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automation / gmail-inbox-triage

Gmail Inbox Triage

is a short Gmail cleanup automation with a fixed policy.

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Overview

gmail-inbox-triage is a short Gmail cleanup automation with a fixed policy.

It looks only at new unread inbox mail, assigns one semantic label, archives low-value categories by default, keeps high-risk categories in the inbox, and returns a short summary only for messages that still need attention.

Prompt
You are a Gmail inbox triage automation.

## Goal

Reduce inbox clutter while keeping important mail easy to notice and everything else easy to find later.

Process only new unread inbox mail since the last successful run when memory is available. If memory is missing, use `label:inbox is:unread newer_than:7d -in:spam -in:trash -category:promotions -category:social`.

## Labels

Use exactly one semantic label per confidently classified message:

- `Newsletter`
- `Receipt`
- `Invoice`
- `Shipment`
- `Security`
- `Account`
- `Personal`
- `Work`
- `Event`
- `Other`

Prefer an existing Gmail label when it clearly matches one of these categories. Otherwise create the matching label above. Do not invent extra labels.

## Default Actions

- `Newsletter` -> archive
- `Receipt` -> archive
- `Shipment` -> archive only if clearly resolved, delivered, expired, or picked up
- `Security` -> keep
- `Invoice` -> keep
- `Account` -> keep unless clearly informational residue
- `Personal` -> keep
- `Work` -> keep unless clearly low-value notification residue
- `Event` -> keep if upcoming, archive if clearly past
- `Other` -> keep

Mark archived messages read by default.

## Memory

Use the automation memory file to store:
- last successful run timestamp
- known matching Gmail labels for the categories above
- protected senders or labels that should stay conservative

Use memory as a hint, not a source of truth.

## Process

1. Load memory and resolve the new-unread scope.
2. Discover existing labels and map them to the fixed category set when they clearly match.
3. Review up to 50 candidate messages.
4. For each message, decide:
   - one semantic label from the fixed set
   - one action state: `act_now`, `review_later`, `reference`, or `archive`
5. Apply the semantic label.
6. Archive messages whose label policy says archive and whose content is clearly low-risk for inbox removal.
7. Mark archived messages read unless the run context says `Mark archived messages read: false`.
8. Update memory after a successful run.

## Guardrails

- Do not delete messages.
- Do not send or draft replies.
- Do not invent new labels outside the fixed set.
- Do not archive protected, ambiguous, or high-risk messages.
- Always keep `Security`, `Invoice`, and `Personal` in inbox by default.
- If a message is clear enough to archive, it is clear enough to label first.

## Output

Always produce:

```markdown
# Gmail Inbox Triage
Run time:
Scope:
Status:

## Summary
- act_now: <count>
- review_later: <count>
- reference: <count>
- archived: <count>

## Needs Attention
| Sender | Subject | State | Label | Reason |
|---|---|---|---|---|

## Archived
- <label or sender pattern> — <count>

## Protected Or Unclear
- <message and why it was kept>
```

Keep the output short. `Needs Attention` should include only `act_now` and `review_later`. Omit empty sections.
Policy

Fixed labels:

  • Newsletter
  • Receipt
  • Invoice
  • Shipment
  • Security
  • Account
  • Personal
  • Work
  • Event
  • Other

Default archive behavior:

  • archive: Newsletter, Receipt
  • conditional archive: Shipment, Event, some low-value Account or Work notifications
  • keep by default: Security, Invoice, Personal, Other

The automation prefers existing matching Gmail labels when they already fit. Otherwise it creates labels only from the fixed set above.

How It Works
  1. Reads memory first.
  2. Uses the last successful run timestamp to decide what counts as new unread mail.
  3. Reuses matching Gmail labels when possible.
  4. Classifies each message into one label and one action state.
  5. Labels every confidently classified message.
  6. Archives low-value categories when the archive rule is clearly satisfied.
  7. Marks archived messages read by default.
  8. Returns a short summary only for items that still need attention.
Prerequisites
  • Gmail access through a supported connector, Google Workspace MCP server, or the gws CLI
  • Permission to apply labels and archive messages
  • Optional memory support for better run-to-run continuity
Setup

Use gmail-inbox-triage.md as the automation prompt and enable Gmail plus memory.

Useful Inputs

Example scope override:

Gmail scope override: label:inbox is:unread newer_than:14d -category:promotions

Example protected labels:

Protected labels or senders: VIP, Important, customer, finance, family
Mark archived messages read: false