> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.tailent.com/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.tailent.com/getting-started/tap-studio/outlook-vs-standard-imap-protocol.md).

# Outlook vs standard IMAP protocol

A frequent question we receive regarding our IMAP activities [Get Email Message](/actions/tap-actions/mail/get-email-messages.md) and [Move Email Message](/actions/tap-actions/mail/move-mail-message.md)

is why we face the error "could not fetch mail from server " even if we follow the tooltip guidance - INBOX.FolderName.

![](https://649489153-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-legacy-files/o/assets%2F-MSSr3DfBuOYIkk2T9ec%2F-MT5fkJEjLL76oPX2-Mc%2F-MT5gEnSt5rRsCOAdTV5%2Foutlook1.png?alt=media\&token=f5380066-91b4-4eec-82c5-b411dc673bbc)

For instance, in the example below, the configuration is normally correct, however, when running the workflow, we face the error message.

![](https://649489153-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-legacy-files/o/assets%2F-MSSr3DfBuOYIkk2T9ec%2F-MT5fkJEjLL76oPX2-Mc%2F-MT5gEnVCUteWk50IzB8%2Foutlook2.png?alt=media\&token=25c1bf72-ca28-4168-bc9a-a15174fbbadb)

That is because in Outlook, users can create folders at the same level as Inbox (like in this case InvoicesUNprocessed and InvoicesProcessed).

![](https://649489153-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-legacy-files/o/assets%2F-MSSr3DfBuOYIkk2T9ec%2F-MT5fkJEjLL76oPX2-Mc%2F-MT5gEnWjUpAU5_Ml72O%2Foutlook3.png?alt=media\&token=3e8288ef-2183-44a7-a80e-946e57850a75)

So the correct configuration is:

![](https://649489153-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-legacy-files/o/assets%2F-MSSr3DfBuOYIkk2T9ec%2F-MT5fkJEjLL76oPX2-Mc%2F-MT5gEnXjFVoxn60rMY-%2Foutlook4.png?alt=media\&token=842423fa-259b-4b54-992f-e1517c7e069b)

Secondly, let's take the case of folder "test1", which was created under inbox.

In Thunderbird:

![](https://649489153-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-legacy-files/o/assets%2F-MSSr3DfBuOYIkk2T9ec%2F-MT5fkJEjLL76oPX2-Mc%2F-MT5gEnYoRa2sa2MC0FI%2Foutlook5.png?alt=media\&token=ca316d49-0f57-4401-8415-7117cbc92ca6)

If the robot would connect to Thunderbird to retrieve info about emails from folder test1, the value of the field Folder Name must be **INBOX.test1**.

In Outlook:

![](https://649489153-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-legacy-files/o/assets%2F-MSSr3DfBuOYIkk2T9ec%2F-MT5fkJEjLL76oPX2-Mc%2F-MT5gEnZllQYxiZ775cI%2Foutlook6.png?alt=media\&token=a0eee79a-1e02-4965-aa27-bf93030c4120)

But if the robot would connect to Outlook to retrieve info about emails from folder test1, the value of the field Folder name must be **INBOX/test1** instead of INBOX.test1, as it can be seen also below:

![](https://649489153-files.gitbook.io/~/files/v0/b/gitbook-legacy-files/o/assets%2F-MSSr3DfBuOYIkk2T9ec%2F-MT5fkJEjLL76oPX2-Mc%2F-MT5gEn_Tmr4qXDbAVLN%2Foutlook7.png?alt=media\&token=03907502-30a1-45a9-89d8-7807ce42d040)