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Escalation Router Setup Wizard

The Escalation Router Setup Wizard guides you through configuring the centralized escalation system for your tenant. This wizard is required before creating AI Agents or SME Agents, as all agents depend on the escalation infrastructure for human-in-the-loop scenarios.

Prerequisites​

Before starting this wizard, ensure you have completed:

  1. Configure Organization wizard - Your Microsoft 365 connection must be active
  2. Configure AI Providers wizard - At least one LLM provider must be configured
  3. Configure Safety Gateway wizard - Safety Gateway must be set up first

The Escalation Router wizard appears locked in the Getting Started section until these prerequisites are met.

Starting the Wizard​

  1. Navigate to Build > Getting Started
  2. Click Configure Escalation Router (the final wizard in the group)
  3. The wizard will guide you through the setup process

Step 1: Introduction​

The wizard begins with an overview of how the Escalation Router works:

  1. Agent Needs Help - When an agent encounters a situation requiring human judgment, it creates an escalation request
  2. Email Sent - The Escalation Router sends an email from your shared mailbox to the designated recipient
  3. Human Responds - The recipient can respond via email reply or web portal buttons
  4. Agent Resumes - The response is routed back to the correct agent, which resumes execution

Click Continue to proceed.

Step 2: Select Escalation Mailbox​

The Escalation Router requires a shared mailbox in Microsoft 365 for sending and receiving escalation communications.

Option A: Select Existing Mailbox​

If you already have a shared mailbox:

  1. Choose Select Existing Shared Mailbox from the dropdown
  2. Select your mailbox from the list of available shared mailboxes
  3. Click Continue

Option B: Create New Mailbox​

If you need to create a new shared mailbox:

  1. Click Create New Shared Mailbox
  2. Follow the instructions to create a mailbox in the Microsoft 365 Admin Center:
    • Open the Microsoft 365 Admin Center
    • Navigate to Teams & groups > Shared mailboxes
    • Click Add a shared mailbox
    • Enter a name (e.g., "AI Escalations") and email address (e.g., escalations@company.com)
    • Grant access to your M365 service account with "Send as" and "Send on behalf" permissions
  3. Return to the wizard and enter the mailbox address
  4. Click Continue
  • escalations@company.com
  • ai-escalations@company.com
  • agent-requests@company.com
tip

Use a dedicated mailbox for escalations rather than a personal or general inbox. This keeps escalation communications organized and ensures proper tracking.

Step 3: Verify Mailbox Access​

The wizard verifies that Outermind can access your escalation mailbox. The following checks are performed automatically:

  • Connecting to Microsoft Graph API
  • Verifying mailbox exists
  • Testing read permissions
  • Testing send permissions

If all checks pass, click Continue.

Troubleshooting Access Issues​

If verification fails:

  1. Permission Error - Ensure your M365 service account has:
    • Full Access permission to the mailbox
    • Send As permission
    • Send on Behalf permission
  2. Mailbox Not Found - Verify the email address is correct and the mailbox exists
  3. Connection Error - Check that your M365 connection in Build > Connections > Microsoft 365 is active

Step 4: Configure Settings​

Customize how escalations are handled:

Display Name​

The "From" name shown in escalation emails.

  • Default: "AI Escalations"
  • Example: "Outermind AI Escalations" or "Company Name Escalations"

Default Expiration​

How long escalations wait for a response before expiring.

OptionUse Case
1 dayTime-sensitive approvals
3 daysModerate urgency
7 daysStandard workflow (recommended)
14 daysLower priority requests
30 daysLong-term decisions
NeverNo automatic expiration
warning

Escalations that expire without a response leave the waiting agent in a paused state. Choose an appropriate expiration period based on your typical response times.

Require Authentication​

When enabled, recipients must log in before responding via the web portal.

  • Disabled (default) - One-click response from email links
  • Enabled - Additional security for sensitive escalations

Email replies are always accepted regardless of this setting.

Step 5: Send Test Escalation​

Test the complete escalation workflow:

  1. Enter your email address (pre-filled with your current email)
  2. Click Send Test Escalation
  3. Check your inbox for an email with subject: [ESC-TEST1234] Test Escalation - Please Verify
  4. Try both response methods:
    • Click one of the buttons (Approve, Deny, or Need Info) in the email
    • Or reply to the email starting with APPROVED, DENIED, or MORE INFO
  5. Return to the wizard and click Verify Response

The wizard confirms your response was received and displays:

  • Response method (Web Portal or Email)
  • Decision selected
  • Response time
tip

If you don't receive the test email within a few minutes, check your spam/junk folder. Also verify that the mailbox permissions were configured correctly in Step 3.

Step 6: Completion​

Your Escalation Router is now configured. The completion screen shows a summary:

  • Mailbox address
  • Display name
  • Default expiration
  • Authentication requirement

Next Steps​

From here you can:

  • Create Your First Agent - Navigate to the Agent creation wizard
  • Go to Dashboard - Return to the main dashboard

Managing Settings Later​

To modify your Escalation Router configuration after setup:

  1. Navigate to Manage > Escalation > Escalation Router
  2. Click Edit in the Configuration section
  3. Update settings and save changes

To change the mailbox address or M365 connection, you'll need to re-run the setup wizard from the Configuration section.