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Workflow Actions

Send InMail

he Send InMail action sends an InMail message to a LinkedIn user directly from your workflow. InMail lets you message people you're not connected to — useful for sales prospecting, recruiting, or partnership outreach.

Action Overview

The action returns the Chat ID of the conversation, which is also written to the contact's mapped Chat ID custom field automatically. That keeps contact lookups and reply-to-last-message logic working without an extra Update Contact step.

InMail credits are consumed per send, so pair this action with Retrieve InMail Credit Balance to check availability before sending.

Use Cases

  • Sales Prospecting – Reach decision-makers who aren't yet in your network.
  • Recruitment Outreach – Contact candidates outside your immediate connections.
  • Partnership & BD – Open a direct line with target accounts and influencers.

Inputs and Required Data

  • Provider ID (required) – The LinkedIn identifier of the recipient. Example: ACoAAA12345
  • Subject (required) – The InMail subject line. Maximum 200 characters. Example: Quick question about your LinkedIn outreach
  • Message – The body of the message. Maximum 1900 characters. Example: Hey {{ contact.first_name }}, quick question — are you running LinkedIn outreach inside your CRM yet?
  • Attachment (optional) – Direct URL to a .pdf, .jpg, or .png file. Only one attachment type per message. The link must point directly to the file, not to a webpage. Example: https://example.com/brochure.pdf
  • API (required) – Select the LinkedIn account type used to send the InMail:
    • Premium – Premium accounts
    • Sales Navigator – Sales Navigator accounts
    • Recruiter – Recruiter accounts

Response

The Send InMail action returns:

  • Chat ID – Identifier for the conversation thread. Automatically written to the mapped Chat ID custom field on the contact.

Obtaining Inputs

  • Use Search User, Search People, or Retrieve User Profile to retrieve the recipient's Provider ID.
  • Map the subject and message dynamically from CRM templates or contact fields for personalization at scale.

Workflow Integration

  1. Check Credit Balance First – Run Retrieve InMail Credit Balance at the start of the workflow and store the balance in a custom value. Add an If/Else step to confirm there are credits available for the API type you're using before continuing.
  2. Send the InMail – Map Provider ID, Subject, Message, and the appropriate API.
  3. Track the Conversation – The Chat ID is written to the contact automatically. Use it with List All Messages or Send A Message for follow-ups.
[!tip] Our workflow snapshots include a ready-built InMail flow with the credit-balance check already wired up.
  • Retrieve InMail Credit Balance – Check available credits before sending.
  • Send A Message – Continue conversations after the first InMail, or message existing connections without consuming credits.
  • List All Messages – Pull conversation history to inform follow-ups or AI-generated replies.
  • Search User / Search People – Identify InMail recipients and retrieve Provider IDs.

Common Errors and Troubleshooting

Invalid Provider ID

  • Cause: The ID does not match a LinkedIn profile.
  • Solution: Ensure the Provider ID was retrieved from a valid preceding action (Search User, Search People, or Retrieve User Profile).

InMail Not Available

  • Cause: Insufficient InMail credits for the selected API, or the account type doesn't support InMail.
  • Solution: Run Retrieve InMail Credit Balance to confirm credits are available. Make sure the API selection matches your active LinkedIn subscription (Classic for Premium, Sales Navigator, or Recruiter).

Subject Too Long

  • Cause: Subject exceeds the 200-character limit.
  • Solution: Shorten the subject before sending.

Message Too Long

  • Cause: Message exceeds the 1900-character limit.
  • Solution: Shorten the message body.

Unsupported Attachment

  • Cause: The provided URL is not a direct link to a supported file type.
  • Solution: Provide a direct URL ending in .pdf, .jpg, or .png. Only include one attachment per message.

Best Practices

  • Always check the InMail credit balance before sending — credits are limited and recover slowly.
  • Store your credit balance in a custom value and reference it across workflows for centralized control.
  • Keep the message focused on a single question or call to action.
  • Use the API selection that matches the account you're sending from to avoid failed sends.

Advanced Tips

  • Threshold-Based Sending – Pause InMail workflows automatically when the balance for an API type drops below a set number.
  • Pre-Built Snapshots – Use a LinkedConnector workflow snapshot that already includes the credit-check pattern to skip the manual setup.

FAQs

Q: Do I need to be connected to the recipient to send an InMail?

A: No. InMail is designed for messaging users outside your network. That's the core benefit over a standard message.

Q: How do InMail credits work?

A: Each InMail sent consumes one credit from your LinkedIn account. Credits are allocated based on your subscription (Premium, Sales Navigator, or Recruiter). Use Retrieve InMail Credit Balance to check availability before sending.

Q: What happens if I run out of credits mid-workflow?

A: The Send InMail action will fail for any contact sent after credits are exhausted. Add a credit check at the start of the workflow to avoid failed sends and wasted workflow runs.

Q: Can I send InMails without a subject?

A: No. The subject is required and capped at 200 characters.

Q: Does the Chat ID get stored on the contact automatically?

A: Yes — as long as the Chat ID custom field is mapped in your CRM under App Marketplace → Installed Apps → LinkedConnector, the action writes it automatically. No separate Update Contact step needed.