Configuring Redline in Email (Outlook) with Draftable

Draftable’s Redline in Email is a Microsoft Outlook Add-in that enables users to run Draftable Redline comparisons directly from within their Outlook inbox. By deploying this add-in across your Microsoft 365 organization, you empower your users to Redline their drafted emails efficiently without needing to leave their email client.

This guide provides step-by-step instructions for Microsoft 365 administrators to deploy the Draftable Outlook Add-in organization-wide.

Update Draftable before you deploy Redline in Email 3.0.

Redline in Email 3.0 requires Draftable Desktop 26.9.0.1 or later on every user’s machine. If the add-in reaches users before Draftable Desktop is updated, Redline in Email will not work for them. Roll out Draftable Desktop 26.9.0.1 first, or at the same time as the new manifest.

• See Update procedure and configuration across deployment options for how to update each installer type.
• See the Draftable Legal release log for what is in 26.9.0.1.

Prerequisites

• You must have admin privileges for Microsoft 365 (you will need a Microsoft 365 Business account)
• Ensure your environment supports Office Add-ins via the Microsoft 365 admin center.
• You must have at least Draftable Desktop 26.9.0.1 for this Add-in to correctly function. Version 3.0 is a new major version, so you also need to update the Outlook add-in manifest. The existing v2 auto-updating manifest will not deliver this release.
• Draftable Desktop must be installed and running on each user’s computer. See Keep Draftable running for Redline in Email below.

Keep Draftable running for Redline in Email

Redline in Email is not a standalone add-in. It works with the Draftable desktop app on the user’s own computer, so keep Draftable running whenever users work in Redline in Email. It can run minimized or in the system tray. Draftable must be running the first time a user opens Redline in Email, and the add-in reconnects to it to keep the user’s license current. Setting Draftable to start silently with Windows avoids the interruption.

If Draftable is closed, the task pane shows a Draftable not detected notification, or a Draftable Desktop Required, Draftable Desktop Not Detected or Refresh License screen when the license needs to be checked. The user can select Launch Draftable and then Try Again or Refresh License, but the add-in does not start Draftable for them automatically. If Draftable is older than 26.9.0.1, the pane shows Draftable Desktop Upgrade Required instead.

Recommended for organization-wide deployments: configure Draftable to start silently in the background when users sign in to Windows. Redline in Email is then ready whenever users need it.

Key: HKCU:\Software\Policies\Draftable\Compare
Value name: StartOnStartupOption
Value type: REG_SZ
Value data: Silent

You can also set this with the Launch Draftable automatically when Windows starts Group Policy, set to Enabled with Start application but without main screen selected. Setting a value of NotStart, or selecting Not start with Windows, means users must open Draftable themselves before using Redline in Email. For all options, see Most common Draftable Legal registry configurations.

Upgrading from version 2.x: version 3.0 replaces the separate compose, review and copy screens with a single tracked-changes editor, so there is no longer a Create New Email button. The HideCreateNewEmailButton registry policy has no effect on version 3.0. For what users will see, share Using Draftable Redline in Email.

Step-by-Step Setup

1. Go to the Integrated Apps Portal

1. Visit the Integrated Apps section of the Microsoft 365 Admin Center.

2. Click Upload custom apps.

2. Upload the Draftable Outlook Add-in

1. Under App type, select Office Add-in from the drop down menu.

2. When prompted for the manifest, provide one of the following manifest URLs as a link (rather than uploading a downloaded, fixed copy). Choose based on how you want updates handled:

   Latest manifest (v3), recommended:

   https://dl.draftable.com/addins/outlook/latest/v3/manifest.xml

   Use this to receive Redline in Email updates automatically within the version 3 major release. The URL always points to the most recent v3 release, so you do not need to retrieve and re-upload a new manifest for each update.

   If you previously deployed the v2 manifest (/latest/v2/), it will not upgrade you to version 3.0. Replace it with the v3 manifest above: in Integrated apps, select the existing Redline in Email add-in and update it with the new manifest URL, rather than deploying a second copy. Make sure Draftable 26.9.0.1 or later has reached your users first.

   Pinned manifest, for change-controlled environments:

   https://dl.draftable.com/addins/outlook/3.0.0.0/manifest.xml

   Use this to stay on this exact release. Updates are applied manually by deploying the next pinned version when you are ready.

3. Click Validate.

   

3. Configure Delivery to Users

You will be asked how the add-in should be deployed across your organization:

• Assign to Entire organization, Specific users, or Groups depending on your use case.
• Choose whether the add-in should be automatically installed or available for users to install manually.
  

4. Accept Permissions

You will be prompted to accept and approve the required permissions on behalf of your users.

Required Permissions Overview

App Permissions:

• Read the signed-in user’s mailbox.
• Sign in and read users’ basic profile information.
• Access user profile details including name, picture, username, and email address.
• Read basic company information for signed-in users.

App Capabilities:

• ReadWriteItem: Allows the app to read and write the contents of an email item.
• SendReceiveData: Enables the app to communicate with the Draftable application for comparison processing.

The exact wording on the permissions screen is provided by Microsoft and can differ from the list above. Redline in Email uses its access to the user’s mailbox to find the earlier emails in a conversation to compare with, and to create a reply draft when a user selects Reply in the task pane.

5. Finish Setup

Once permissions are approved and the app is assigned to your selected users, Redline in Email will be available within Outlook. Users select Redline on the ribbon, both when reading and when composing emails. On the classic ribbon, Redline is the only button in the Compare group. On the simplified ribbon the group name is not shown, so users look for the Redline button, which may be under the More options (…) menu if the window is narrow. In the new Outlook and Outlook on the web, add-in buttons can also appear under Apps.

The first time a user opens Redline in Email, the pane can show a License Check screen with Launch Draftable and Refresh License buttons, even when Draftable is running. Selecting Refresh License clears it, and the pane opens straight into the editor from then on.

Please note: The Application installation and update can take up to 72 hours (and in some cases longer).. For more information about it, please visit Microsoft Documentation - Deploy add-ins in the admin center - Microsoft 365 admin | Microsoft Learn

We recommend that if the Add-in hasn’t been deployed in this time, you should get users to restart Outlook and their Machine to prompt the Add-in to be added. 

Need Help?

If you experience issues with deployment or setup, please contact [e-mail].