Understanding the Drumkit Smart Sidebar

Last updated: March 10, 2026

The Drumkit smart sidebar is your home base. It opens alongside your inbox whenever you're reading or composing an email, and it's where all of Drumkit's AI-powered suggestions, load details, and actions live. This article walks you through what's inside the smart sidebar and how to use it effectively.

Opening the Smart Sidebar

How you open the Drumkit smart sidebar depends on which email platform you're using:

  • Gmail: Click the Drumkit icon in the right-hand sidebar of your inbox, then select "Open Drumkit."

  • Outlook (New or Web): Click Apps or More Apps in the message action bar and select Drumkit. If you've pinned Drumkit to your ribbon, click it directly.

  • Outlook (Classic): Click the Drumkit button in the ribbon when reading or composing an email.

  • Front: Click the Drumkit icon in the right-hand sidebar of any conversation.

Once open, the smart sidebar automatically reads the email you have selected and begins processing it.

What's Inside the Smart Sidebar

Load Information Panel

When Drumkit reads an incoming email, it extracts key load and shipment data and displays it in the smart sidebar. This typically includes:

  • Origin and destination

  • Pickup and delivery dates/times

  • Commodity and weight

  • Reference numbers

  • Carrier or customer name

Review this information carefully before taking any action. If something looks incorrect, you can edit the fields directly in the sidebar before confirming.

AI-Suggested Next Steps

Below the load details, Drumkit surfaces suggested actions based on the content of the email. These might include:

  • Creating or updating a load in your TMS

  • Generating a carrier quote

  • Scheduling a pickup or delivery appointment

  • Sending a customer update

Each suggested action is one click to execute — but always review the pre-filled details first.

Compose Tools

When you're writing an email, Drumkit can assist with drafting replies and outbound messages. Look for the Drumkit icon in your compose window to access these tools.

Keeping the Smart Sidebar Open

By default, the sidebar may close when you move to a different email. To keep it pinned open as you work through your inbox:

  • Gmail: Click the pin icon at the top of the Drumkit panel.

  • Outlook: Pin Drumkit to your ribbon so it's always accessible with one click.

  • Front: Look for a lock or pin icon at the top of the panel.

Keeping the smart sidebar pinned is especially useful when working through a high volume of emails back-to-back.

What the Sidebar Does Not Do

  • Drumkit does not read your entire inbox. It only processes the email you currently have open.

  • Drumkit does not automatically submit actions. Every action requires your confirmation before anything is sent or saved to your TMS.

  • Drumkit does not modify sent emails. It can help you draft replies, but you are always the one who sends them.

Tips for Using the Smart Sidebar Effectively

  • Keep the panel open while you work. The smart sidebar is designed to stay alongside your email — closing and reopening it for each message slows you down.

  • Always read before you click. The suggested actions are fast, but accuracy is more important than speed. A quick scan of the pre-filled fields takes seconds and prevents errors.

  • Use it for composing too. Drumkit's draft assistance in compose windows can save significant time on repetitive outbound messages.

Common Questions

Q: The smart sidebar opened but it's blank or not loading.

  • A: Make sure you have an active internet connection. Try refreshing your inbox and opening the email again. If the issue continues, sign out of Drumkit and sign back in.

Q: Drumkit doesn't seem to be reading the email I have open.

  • A: Make sure the email arrived after your Drumkit installation. Emails from before installation are not processed. If it's a new email, try clicking off the message and back onto it to trigger a fresh read.

Q: I edited a field in the smart sidebar — will it remember that for next time?

  • A: Edits you make in the smart sidebar apply to the current action only. They are not saved as preferences for future emails.

Q: The smart sidebar isn't appearing at all.

  • A: Refer to your platform-specific onboarding article (Gmail, Outlook, or Front) for troubleshooting steps, or contact your team lead.

Getting Help

If you run into an issue not covered here, reach out through the following channels:

  • Internal Support: Contact your team lead or IT administrator

  • Drumkit Support: support@drumkit.ai

For updates or corrections, please submit a request by reaching out to support@drumkit.ai.