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Softeria

Microsoft 365 MCP Server

by Softeria

get-mail-message

get-mail-message
Read-only

Get a single Outlook email message by its message ID, including full subject, sender, recipients, body, and attachment flags. Use list-mail-messages first to obtain the message ID.

Instructions

Get a single Outlook email message by its message ID, including full subject, sender, recipients, body, and attachment flags. Use list-mail-messages first to obtain the message ID.

Input Schema

NameRequiredDescriptionDefault
expandNoNavigation properties to inline, e.g. attachments on a message or event. Only navigation properties can be expanded: expanding a non-navigation property such as a message body fails with "Parsing OData Select and Expand failed". Request ordinary fields with $select instead. Some APIs accept only one relationship per request, so prefer a single value. Some relationships support nested selection, e.g. children($select=id,name).
selectNoComma-separated fields to return, e.g. id,subject,from,receivedDateTime
messageIdYesValue for the 'messageId' path segment. Pass it under the name 'messageId', not as 'id'. Use the 'id' field of the message object as returned by Microsoft Graph.
fetchAllPagesNoFollow @odata.nextLink and merge up to 100 pages into one response. Can return enormous payloads—only when the user explicitly needs a full export. Prefer a small $top first, then paginate or narrow with $filter/$search.
includeHeadersNoInclude response headers (including ETag) in the response metadata
excludeResponseNoExclude the full response body and only return success or failure indication

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

  1. Changed1 schema field changedv0.166.0
    • changedInput schema / properties / expand / description
      Previous value: -"Navigation properties to inline, e.g. attachments on a message or event. Only navigation properties can be expanded: expanding a non-navigation property such as a message body fails with \"Parsing OData Select and Expand failed\", and an unsupported value may be ignored rather than reported. Request ordinary fields with $select instead."New value: +"Navigation properties to inline, e.g. attachments on a message or event. Only navigation properties can be expanded: expanding a non-navigation property such as a message body fails with \"Parsing OData Select and Expand failed\". Request ordinary fields with $select instead. Some APIs accept only one relationship per request, so prefer a single value. Some relationships support nested selection, e.g. children($select=id,name)."
  2. Changed5 schema fields changedv0.154.2
    • addedInput schema / properties / expand / anyOf
      Added value: +[
      +  {
      +    "type": "string"
      +  },
      +  {
      +    "items": {
      +      "type": "string"
      +    },
      +    "type": "array"
      +  }
      +]
    • removedInput schema / properties / expand / items
      Removed value: -{
      -  "type": "string"
      -}
    • removedInput schema / properties / expand / type
      Removed value: -"array"
    • addedInput schema / properties / select / anyOf
      Added value: +[
      +  {
      +    "type": "string"
      +  },
      +  {
      +    "items": {
      +      "type": "string"
      +    },
      +    "type": "array"
      +  }
      +]
    • removedInput schema / properties / select / type
      Removed value: -"string"
  3. Changed2 schema fields changedv0.134.4
    • changedInput schema / properties / expand / description
      Previous value: -"Expand related entities"New value: +"Navigation properties to inline, e.g. attachments on a message or event. Only navigation properties can be expanded: expanding a non-navigation property such as a message body fails with \"Parsing OData Select and Expand failed\", and an unsupported value may be ignored rather than reported. Request ordinary fields with $select instead."
    • changedInput schema / properties / messageId / description
      Previous value: -"Path parameter: messageId"New value: +"Value for the 'messageId' path segment. Pass it under the name 'messageId', not as 'id'. Use the 'id' field of the message object as returned by Microsoft Graph."
  4. Addedv0.131.2
  5. Removedv0.131.2
  6. Addedv0.114.0
  7. Removedv0.112.2
  8. Addedv0.110.0
  9. Removedv0.108.0
  10. Changed4 schema fields changedv0.96.0
    • changedInput schema / properties / fetchAllPages / description
      Previous value: -"Automatically fetch all pages of results"New value: +"Follow @odata.nextLink and merge up to 100 pages into one response. Can return enormous payloads—only when the user explicitly needs a full export. Prefer a small $top first, then paginate or narrow with $filter/$search."
    • changedInput schema / properties / select / description
      Previous value: -"Select properties to be returned"New value: +"Comma-separated fields to return, e.g. id,subject,from,receivedDateTime"
    • removedInput schema / properties / select / items
      Removed value: -{
      -  "type": "string"
      -}
    • changedInput schema / properties / select / type
      Previous value: -"array"New value: +"string"
  11. First observedv0.31.0

TDQS

A3.6/5.0
Behavior3/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

Annotations already declare readOnlyHint=true and destructiveHint=false, so the safety profile is covered by structured data. The description adds the returned-field scope and 'attachment flags', but says nothing about permissions required, behavior on a missing/invalid message ID, or whether the body is returned in full or truncated.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness5/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

Two tight sentences, front-loaded with the core action and return payload, followed by the prerequisite. Every clause earns its place with no filler.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness4/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

No output schema exists, so the description correctly compensates by naming the returned fields, and the 6-parameter schema is fully self-documenting. It is nearly complete for a simple read tool; only missing pieces are error/edge-case behavior and explicit sibling disambiguation.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters3/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema description coverage is 100%, and the schema itself carries rich guidance for expand, select, fetchAllPages, includeHeaders and excludeResponse. The description only echoes that the messageId is the ID; it adds no meaning for the five optional parameters, so baseline 3 applies.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose4/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

States a specific verb and resource ('Get a single Outlook email message by its message ID') and enumerates the returned fields (subject, sender, recipients, body, attachment flags), which implies the full-JSON variant versus the MIME sibling. It never names get-mail-message-mime or otherwise explicitly disambiguates against it, so sibling differentiation is inferred rather than stated.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines3/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

Provides one concrete workflow prerequisite: 'Use list-mail-messages first to obtain the message ID.' That is genuinely useful sequencing guidance, but there is no when-not guidance, no statement about which alternative to pick (MIME vs full message), and no mention of error behavior for unknown IDs.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

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