What does the FastLinkIt Outlook add-in do?

It adds three buttons to the Outlook ribbon when composing an email: Insert short link, Insert payment link, and Insert booking link. Each button opens a panel where you can configure the destination, then drops a tracked link or styled button into the message body at the cursor position.

Which Outlook clients are supported?

Outlook on the web (outlook.live.com and outlook.office.com), new Outlook for Windows, Outlook for Mac, Outlook for iOS, and Outlook for Android. The add-in is built on Microsoft's web-based Office.js platform, so the same code runs on every client.

How do I install the add-in?

Download the manifest file from https://flnk.it/outlook/manifest.xml first (Microsoft removed install-from-URL in late 2024 — only file uploads work now). In Outlook on the web: Settings → Manage add-ins → Add a custom add-in → Add from File and pick the downloaded manifest.xml. In new Outlook for Windows: Get add-ins → My add-ins → Add a custom add-in → Upload custom add-in. Same flow on Outlook for Mac. For organisation-wide deployment, upload the same file via Microsoft 365 admin centre → Integrated apps → Upload custom apps. AppSource listing is in progress.

How does the add-in authenticate?

Paste an API key from your FastLinkIt account at /Account/Manage/ApiKeys. The key is stored encrypted in Outlook's roaming settings, which means it follows your mailbox across devices. You can revoke it at any time from your FastLinkIt dashboard.

Do payment links work without a connected merchant account?

No — you need either a connected Stripe Connect account or a connected PayPal merchant account before you can insert payment links. The add-in detects the missing connection and shows a one-click link to /payments/providers where you can connect either provider in a couple of minutes.

Will it auto-shorten links in my email when I click Send?

That feature ships in Phase 2. The current release covers manual insertion via the ribbon. Phase 2 adds an OnMessageSend event handler that scans the outgoing body and replaces every external link with a tracked short URL — same logic the WordPress, Joomla, Drupal, and Shopify integrations already use.

Does it count against my plan limits?

Yes. Every short link created via the add-in counts toward your monthly plan limit, exactly like links created from the dashboard or any other client. When you hit the limit the add-in shows an upgrade prompt; the email itself is never blocked from sending.

Microsoft Outlook

FastLinkIt for Outlook

Insert tracked short links, payment links, and booking pages directly from the Outlook compose window. One add-in, every Outlook client.

Install in 5 minutes View pricing

Works on Web, Windows, Mac, iOS & Android · API-key authentication · All plans

How it works

Three ribbon buttons appear in the compose window. Click one, configure the destination, and the add-in drops a tracked link or styled button at your cursor.

Sideload the add-in

Paste the manifest URL into Outlook's Manage add-ins → Custom add-in dialog, or have your Microsoft 365 admin push it to your tenant.

Connect your account

Paste an API key from /Account/Manage/ApiKeys. It's stored in Outlook's encrypted roaming settings and follows your mailbox across devices.

Insert from the ribbon

Three buttons in the compose ribbon — Short link, Payment, Booking. Click, configure, insert.

5-minute setup

Install & connect in four steps

The add-in is sideload-ready today. Pick your Outlook client below — every path lands at the same place.

1 Step 1

Generate an API key

The add-in authenticates with a per-user API key — same model as our WordPress, Shopify, and browser extension integrations.

Sign in at flnk.it and open Account → API Keys.
Click Generate new key. Give it a name like "Outlook add-in".
Tick the scopes you need: links payment-api organizer — or leave them all unchecked for full access.
Click Create. Copy the key immediately — it's shown only once.

Security tip: use a scoped key, not a full-access one. If a device is lost or compromised, revoke just the Outlook key — the rest of your integrations keep working.

Account → API Keys

Name

Outlook add-in

Scopes

✓ links ✓ payment-api ✓ organizer

Your new API key

                            fli_aB3kLm5n7qR9sT2uV4wX6yZ8…
                        

Manifest file

Microsoft removed install-from-URL in late 2024 — every Outlook client now requires the manifest as an uploaded file. Download manifest.xml below, then pick it during sideload.

                                https://flnk.it/outlook/manifest.xml
                            

Download manifest.xml

HTTPS-only · signed XML · same-origin

2 Step 2

Sideload the add-in

Pick your client and follow the click-path. The whole flow takes under a minute.

Outlook on the web — outlook.office.com or outlook.live.com

Click Download manifest.xml on the right and save the file to your computer.
Open Outlook on the web and click the gear icon in the top-right.
Choose View all Outlook settings at the bottom of the panel.
Go to General → Manage add-ins → My add-ins.
Scroll down to Custom add-ins and click + Add a custom add-in → Add from File.
Pick the manifest.xml you downloaded and click Install.
Open a new email — the FastLinkIt group appears in the compose ribbon.

New Outlook for Windows — not the legacy desktop client

Click Download manifest.xml on the right and save the file.
Open the new Outlook for Windows (the modern Outlook with the toggle in the top-right of the legacy app).
From the Home tab, click Get Add-ins.
Click My add-ins → + Add a custom add-in → Upload custom add-in.
Pick the manifest.xml you downloaded and install.

Legacy Outlook for Windows (the older desktop client) doesn't accept custom-file sideloads. Switch to the new Outlook or use Outlook on the web instead.

Outlook for Mac

Click Download manifest.xml on the right and save the file.
Open the Tools menu → Get Add-ins.
Click My add-ins → + Add a custom add-in → Upload custom add-in.
Pick the manifest.xml you downloaded and install.

Microsoft 365 admin centre — deploy to a team or whole tenant

Click Download manifest.xml on the right and save the file somewhere accessible.
Sign in to admin.microsoft.com as a Global or Application admin.
Open Settings → Integrated apps → Upload custom apps.
Pick Office add-in → Upload manifest file.
Select the manifest.xml you downloaded.
Choose your assignment scope: entire org, specific groups, or specific users.
Click Deploy. The add-in lights up for assigned users within ~6 hours.

Each user still needs to paste their own API key in Settings — keys are per-user, not per-tenant.

Outlook for iOS & Android

Mobile Outlook inherits add-ins installed on the same Microsoft 365 / Outlook.com mailbox from desktop or web. Sideload once on Outlook on the web (or have your admin deploy it) and it appears in the mobile compose toolbar automatically.

3 Step 3

Connect your account

Open a new email, click the Settings button on the FastLinkIt ribbon group, paste the API key from Step 1, and hit Test connection.

Click FastLinkIt → Settings on the compose ribbon.
Paste your fli_… API key into the API key field.
Click Test connection. You should see "Connected — welcome back, your-email!"
(Optional) Pick a default currency for payment links and click Save.

Roaming storage: the key lives in Outlook's encrypted roamingSettings and follows your mailbox to every device signed in. No cookies, no OAuth dance.

FastLinkIt — Settings

API key

                            fli_aB3kLm5n7qR9sT2uV4wX6yZ8…
                        

Connected — welcome back, jane@acme.com!

Account

Plan Professional

Links this month 23 / 500

4 Step 4

Insert from the ribbon

You're set. Compose an email and pick a button from the FastLinkIt ribbon group. Each pane works the same way: fill a tiny form, click Create & insert, and the result lands at your cursor.

Short link — type a URL, the short code auto-generates, optional UTM block.
Payment — pick a product or use Quick checkout. Customer email pre-fills from the To: field.
Booking — list of your active planners; pick one and insert it as a plain link or rich card.

Pro tip: filter your dashboard or transactions by Source = Outlook to see exactly what was created from this add-in.

New message — Outlook ribbon

To: jane@acme.com

Subject: Spring sale — early access

Hi Jane — here's the link to your early-access landing page:

flnk.it/spring-jane just inserted

Acme audit

Annual security review — full deliverable

£450.00 GBP

Pay now

Want to send payment links?

Connect a payment provider once — the Payment pane then unlocks for every email you compose. Stripe Connect onboarding takes ~5 minutes; PayPal merchant onboarding is similar.

Open Payment Providers

Want to send booking links?

Booking pages need a Professional or Unlimited plan. Create at least one active planner and the Booking pane will list it automatically.

Set up your first planner

Insert short link

Replace clunky tracking URLs with a clean, branded flnk.it/abc123. Auto-suggested short codes, optional UTM block, tag support — everything you'd do in the dashboard, in a compose-pane sidebar.

Auto-generated short code (editable)
Optional UTM source / medium / campaign
Tags and title for organisation
Plan-aware — graceful upgrade prompt at the limit
409 conflict auto-retry with a new code

Insert short link

Destinationhttps://acme.com/spring-sale-...

Short codeabc123

UTM sourceoutlook

Insert→ flnk.it/abc123

Insert payment link

Send a quote, invoice, or licence renewal in seconds. Pick a product from your catalogue or use Quick checkout for a one-off transaction. The add-in inserts a styled CTA button — recipient email pre-filled from the To: line.

Pick from your existing PaymentProducts
Quick checkout: amount + currency + description
Recipient email pre-filled from To: line
Style picker: HTML button card or plain link
Stripe Connect or PayPal — both supported

Insert payment link

Acme audit£450.00 GBP

Customerjane@client.com

StyleButton card

Insertedflnk.it/p/ckt_abc

Insert booking link

Stop ping-ponging dates. Pick a planner, choose plain link or rich card, and let the recipient self-serve a slot from your live availability.

Lists every active planner on your account
Plain hyperlink or styled "Book a slot" button
Works for free and paid bookings
Plan gate surfaces a friendly upsell on Free / Starter

Insert booking link

●Discovery callflnk.it/discovery

●Strategy sessionflnk.it/strategy

●Group workshopflnk.it/workshop

Phase 1 — available now

Insert short link / payment / booking
API-key settings + connection test
EN / IT / ES localisation
Sideload-ready manifest

Coming next

Auto-shorten on send (OnMessageSend)
Licence renewal links from the recipient's email
Convert email → support ticket
Save sender as contact
AppSource public listing

Ready to install?

Download the manifest, upload it to your Outlook client, paste an API key, and send your first tracked link in under two minutes.

Download manifest.xml Create an account