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# Introduction
Electronic mail overload is actual. You open your inbox to seek out dozens of messages, and also you’re instantly taking part in psychological triage. Which of them want consideration now? Which might wait?
It is exhausting, and it is easy to overlook one thing vital when you’re drowning in notifications.
Here is a greater method: construct an automatic Gmail agent in n8n that scores each incoming e-mail on a 0-100 scale and takes motion based mostly on precedence. The system runs repeatedly and processes emails as they arrive.
Full n8n workflow exhibiting e-mail scoring and priority-based routing | Picture by Writer
# Why n8n for Electronic mail Automation?
n8n makes this sort of automation easy. If you happen to’re new to constructing workflows with n8n, begin with this foundational information first. The visible workflow design helps you to see your whole logic at a look. Native Gmail integration handles authentication with out you wrestling with OAuth2. Code nodes provide you with full management over the scoring algorithm utilizing JavaScript. As soon as it is working, it processes emails 24/7 within the cloud.
# How the Workflow Works
The agent makes use of 13 nodes organized into a transparent processing pipeline:
- Gmail Set off screens your inbox for brand spanking new emails
- Superior Electronic mail Scoring analyzes every message and calculates a precedence rating
- Route by Precedence splits emails into 4 paths based mostly on rating
- Precedence-specific actions execute applicable duties for every class
- Analytics logging tracks metrics so you’ll be able to refine the system
4 precedence ranges deal with several types of emails:
- Essential (75-100): Starred, labeled, triggers Slack alerts
- Excessive (50-74): Labeled, creates duties in your mission supervisor
- Medium (30-49): Labeled, queued for every day evaluate
- Low (0-29): Labeled, marked as learn
# What You will Want
Earlier than you begin:
- An n8n account (cloud or self-hosted)
- A Gmail account for automation
- Elective: Slack webhook URL for vital alerts
- Elective: Job administration API endpoint (Asana, Todoist, and so on.)
Obtain the workflow JSON file (connected) and import it into your n8n occasion. You will have to configure credentials for these nodes:
- Gmail Set off & Gmail motion nodes: Join your Gmail OAuth2 credentials (setup information).
- Slack node: Add your webhook URL (or disable this node if not wanted).
- HTTP Request nodes (Job Supervisor): Add your job administration API endpoints and authentication for prime and medium precedence duties (or disable if not wanted).
- HTTP Request (Analytics): Add your analytics endpoint or disable if not monitoring externally.
The workflow will present credential warnings in n8n till configured. Begin with Gmail credentials to check the core scoring logic, then add different integrations as wanted.
# Setting Up the Gmail Set off
The Gmail Set off node polls your inbox each minute for brand spanking new emails (you’ll be able to regulate this interval within the node settings if wanted). Configure it to observe solely your INBOX folder so spam and trash do not set off the workflow.
When a brand new e-mail arrives, the set off captures every part you want: sender particulars, topic, physique content material (each plain textual content and HTML), attachments, and the message ID for monitoring. Ship your self a check e-mail to confirm the set off works, then test the execution log in n8n to see the scoring in motion.
# How Electronic mail Scoring Works
The Code node implements a multi-factor scoring algorithm that examines three issues:
Sender repute: The algorithm begins with a base rating and adjusts based mostly on the sender’s area, e-mail handle patterns, and whether or not they’re in your VIP checklist. Emails from noreply@ addresses get penalized. Messages from executives or vital consumer domains get bonus factors.
Content material traits: The algorithm scans for urgency key phrases (e.g. “ASAP,” “pressing,” “instantly”), checks for questions that want solutions, and awards factors for attachments.
Class classification: The system categorizes emails into buckets like consumer communications, finance, conferences, and technical points. Consumer and finance emails get precedence boosts.
The ultimate rating combines all three elements, capped at 100. You possibly can see the complete implementation within the connected JSON workflow (search for the “Superior Electronic mail Scoring” node).
# Precedence Routing and Actions
As soon as an e-mail has a rating, the Change node routes it to the suitable path.
// Essential Precedence (75-100)
Pressing consumer requests, government communications, time-sensitive points. The workflow:
- Labels it “Priority_Critical” in Gmail
- Stars the message for fast entry
- Sends a Slack alert with sender, topic, rating, and timestamp
This three-layered strategy means you may see vital emails regardless of the place you are working.
// Excessive Precedence (50-74)
Assembly requests from stakeholders, consumer questions, mission updates. The workflow:
- Labels it “Priority_High”
- Creates a job in your mission supervisor with particulars and a hyperlink again to the e-mail
These emails mechanically enter your job workflow.
// Medium Precedence (30-49)
Workforce updates, informational messages, normal enterprise communications. The workflow:
- Labels it “Priority_Medium”
- Queues it for evaluate throughout devoted e-mail time
You possibly can batch-process these later.
// Low Precedence (0-29)
Newsletters, automated notifications, advertising emails. The workflow:
- Labels it “Priority_Low”
- Marks it as learn
It has been triaged and filed.
# Monitoring What’s Working
The analytics node runs in parallel with every part else and captures metrics from each e-mail: timestamp, sender area, precedence rating and stage, class, and actions taken.
This information helps you validate the scoring algorithm. Which senders constantly generate high-priority emails? What classes are you getting most? You possibly can refine the system based mostly on actual information.
# Customizing for Your Wants
The workflow is designed to be modified. Here is what you may usually need to change:
VIP domains: Open the “Superior Electronic mail Scoring” node within the JSON and discover the vipDomains array. Add domains in your vital purchasers, companions, and firm accounts.
Key phrase classes: The algorithm makes use of key phrase lists to categorise emails. If you happen to’re in finance, add phrases like “audit,” “compliance,” “regulation.” Information scientists would possibly add “mannequin,” “dataset,” “pipeline.” Customise these based mostly on what issues in your work.
Precedence thresholds: If you happen to’re getting too many vital alerts, elevate the brink from 75 to 80. If you happen to’re lacking vital emails, decrease it to 70. Monitor your patterns for the primary week and regulate.
Exterior companies: Change the placeholder URLs along with your precise Slack webhook, job supervisor API, and analytics endpoints. If you happen to do not use sure companies, disable these nodes or swap in options.
# When Issues Go Fallacious
- Emails aren’t triggering: Examine that the Gmail Set off is lively and polling each minute. Check your Gmail credentials.
- Precedence scores appear off: Evaluation the key phrase lists and add domain-specific phrases. Alter level values based mostly in your e-mail patterns.
- Slack notifications fail: Confirm your webhook URL and permissions. Check it exterior n8n first.
- Gmail labels aren’t utilized: Create the labels manually in Gmail earlier than working the workflow: Priority_Critical, Priority_High, Priority_Medium, Priority_Low. Or modify the workflow to make use of labels you have already got.
# Taking It Additional
Proper now, that is an automatic workflow that follows predefined guidelines. As soon as it is working effectively, you’ll be able to rework it into a real autonomous agent by including these capabilities:
AI integration: Add OpenAI or Claude to carry out semantic evaluation of e-mail content material. This strikes past key phrase matching to precise understanding. The AI can extract motion objects, detect sentiment, and even generate draft responses. That is the place the workflow turns into an agent — making clever selections relatively than following static guidelines.
Sender studying: Monitor which senders you constantly reply to shortly. The workflow may study your implicit priorities and regulate scores accordingly over time. This adaptive habits is a key attribute of agent-based programs.
Thread monitoring: Monitor e-mail conversations over time. Emails in lively threads may get computerized precedence bumps based mostly on context and dialog historical past.
Good auto-responses: Detect frequently-asked questions and ship templated replies immediately, with the AI studying which responses work finest.
Calendar integration: When emails point out conferences or deadlines, mechanically create calendar occasions with clever scheduling options.
# Wrapping Up
This n8n workflow transforms e-mail from an interruption into an organized system. Each incoming message will get analyzed and prioritized mechanically.
Begin with the inspiration, then add sophistication as you go. Customise the scoring to match your communication patterns. Alter thresholds based mostly in your wants. Combine with the instruments you already use.
Obtain the workflow, join your Gmail, customise the scoring logic, and take again management of your inbox.
# Advisable Assets
Vinod Chugani was born in India and raised in Japan, and brings a worldwide perspective to information science and machine studying training. He bridges the hole between rising AI applied sciences and sensible implementation for working professionals. Vinod focuses on creating accessible studying pathways for complicated matters like agentic AI, efficiency optimization, and AI engineering. He focuses on sensible machine studying implementations and mentoring the subsequent era of knowledge professionals by means of dwell classes and personalised steering.
