Time required: Approximately 8 minutes reading time
Prerequisites:
Active Captured Knowledge account
Understanding of basic case concepts (see Introduction to Captured Knowledge)
Expected results: After reading this guide, you will understand how to review and link communications to cases, maintain complete records, and make quick decisions about AI suggestions.
The compliance auditor needs the full email thread for a dispute case. You search your inbox, then the ERP system, then ask colleagues. After 45 minutes, you find emails scattered across three systems - but you're still missing two messages from last month.
Proper linking prevents this. When you review and link communications to cases as they arrive, everything stays together. This guide explains how the linking workflow works and how to make the right decisions quickly.
What is Linking?
Linking connects communications and events to the cases they belong to. When an email arrives or a work order is created, the AI analyzes it and suggests which case it relates to. You review the suggestion and decide:
✅ Link to case - Accept the AI's suggestion
🔄 Link to another case - The AI chose wrong, select the correct case
⛔ Don't link - This doesn't belong in any case
🔁 Create new case - Give the email its own new case, with instructions for the AI if needed
Think of it as the AI saying: "I think this email belongs to Case #1234 because it mentions the same tenant and property. Do you agree?"
Why Linking Matters
Complete case records depend on linking all related communications:
Documentation: Linked emails become part of the official case record in your ERP system
Context for AI: The more complete your case, the better AI suggestions you get
Audit trail: Full communication history for compliance and dispute resolution
Team visibility: Colleagues can see the complete conversation, not just fragments
Follow-up: Easily track what was promised and when
Without linking: Emails sit in your inbox, disconnected from cases. Important details get lost, tenants get duplicate responses, and your ERP documentation is incomplete.
How to Recognize Items Available to Link
Visual Indicators
1. Pulsing Alert at Top of Case (Most Noticeable)
When you open a case with items to review, you'll see a pulsing warning alert at the top.
Alert title changes based on what's available:
"Email Available to Link" / "Emails Available to Link"
"Phone Call Available to Link" / "Phone Calls Available to Link"
"Communications Available to Link" (mixed types)
Pulse animation draws attention for the first 3 seconds
Dismissible with X button (reappears when you reopen the case)
Smart button - "Review Items" automatically:
Switches to the Workflow tab
Opens the first item needing review
Dismisses the alert
Important: You must click the "Review Items" button to start reviewing. Clicking on the alert text itself doesn't open the items - only the button works.
2. In the Workflow Tab
Items waiting for your review appear with:
Action name: "Link Email", "Link Phone Call", "Link Work Order", etc.
Preview: Shows subject line (emails) or summary (phone calls)
ℹ️ Blue explanation box: Explains why the AI suggests linking this item
Status icon: ✏️ (pending your review)
3. Different Icons for Different States
✏️ Pending - Waiting for your decision
✓ Linked - You approved linking to this case
⊘ Not Linked - You chose not to link it
Step-by-Step: Reviewing and Linking
Scenario: Email Arrives About an Existing Issue
1. Case Status Changes
When a new email matches an existing case:
The case automatically reopens (status changes to Unread)
You'll see it in your cases list as requiring attention
A "Link Email" action is created for your review
2. You Open the Case
You see:
Pulsing alert at the top: "Email Available to Link"
The case details (original issue, property, tenant)
Workflow tab shows the linking action
3. Click "Review Items"
The button:
Switches you to the Workflow tab
Opens the linking action automatically
Shows you the email preview
Note: If nothing happens when you click the notification area, make sure you're clicking the "Review Items" button - it's the only clickable element that will open the review interface.
4. Review the Email Preview
You see:
Subject line: E.g., "Re: Kitchen faucet still leaking"
Sender: The tenant's name and email
Date: When the email was sent
Preview text: First few lines of the email
Full email button: Click to read the entire message
5. Make Your Decision
You have four action buttons in a clear hierarchy:
Primary Action (Large Button)
"Link to case" - Accept the AI's suggestion
Use when: The AI is correct, this email belongs to this case
What happens:
Email is permanently linked to the case
Email appears in the case's communication history
Email content is documented in the ERP ticket
Action status changes to completed (✓)
Case remains Unread (or current status) until you change it
Secondary Actions (Smaller Buttons in a Row)
"Link to another case" - The AI chose the wrong case
Use when: Email belongs to a different case
What happens:
Search dialog opens
You search for the correct case (by number, property, tenant, keywords)
Select the correct case
Email moves to that case instead
Current case is no longer affected
"Don't Link to Case" - This email shouldn't be linked at all
Use when:
Email is spam or unrelated
Email is personal/not property management related
Email should stay unlinked for other reasons
What happens:
Email is declined from this case
Email can optionally be moved back to your inbox
Action status changes to not linked (⊘)
Email remains available to link elsewhere if needed
"Create new case" - Give the email its own case
Use when:
AI suggestions don't make sense
The email is about a new, separate matter
Email mentions multiple properties/issues
What happens:
Dialog opens asking for instructions (optional)
You provide context: "This is about Apartment 3B heating, not 4C plumbing"
Using the "Remove Link" column, you can unlink the email from its current cases in the same step
The AI creates a new case from the email, guided by your instructions
Common Scenarios and Solutions
Scenario 1: Email Thread That Switched Topics
Problem: Tenant replies to an old email thread about plumbing, but this time asks about heating.
Solution: Use "Create new case"
Instructions: "This email is about a NEW heating issue in Apartment 4B,not related to the old plumbing repair from last month. Create a new case."
Result: AI creates a new case for the heating issue instead of linking to old plumbing case.
Scenario 2: Email for the Wrong Apartment
Problem: AI suggested linking to Case #1234 (Apartment 4B), but email actually mentions Apartment 5B.
Solution: Use "Link to another case"
Click the button
Search for: "Apartment 5B" or the case number if you know it
Select the correct case from results
Confirm
Result: Email moves to the correct case, wrong case no longer affected.
Common Question: "What if I want to link it to a different case than the one suggested?"
This is exactly what the "Link to another case" button is for
The AI makes its best guess, but you can always override it
Use the search to find the correct case and link the item there instead
The item will be removed from the originally suggested case and added to the case you selected
Scenario 3: Duplicate Email or Spam
Problem: You received a duplicate email, or it's marketing spam from a tenant.
Solution: Use "Don't Link to Case"
Check the option to move email back to inbox (optional)
Confirm
Result: Email is marked as declined, case cleans up, email available in inbox if needed.
Scenario 4: Multiple Items Pending Review
Problem: Case has 3 pending emails to review.
Process:
Alert shows: "We found 3 items available to link..."
Click "Review Items"
First linking action opens automatically
Review and decide (Link / Link to another / Don't link / Create new case)
Action closes, next linking action appears
Repeat until all are processed
Alert disappears when all are handled
Tip: Work through them in order - the AI often puts most important/recent items first.
Scenario 5: Removing an Email from a Case
Problem: An email was linked to the wrong case, or you need to remove it from one or more cases it's linked to.
Solution: Open the email in the case's email list and use "Remove from case"
A dialog appears showing all cases the email is currently linked to
Select which cases to remove the email from (checkboxes)
If removing from all cases, you can optionally check "Also move this email to your inbox" to return it to your inbox
Click "Confirm" to remove
What happens:
The email is unlinked from the selected cases only
If the email is still linked to other cases, it stays in the system
If you checked "move to inbox", the email returns to your inbox for re-processing or manual handling
When to use this:
Email was accidentally linked to the wrong case
Email is linked to multiple cases but only belongs to some of them
You want to handle the email differently (remove it first, then use "Create new case" with your instructions)
Best Practices
Review Items Promptly
Why:
Cases can't be properly resolved without complete communication history
Delayed linking means incomplete ERP documentation
AI suggestions get less accurate over time
When:
During morning review: Check Unread cases, review pending links first
Before creating work orders: Ensure all related emails are linked
Before marking cases Resolved: Verify no pending items remain
Trust but Verify the AI
The AI is usually right, especially for:
Email threads (same subject line)
Same tenant and property
Time proximity (email sent while case is active)
Double-check when:
Multiple properties mentioned
Tenant discusses several unrelated issues
Email is forwarded from another tenant
Long time gap since case was last active
Use "Create new case" for Ambiguous Emails
Instead of guessing, give the AI instructions when creating the new case:
Good instructions:
"This is about the HVAC system in Building A, not the plumbing in Building B"
"This is a different water leak than the previous one"
Poor instructions:
"Wrong" (too vague)
"Fix it" (no context)
(No instructions at all)
Keep Cases Organized
One case = One issue
✅ Water leak in Apartment 4B → One case
✅ Heating broken in Apartment 4B → Separate case
❌ All issues for Apartment 4B in one mega-case → Hard to track, resolve, close
Link follow-ups to the original case:
"Following up on the faucet repair" → Link to original faucet case
"Faucet is fixed but now the disposal is broken" → Consider new case (different issue)
Don't Decline Too Quickly
Before clicking "Don't Link", consider:
Could this email provide context for the issue?
Does it confirm something we're waiting for?
Will someone ask about this email later?
It's easier to link it now than to search for it later.
Understanding Case Status Changes
When Cases Automatically Reopen
Important: Cases automatically reopen (status → Unread) when:
✅ New email arrives and matches the case
❌ NOT when you approve the linking action (already reopened by then)
❌ NOT when ERP tickets, work orders, or damage reports are imported
Why only emails?
Emails indicate new tenant communication requiring response
ERP imports are system events, not requiring immediate attention
Phone calls you log yourself, so you're already aware
What this means for your workflow:
Tenant sends follow-up email about active case
Case reopens automatically (Unread status)
You see it in your queue
You open case and see the linking alert
You review and link the email
You handle the tenant's follow-up
You update case status based on progress (In Progress, Resolved, etc.)
Troubleshooting
"I don't see the linking alert"
Check:
Is the case archived? (Alerts don't show for archived cases)
Did you dismiss the alert? (It stays dismissed until you close/reopen the case)
Is the linking action already completed? (Check action status icons: ✓ = already done)
Solution:
Go to Workflow tab manually
Look for actions with ✏️ icon (pending)
"Create new case didn't do what I expected"
Common causes:
Instructions too vague - Be specific about properties, issue types, etc.
Didn't unlink from current case - Tick "Remove Link" for the current case
Not enough time - Wait for processing to complete
Solution:
Provide detailed instructions
Tick "Remove Link" for the cases the email should leave
Wait for the new case to appear
If the email belongs to an existing case instead, use "Link to another case" and search manually
"Email linked to wrong case even after I moved it"
This shouldn't happen, but if it does:
Open the wrong case
Find the email in the communication history
Click on the linking action
Use "Link to another case" again
If problem persists, contact support (possible bug)
"Can't find the case the email should link to"
Try searching by:
Case number: "#1234"
Property: "Apartment 4B" or "Riverside Building"
Tenant name: "Sarah Martinez"
Keywords: "faucet" or "leak" or "plumbing"
If still not found:
The case might not exist yet - consider creating a new case
Check if the case is archived or in a different team
The email might actually belong to a different property/tenant than you thought
Related Articles
Introduction to Captured Knowledge - Core concepts including cases, events, and actions
Quick Start Guide - Your daily workflow and common tasks
Case Lifecycle Example - Complete walkthrough of handling a case from start to finish
Troubleshooting Guide - Solutions for "Email Linked to Wrong Case" and other issues
Key Takeaways
✅ Linking = AI asking permission to connect communications to cases
✅ Pulsing alert at top of case shows items waiting for your review
✅ "Review Items" button automatically opens the first pending action
✅ Four clear choices: Link here, Link elsewhere, Don't link, Create new case
✅ Cases reopen automatically when new emails arrive (not when you approve)
✅ Complete records matter - Link items to provide context and maintain documentation
✅ Trust but verify - AI is usually right, but you're always in control
Remember: Every linking decision helps you maintain complete, organized case records. A few seconds reviewing and linking saves hours of searching and reconstructing conversations later.