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Draftable in Outlook is a modern Outlook add-in that brings Draftable’s powerful document comparison functionality directly into Microsoft Outlook. This feature enables users to perform comparisons, manage versions, and review results — all within the familiar Outlook interface.
Draftable in Outlook requires Draftable version 25.10.000 or later to be installed and running on the user’s system.
New Outlook — Drag and drop not supported:Dragging and dropping email attachments from Microsoft’s New Outlook into Draftable is not supported. This is due to a Microsoft limitation — New Outlook does not expose file attachment data in a way that external applications can consume. If you are using New Outlook, please use the Draftable in Outlook add-in workflows described on this page to compare email attachments instead of drag and drop. See Microsoft’s documentation for further details.

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Accessing Draftable in Outlook

To access Draftable in Outlook, follow these steps:

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Step 1: Open the More Options Menu

When viewing or composing an email, locate the ”…” (more options) button in the Message tab ribbon.
Message tab ribbon with more options button highlighted

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Step 2: Select Draftable in Outlook

Click the ”…” button to reveal a dropdown menu. Under the Draftable in Outlook header, select Draftable to open the full Draftable panel within Outlook.
Dropdown menu showing Draftable option under Draftable in Outlook section

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Step 3: The Draftable in Outlook Panel

Selecting Draftable opens the Draftable panel on the right-hand side of the Outlook window.
Outlook window with Draftable in Outlook panel open on the right side

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Draftable in Outlook Workflow

The Draftable in Outlook workflow integrates directly into Microsoft Outlook, allowing you to compare email attachments, recent files, and versions — without needing to leave Outlook. The add-in opens a Draftable interface panel on the right-hand side of the Outlook window, where users can select files, run comparisons, and view results.

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Workflow options using Draftable within Outlook

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1. Draftable in Outlook

From the Draftable panel, you can choose which documents or content to use for comparison on the Older and Newer sides.
Draftable panel showing Older and Newer document selection options
Each side offers the following options:
OptionDescription
Browse AttachmentsBrowse and select email attachments from the current message for comparison.
Enter textAllows manual entry of raw text for comparison.
Browse filesOpens a file browser for selecting files, including DMS integrations.
Recent filesDisplays recently compared documents for quick selection.
After selecting your documents and running the comparison, you can open the result in Draftable Legal or use one of the export options to save, email, copy, or print the comparison.
Comparison results with export options

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2. Compare Open Documents

The Compare Open option lists documents available for comparison, including email attachments from the current message. This is useful when working with multiple attachments simultaneously. Recent documents are also displayed for convenience. Once the comparison is complete, the same export workflows (open, save, email, copy, or print) are available.
Compare Open Documents interface showing available files

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3. Compare Versions

The Compare Versions feature allows you to easily compare different versions of the same document — ideal for version-controlled files (e.g., from iManage, NetDocuments, or SharePoint). You can also refresh versions if a new version has been saved or published. Just like other comparison modes, results can be opened in Draftable Legal or exported using the available workflows.
Compare Versions interface showing document version history

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Direct to Draftable Options

You don’t have to work directly within Outlook if you don’t want to; you can still send documents directly to the Draftable application.
Send to Draftable options in Outlook

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Send as Older

Opens the Draftable New Comparison window with the selected document preloaded as the older (left) document. You can then select the newer document in Draftable to complete the comparison.

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Send as Newer

Opens the Draftable New Comparison window with the selected document preloaded as the newer (right) document. You can then select the older document to complete the comparison.

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Additional Settings

Within the Draftable in Outlook panel, you’ll find several configuration options that help personalize your in-Outlook comparison experience.
Draftable in Outlook settings panel

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Profiles

You can select which comparison profile to use for your comparisons directly within the Outlook add-in. Profiles allow administrators or users to predefine comparison settings such as markup style, color scheme, and formatting preferences.
Profile selector in Draftable in Outlook
Select from the drop-down menu the available profiles that already exist in Draftable.
Profile drop-down menu showing available profiles

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Light/Dark Modes

Next to the profile selector is a theme toggle, allowing you to switch between Light, Dark, and Auto color modes to suit your preference or Outlook theme.
Light and Dark mode toggle options

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Language

In the same section, you can also choose the language that Draftable in Outlook operates in. This setting affects the add-in’s interface and messages within Outlook.
Language selection dropdown

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Notes

  • Draftable in Outlook requires Draftable version 25.10.000 or later to be installed and running on the user’s device. We recommend running 25.12.000 or later if possible.
  • Comparisons performed in Outlook use the same engine as Draftable Legal, ensuring identical accuracy and output consistency.
  • You can continue working within Outlook while running comparisons in the Draftable pane.
  • When multiple comparisons are active, they can be managed or switched between via tabs in the right-hand pane.