Step 2: Connect Gmail and Retrieve Recent Messages

This section pulls labels and recent emails to feed the AI classification pipeline.

1. Open Fetch Gmail Labels and keep Resource set to label and Return All set to true.
2. Credential Required: Connect your gmailOAuth2 credentials in Fetch Gmail Labels.
3. Open Retrieve Gmail Messages and set Operation to getAll with Return All enabled.
4. Set Filters → Received After to {{ new Date(Date.now() - 4 * 60 * 60 * 1000).toISOString() }}.
5. Credential Required: Connect your gmailOAuth2 credentials in Retrieve Gmail Messages.

Step 3: Set Up AI Classification and Intent Parsing

Analyze each email with GPT and normalize the JSON response into structured fields.

1. Open Analyze Email with AI and select model gpt-4o-mini.
2. Confirm the message prompt includes the subject and snippet: Subject: {{ $json.Subject }} and Body: {{ $json.snippet }}.
3. Credential Required: Connect your openAiApi credentials in Analyze Email with AI.
4. Open Derive Email Intent and keep Mode set to runOnceForEachItem.
5. Ensure the code references labels from Fetch Gmail Labels and message IDs from Retrieve Gmail Messages as written in the node.

Step 4: Configure Urgency Routing and High-Priority Actions

High-urgency emails trigger an immediate Slack alert and are archived in a separate Google Sheet.

1. Open Urgency Branch and set the condition to Left Value {{ $json.urgency }} equals High.
2. Open Slack Alert Post and set Text to =*Important Email Detected* From: {{ $('Retrieve Gmail Messages').item.json.From }} *Summary:* {{ $('Derive Email Intent').item.json.summary }} *Urgency:* {{ $('Derive Email Intent').item.json.urgency }} , *Category:* {{ $('Derive Email Intent').item.json.category }}, *Intent:* {{ $('Derive Email Intent').item.json.intent }}.
3. Credential Required: Connect your slackOAuth2Api credentials in Slack Alert Post and choose the target channel.
4. Open Apply Label High and set Operation to addLabels, Label IDs to {{ $('Derive Email Intent').item.json.label_id }}, and Message ID to {{ $('Retrieve Gmail Messages').item.json.id }}.
5. Credential Required: Connect your gmailOAuth2 credentials in Apply Label High.
6. Open Log to Sheet Archive and map columns using the existing expressions such as {{ $('Retrieve Gmail Messages').item.json.From }} and {{ $now }}.
7. Credential Required: Connect your googleSheetsOAuth2Api credentials in Log to Sheet Archive and select the document N8N - Emails with sheet Sheet1.

Step 5: Configure Low/Medium Handling and Digest Preparation

Lower urgency messages are labeled, logged for a digest, and passed into a timed window for batching.

1. Open Apply Label Low/Med and set Label IDs to {{ $json.label_id }} and Message ID to {{ $('Retrieve Gmail Messages').item.json.id }}.
2. Credential Required: Connect your gmailOAuth2 credentials in Apply Label Low/Med.
3. Open Log to Sheet Digest and map columns using the existing expressions, including {{ $('Derive Email Intent').item.json.summary }} and {{ $now }}.
4. Credential Required: Connect your googleSheetsOAuth2Api credentials in Log to Sheet Digest and select sheet Sheet2 in N8N - Emails.
5. Open Delay Window and set Amount to 30 to create a digest batching window.

Step 6: Build and Post the Slack Digest

Read recent digest rows, filter by time and urgency, compile the message, and post to Slack.

1. Open Read Digest Rows and select the document N8N - Emails and sheet Sheet2.
2. Credential Required: Connect your googleSheetsOAuth2Api credentials in Read Digest Rows.
3. Open Filter Recent Items and keep the code that filters items within 0.5 hours and urgency low or medium.
4. Open Build Digest Text and keep the existing message formatting logic that builds medium and low sections.
5. Open Slack Digest Post and set Text to =🧠 *Inbox Assistant – Daily Digest* 📅 *{{ $now.format("DD : HH:mm") }}* ━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━ {{ $json.text }} .
6. Credential Required: Connect your slackOAuth2Api credentials in Slack Digest Post and choose the target channel.

Step 7: Test and Activate Your Workflow

Run a full test to confirm Gmail retrieval, AI analysis, Slack alerts, and digest posting all function as expected.

1. Click Execute Workflow to run a manual test.
2. Verify that Slack Alert Post fires for emails labeled as High urgency and that Apply Label High adds the correct Gmail label.
3. Check Log to Sheet Archive and Log to Sheet Digest for new rows with expected fields like Summary and Urgency.
4. Confirm Slack Digest Post sends a digest message after Delay Window.
5. When satisfied, switch the workflow to Active to enable scheduled runs.