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

# Reviewing Drafts Before Sending

> Build a Duvo agent that drafts outbound messages and waits for your approval before sending them.

<Info>
  **Time to complete:** 15 minutes

  **Difficulty:** Beginner

  **Prerequisites:** Email or Slack connection

  **You'll build:** An agent that drafts outbound messages and waits for your approval before sending them
</Info>

### Why Automate This?

**The Problem**: Sending the wrong message to a customer or stakeholder is costly — once it's out, you cannot take it back. Teams either review every draft manually (slow) or skip the review entirely and accept the risk (dangerous).

**The Solution**: A Duvo agent that drafts each message and pauses for your approval before sending. You see exactly what will go out, approve or revise it, and the agent handles delivery — all without switching between tools.

**Expected Results**:

* Every outbound message reviewed before it is sent
* Approval decisions reachable from Slack or Requests — no need to open the message editor
* Full audit trail of what was approved, denied, and revised

### What You'll Build

By the end of this tutorial, you'll have an agent that:

1. Reads a list of customer cases or emails that need a response
2. Drafts a personalized reply for each one
3. Pauses and shows you the draft — recipient, subject, and full body
4. Sends the message only after you approve it
5. If you deny a draft, asks you what to change and regenerates before re-requesting approval

### Before You Start

Make sure you have these ready:

<Check>**Email connection** — Connect Gmail or Outlook. [Add a connection](/user-guide/connections/how-to-add-connection)</Check>
<Check>**A source for your messages** — This could be a Gmail inbox, a support queue, a spreadsheet of contacts, or a Slack channel. Connect whichever system holds the inputs.</Check>

<Steps>
  <Step title="Create Your Agent" icon="plus">
    1. Click **"+ Create Agent"** from your dashboard.
    2. Select **"Use Agent Builder"**.

    <Frame>
      <img src="https://mintcdn.com/duvo-d8027998/vP3-0V6Q0VBvZeLx/images/user-guide/building-agents/how-to-build-agent-1.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=vP3-0V6Q0VBvZeLx&q=85&s=739447e40cb95aae0c4553b794a8ef84" alt="Create Agent Button" width="510" height="526" data-path="images/user-guide/building-agents/how-to-build-agent-1.png" />
    </Frame>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Describe Your Workflow" icon="pencil">
    Paste this prompt into the Agent Builder and adjust it to match your source system:

    ```
    Check my Gmail inbox for emails labeled "needs-reply" that have not yet been answered.

    For each email:
    1. Read the full message and any prior thread context.
    2. Draft a professional reply that addresses the customer's question directly.
       Keep the tone friendly and concise.
    3. Before sending, request approval with:
       - Title: "Send reply to [sender name] — [email subject]"
       - Description: include the full draft body so I can review it
    4. If I approve, send the reply and remove the "needs-reply" label.
    5. If I deny, ask me what to change. Revise the draft and request approval again.
    ```

    Click **"Generate"** to create the agent AOP.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Review the Generated AOP" icon="list-checks">
    Duvo will generate a structured AOP. Check that:

    * The source system is correctly identified (Gmail, in this case)
    * The approval title format includes enough detail to decide without opening a separate window
    * The revision loop is present — the agent should ask what to change when a draft is denied, not just stop

    Edit the AOP directly if anything needs adjusting.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Configure Connections" icon="plug">
    Click **"Connections"** and confirm:

    1. **Gmail** (or your email provider) — Connect the account you want to send from.
    2. **Human-in-the-Loop** — Already available automatically. No setup needed.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Test the Approval Flow" icon="play">
    Run the agent on a single test email before using it in production:

    1. Click **"Start Work"**.
    2. Watch the session log as the agent drafts the reply.
    3. When the agent reaches the approval gate, a request will appear in your [Requests](/user-guide/assignment-features/requests).

    <Frame>
      <img src="https://mintcdn.com/duvo-d8027998/vP3-0V6Q0VBvZeLx/images/user-guide/running-agents/how-to-run-agent-1.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=vP3-0V6Q0VBvZeLx&q=85&s=9370037e9a29d7a673787038c669305e" alt="Agent Running" width="860" height="794" data-path="images/user-guide/running-agents/how-to-run-agent-1.png" />
    </Frame>

    **Try each path:**

    * **Approve the draft** — Verify the email is sent and the label is removed.
    * **Deny the draft** — Verify the agent asks you what to change, revises the draft, and requests approval again.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Respond Directly from Slack" icon="message-square">
    If you have Slack notifications enabled, you can approve or deny drafts without opening Duvo:

    1. Go to **Settings > Notifications** and connect your Slack account.
    2. Run the agent again.
    3. When the approval request is created, the Duvo bot sends you a direct message in Slack with the full draft.
    4. Tap **Approve** or **Deny** directly in the Slack message.
    5. The agent receives your response and continues — sending the email if approved, or asking for revision if denied.

    The Slack message updates to show the outcome after you respond, giving you a record of each decision.
  </Step>

  <Step title="Schedule the Agent" icon="calendar">
    Once testing is successful, set the agent to run automatically:

    1. Go to **Agent Settings > Schedule**.
    2. Choose how often to check for new emails — every hour, or on a custom schedule.
    3. Save the schedule.

    New drafts will appear in Requests (or via Slack) as they are generated, ready for your review.
  </Step>
</Steps>

### Expected Results

When your agent runs successfully, you should see:

**In your Requests:**

* One pending approval for each draft, with the full message body visible in the detail panel
* Requests resolve automatically once you approve or deny

**In your email sent folder:**

* Only messages you explicitly approved
* Nothing sent that you did not review

**In Duvo:**

* A complete session log showing each draft, your decision, and the final action taken

### Troubleshooting

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="The approval request does not show the full draft" icon="eye-off">
    * **Check the AOP instruction** — Make sure the description field in the approval request explicitly includes the draft body. Edit the AOP and add: "Include the complete email body in the approval description."
    * **Check character limits** — Very long drafts may be trimmed. Break long messages into shorter ones or include a summary in the description.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="The agent stops after a denial instead of asking for revisions" icon="circle-stop">
    * **Check the fallback instruction** — The AOP must tell the agent what to do when denied. Add: "If approval is denied, ask the user what to change, revise the draft, and request approval again."
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Slack notifications are not arriving" icon="bell-off">
    * **Check notification settings** — Go to **Settings > Notifications** and verify Slack is connected and notifications are enabled.
    * **Check the Duvo bot** — Make sure the Duvo app is authorized in your Slack workspace.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Emails are sending without approval" icon="send">
    * **Check the AOP** — The phrase "only send after I approve" (or equivalent) must appear before the send step. Without it, the agent may send immediately after drafting.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

### Take It Further

Once your basic approval workflow is running, consider these enhancements:

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Add a priority flag for urgent emails" icon="flag">
    ```
    If the email is marked as urgent or the subject contains "URGENT", set the approval title to
    "[URGENT] Send reply to [sender] — [subject]" so I can prioritize it in my inbox.
    ```
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Skip approval for routine replies" icon="fast-forward">
    ```
    If the email is a standard acknowledgment with no specific questions (e.g., "Got it, thanks"),
    send the reply without requesting approval. Only request approval for substantive messages.
    ```
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Include a confidence note in the description" icon="message-circle">
    ```
    In the approval description, briefly note why you drafted the reply this way and flag
    any part you are uncertain about.
    ```
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Apply to other channels" icon="share-2">
    The same pattern works for Slack messages, social media comments, or any other outbound communication. Replace the Gmail instructions with the appropriate connection and source.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

### Related Resources

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Human-in-the-Loop" icon="hand" href="/user-guide/assignment-features/human-in-the-loop">
    Full guide to approval gates and how to write them into your AOP
  </Card>

  <Card title="Requests" icon="inbox" href="/user-guide/assignment-features/requests">
    Where all pending approvals appear
  </Card>

  <Card title="Customer Response Emails" icon="mail" href="/user-guide/examples/customer-response-emails">
    A tutorial for drafting and sending personalized responses at scale
  </Card>

  <Card title="Expense Report Approval" icon="receipt" href="/user-guide/examples/expense-report-approval">
    A tutorial showing threshold-based approval gates in a finance workflow
  </Card>
</CardGroup>