Excel export for Project managers

By the Mail → Excel team · Updated 2026-10-20

Action items hide in threads. A weekly export turns «someone said they would» into an owned, dated list. This page lists the exact columns, an example row and the command that produces it.

Columns to keep

Column	Why it matters
`project`	Project name or code, used as the filter.
`action`	What has to happen, in one sentence.
`owner`	The person responsible — assignments often happen in Cc.
`due`	Due date in ISO format.
`status`	Fixed vocabulary: open / in progress / done / blocked.

Example row

One real-shaped row from this role’s export:

project	action	owner	due	status
Apollo rollout	Send updated spec	M. Chen	2026-10-24	in progress

Export it in one command

python mail_to_excel.py \
  --host imap.example.com --user you@example.com \
  --days 31 --fields project,action,owner,due,status \
  --out project-manager.xlsx

The --fields option is what turns a raw dump into a report your role can use.

Provider notes

Outlook desktop can export PST but not a table; IMAP is the faster path for a weekly log.

Two pitfalls that ruin the file

Action items are buried in long threads — Filter by subject prefix (e.g. [Apollo]) and export only those threads.
Due dates are missing — Leave the column empty and sort by empty first — that is the real backlog.

Next step

Step-by-step: export project manager email to Excel · all roles · ready script ($3)

FAQ

Can this replace Jira?

No. It is a lightweight log for work agreed in email, not a task tracker with workflow.

How often should I run it?

Weekly is enough; daily runs add noise without new decisions.

Is there a ready script for this?

Yes — the Python script exports any IMAP mailbox with the fields listed above; it costs $3 and runs locally.

Related guides

Export project manager email to ExcelStep-by-step with the same columns and command.
All roles20 professions, one export method.