How to centralize email communications into tasks for multiple clients (exact workflow)

Forward an email to Foco’s unique address (u-xxxx@in.heyfoco.com) and it becomes a task in under 60 seconds. The subject becomes the task title, the body is attached as a note, and Foco extracts dates, priorities, or reminders if mentioned in the text. Attachments (PDFs, images) are saved as notes. The task appears in the 'Automatic' work or a predefined project, with its assigned color for instant visual separation.

Step 1: Set up email capture (one-time, 2 minutes)

• Open Foco (desktop or mobile) and go to Settings > Copilot > Email Capture.
• Copy the unique address (format: u-xxxx@in.heyfoco.com). This is your private forwarding address—rotate it anytime from the same menu if compromised.
• Save the address in your email contacts as 'Foco - Email Capture' to avoid typos when forwarding.

Step 2: Forward an email to create a task (example with real data)

Scenario: You receive an email from Client A with the subject 'Urgent: Homepage redesign feedback' and a deadline of Friday at 3 PM. The body includes 3 bullet points of requested changes and a PDF attachment.

• Open the email in Gmail/Outlook and click Forward.
• Paste u-xxxx@in.heyfoco.com as the recipient.
• Send. Foco creates a task with:
• - Title: 'Urgent: Homepage redesign feedback' (from subject).
• - Note: Full email body (including the 3 bullet points) + PDF attachment.
• - Due date: Friday at 3 PM (auto-detected from the text).
• - Priority: Urgent (if the word 'urgent' appears in the subject/body).
• - Work: Assigned to 'Client A - Design' (if you pre-configured this work as the destination for Client A’s emails) or 'Automatic' (default).

Step 3: Assign the task to the correct work (and why color matters)

In Panorama view, tasks from all clients appear together, each with its work’s color. For example: Client A (blue), Client B (green), Personal (gray). This lets you scan 20+ tasks at once and instantly spot which client needs attention. In Foco mode, you filter to see only Client A’s tasks, eliminating distractions from other projects.

• Open the task in Foco. If it’s in 'Automatic', tap the work name and select the correct work (e.g., 'Client A - Design'). The task updates to that work’s color.
• If you use Plus Connections, Foco can auto-assign tasks to works based on email content. Example: Emails mentioning 'Asana project ID: 123' are routed to 'Client A - Development'.
• For recurring client emails (e.g., weekly reports), set a recurrence rule (e.g., every Monday at 9 AM) so the next task is created automatically when you complete the current one.

Step 4: Sync completed tasks back to the source (optional but critical for collaboration)

When you mark a task as Done in Foco, you can choose to sync it back to the original tool (e.g., close a task in Asana or comment on a Notion page). This avoids duplicate work and keeps both systems updated.

• Go to Settings > Connections and enable the integration for the tool (e.g., Asana, Notion).
• Toggle on 'Complete also in the origin' for the connection.
• When you mark a task as Done in Foco, a popup asks: 'Close the original task in Asana?' Select Yes to sync.

Step 5: Automate task assignment with Plus Connections (Notion, Asana, GitHub, etc.)

Foco’s Plus plan ($20/month) connects to tools like Notion, Asana, Linear, GitHub, or Jira via OAuth. When you forward an email, Foco checks the content and assigns the task to the correct work—no manual input needed.

• Go to Settings > Copilot > Connections and enable the integration (e.g., Asana).
• Choose a destination work:
• - Automatic: Foco uses AI to decide (e.g., emails mentioning 'Asana project: Marketing' go to 'Client B - Marketing').
• - Fixed work: All tasks from this connection go to 'Client C - Development' (e.g., for GitHub issues).
• Forward an email. Foco creates the task in the correct work and attaches the email as a note. Example: An email with 'GitHub issue #456' is assigned to 'Client C - Development' and linked to the original issue.

How Foco solves the 3 biggest problems of email-to-task workflows

• Problem 1: Losing context. Copy-pasting emails into a notes app or spreadsheet strips attachments, formatting, and metadata (e.g., sender, timestamps). Foco attaches the full email as a note, preserving all details.
• Problem 2: No visual separation by client. In a generic task app, all tasks look the same. Foco color-codes tasks by work (e.g., blue for Client A, green for Client B), so you can scan 50+ tasks and instantly see which client needs attention. Learn how to separate contexts without losing the big picture.
• Problem 3: Manual sync with other tools. If you use Asana for Client A and Notion for Client B, you’d need to manually update both. Foco syncs completed tasks back to the source (e.g., closing a task in Foco also closes it in Asana).

Real example: Handling 10 client emails in 10 minutes

Situation: You receive 10 emails from 4 clients between 9 AM and 10 AM. Here’s how Foco handles it:

• 9:02 AM: Email from Client A ('Invoice #123 needs revision'). Forward to Foco. Task created in 'Client A - Admin' (blue) with priority Urgent.
• 9:15 AM: Email from Client B ('Meeting notes from yesterday'). Forward to Foco. Task created in 'Client B - Meetings' (green) with a recurrence rule (every Tuesday at 2 PM).
• 9:30 AM: Email from Client C ('GitHub PR #789 needs review'). Forward to Foco. Task auto-assigned to 'Client C - Development' (red) via GitHub connection and linked to the PR.
• 9:45 AM: Email from Client D ('New contract attached'). Forward to Foco. Task created in 'Client D - Legal' (purple) with the PDF attached as a note.
• 10:00 AM: Open Panorama view. See all 10 tasks, each with its client’s color. Filter by priority or due date to decide what to tackle first. Use time blocking to schedule them without overlaps.

When to use email capture vs. other Foco features

• Use email capture for:
• - Client requests, contracts, or documents (emails with attachments).
• - Emails that need to sync with external tools (e.g., Asana, Notion).
• - Recurring emails (e.g., weekly reports) where you want to auto-create tasks.
• Use voice capture for:
• - Quick tasks (e.g., 'Call Client A about invoice #123'). Dictate, and Foco transcribes and extracts dates/priorities. Limited to 2 minutes per dictation in the free plan.
• - Ráfaga mode (Plus only): Dictate multiple tasks at once (e.g., 'Task 1: Review Client A’s feedback. Task 2: Send Client B the contract. Task 3: Schedule meeting with Client C.'). Foco splits them into separate tasks.
• Use Plus Connections for:
• - Tasks already in tools like Notion or GitHub. Foco pulls them automatically—no forwarding needed. Learn how to unify tasks from multiple apps without migrating data.

The goal isn’t to turn every email into a task—it’s to eliminate the friction of switching between inboxes and task managers. If an email requires action, forward it to Foco. If it’s just information, archive it. The 60 seconds you spend forwarding save 10 minutes of context-switching later.

FAQ

FAQ

How do I centralize email communications from multiple clients in one place?

Forward emails to your unique Foco address (u-xxxx@in.heyfoco.com). Each email becomes a task in Foco, with the subject as the title, the body as a note, and any attachments preserved. Tasks are assigned to the correct work (e.g., 'Client A - Design') based on pre-configured rules or AI detection (Plus plan). This centralizes all client communications in one dashboard, each with its color for visual separation.

Can I use the diverse (Foco’s features) to help with emailing tasks?

Yes. Foco’s email capture turns emails into tasks automatically, but you can also use voice capture to dictate tasks (e.g., 'Follow up with Client A about the contract') or Ráfaga mode (Plus only) to create multiple tasks from a single dictation. For tasks already in tools like Notion or Asana, Plus Connections pull them into Foco without manual input.

What happens if I forward an email with a due date or priority mentioned in the text?

Foco detects dates, times, priorities (e.g., 'urgent', 'important'), and reminders from the email subject or body. For example, an email with 'Deadline: Friday at 3 PM' creates a task with a due date of Friday at 3 PM. If the word 'urgent' appears, the task is marked as priority: urgent.

Can I sync completed tasks back to the original tool (e.g., Asana, Notion)?

Yes, if you enable 'Complete also in the origin' in Settings > Connections. When you mark a task as Done in Foco, it closes or comments on the original item in the connected tool (e.g., closing a task in Asana or adding a comment to a Notion page).

How does Foco handle recurring emails (e.g., weekly reports)?

When you complete a task created from a recurring email, Foco can auto-create the next occurrence. For example, if you receive a weekly report every Monday, set a recurrence rule (e.g., every Monday at 9 AM) for the task. The next task will be created automatically when you mark the current one as Done.