Outlook Input Connector Overwriting Downloaded Files

Question

Hi all,

I have a workflow that's downloading text files from a certain email inbox once/week. These emails contain individual remittance attachments, and they all have the exact same subject line and attachment name. Because some of them come in at the exact same second (and have homogenous subject lines/attachment names) some of these files are getting overwritten when I try to download the attachments through the Outlook Input connector. Looking at my connector output, I can see records 6/7, 10/11, 15/16, and 18/19 are each unique but came in at the exact same time, which is causing Alteryx to overwrite one of them. I checked the output folder and confirmed I only have 16 out of 20 attachments that I need downloaded.

Is there a way to change the naming schema for downloads so that files aren't overwritten? I've already asked and the client will not change how or when they send us emails.

Record #SubjectCreated Date TimeSave Path1FW: REMITTANCE2024-10-21T15:49:26ZC:\...\FW REMITTANCE_2024-10-21T154926Z\REMITTANCE.TXT2FW: REMITTANCE2024-10-21T15:49:29ZC:\...\FW REMITTANCE_2024-10-21T154929Z\REMITTANCE.TXT3FW: REMITTANCE2024-10-21T15:49:30ZC:\...\FW REMITTANCE_2024-10-21T154930Z\REMITTANCE.TXT4FW: REMITTANCE2024-10-21T15:49:31ZC:\...\FW REMITTANCE_2024-10-21T154931Z\REMITTANCE.TXT5FW: REMITTANCE2024-10-21T15:49:32ZC:\...\FW REMITTANCE_2024-10-21T154932Z\REMITTANCE.TXT6FW: REMITTANCE2024-10-21T15:49:33ZC:\...\FW REMITTANCE_2024-10-21T154933Z\REMITTANCE.TXT7FW: REMITTANCE2024-10-21T15:49:33ZC:\...\FW REMITTANCE_2024-10-21T154933Z\REMITTANCE.TXT8FW: REMITTANCE2024-10-21T15:49:34ZC:\...\FW REMITTANCE_2024-10-21T154934Z\REMITTANCE.TXT9FW: REMITTANCE2024-10-21T15:49:35ZC:\...\FW REMITTANCE_2024-10-21T154935Z\REMITTANCE.TXT10FW: REMITTANCE2024-10-21T15:49:36ZC:\...\FW REMITTANCE_2024-10-21T154936Z\REMITTANCE.TXT11FW: REMITTANCE2024-10-21T15:49:36ZC:\...\FW REMITTANCE_2024-10-21T154936Z\REMITTANCE.TXT12FW: REMITTANCE2024-10-21T15:49:37ZC:\...\FW REMITTANCE_2024-10-21T154937Z\REMITTANCE.TXT13FW: REMITTANCE2024-10-21T15:49:38ZC:\...\FW REMITTANCE_2024-10-21T154938Z\REMITTANCE.TXT14FW: REMITTANCE2024-10-21T15:49:39ZC:\...\FW REMITTANCE_2024-10-21T154939Z\REMITTANCE.TXT15FW: REMITTANCE2024-10-21T15:49:40ZC:\...\FW REMITTANCE_2024-10-21T154940Z\REMITTANCE.TXT16FW: REMITTANCE2024-10-21T15:49:40ZC:\...\FW REMITTANCE_2024-10-21T154940Z\REMITTANCE.TXT17FW: REMITTANCE2024-10-21T15:49:41ZC:\...\FW REMITTANCE_2024-10-21T154941Z\REMITTANCE.TXT18FW: REMITTANCE2024-10-21T15:49:42ZC:\...\FW REMITTANCE_2024-10-21T154942Z\REMITTANCE.TXT19FW: REMITTANCE2024-10-21T15:49:42ZC:\...\FW REMITTANCE_2024-10-21T154942Z\REMITTANCE.TXT20FW: REMITTANCE2024-10-21T15:49:43ZC:\...\FW REMITTANCE_2024-10-21T154943Z\REMITTANCE.TXT

Thanks in advance!

DavidSta · Accepted Answer

Hi @Everett_Nelson,

unfortunately this is working as designed, as far as I can see.

As of today Outlook 365 Input will create folders with the attachments in the destination path. The names of the folders will be the first 20 characters of email subject, underscore, date, letter T, time stamp, and letter Z.

In your case this means, that emails with the same timestamp will overwrite the old one.

I was thinking about creating some kind of Batch Macro by using the internetMessageId. So far I was not able to find a way to filter this element with the Outlook 365 Input Connector.

Even within Outlook itself I was not able to create a filter using this element - only with a rule (which is not helping either).

With this I would recommend that you work closely with your Account Team, Customer Success Manager or TAM to address this to the Product Team.

Best regards,

David