday, 2) Mike to schedule customer interviews, 3) Lisa to draft proposal outline."

Extracted tasks: Three todos created, each linked to the meeting note.

Request Emails

Emails where someone asks you to do something. Forward them to capture the task without manually re-typing it.

Project Updates

Status updates often contain next steps and deliverables. Extract them as tasks to ensure nothing falls through.

Subject Line Signals

You can signal task intent in the subject line:

  • TODO: Meeting notes from project sync
  • Action Items: Client call followup
  • Tasks: Weekly planning notes

This helps the AI prioritize task extraction for that email.

Task Management Integration

Viewing Extracted Tasks

Access your tasks in the Lolodex dashboard. Each task shows:

  • The action item text
  • Source link to the original email
  • Due date if extracted
  • Status (pending, in progress, complete)

Task to Note Linking

Tasks link back to their source notes. Click the link to see the full context—the complete meeting notes, email thread, or project update that generated the task.

Completing Tasks

Mark tasks complete in your dashboard. Completed tasks remain linked to their source for future reference.

Advanced Task Extraction

Multiple Emails, One Project

Forward multiple emails about a project. Tasks aggregate in your list, all linked to their respective source notes. You can filter by project or topic to see all related tasks.

Recurring Task Recognition

AI recognizes recurring task patterns like "weekly report" or "monthly review" and can suggest recurring task creation.

Priority Inference

Language like "urgent," "ASAP," or "critical" influences task priority. Tasks with urgency signals are flagged for attention.

Common Scenarios

After a Meeting

Forward the meeting notes email. All action items become tasks, linked to the full meeting context. No manual transcription needed.

Delegated Work

When someone assigns you work via email, forward it. The task is captured with all the context about what's expected and why.

Self-Created Tasks

Email yourself tasks: "TODO: Review Q4 budget before Tuesday." Forward to Lolodex, and it becomes a tracked task.

Project Planning

Forward planning documents with deliverables. Each deliverable becomes a trackable task linked to the project context.

Task Extraction vs. Manual Entry

Benefits of Extraction

  • Context preserved: Always know why something is on your list
  • No transcription errors: AI captures exact wording
  • Less friction: Forward and done, no retyping
  • Audit trail: Link back to original request

When Manual Entry is Better

  • Tasks you think of, not from emails
  • Personal tasks with no email origin
  • Tasks requiring custom formatting or details

Tips for Better Extraction

Write Clear Meeting Notes

When writing meeting notes, use clear action item formatting:

  • Use "Action Items:" as a header
  • Number items clearly
  • Include assignees and deadlines

Forward Promptly

Forward task-containing emails right away. Don't let them sit in your inbox where they'll be forgotten.

Review Extracted Tasks

Occasionally review your task list to ensure extraction accuracy. Adjust or add details as needed.

Never Lose an Action Item Again

Let AI extract tasks from your emails automatically.

Get Started Free

Email task extraction closes the gap between reading about work and tracking work. Action items no longer hide in your archive. They surface as tasks, linked to context, ready to be completed. It's the difference between hoping you remember and knowing you won't forget.