# Analyze, classify, and summarize Gmail with OpenAI RAG: n8n workflow

> Started by an arriving email, and works across Gmail, Google Sheets, Telegram and in-memory vectors.

Source: https://millionrounds.com/workflow/analyze-classify-and-summarize-gmail-with-openai-rag (Millionrounds; every figure on the page links to its filing or article)

[Automation library](https://millionrounds.com/workflows) · [Research and reporting](https://millionrounds.com/workflows?category=Research+and+reporting#library)

# Analyze, classify, and summarize Gmail with OpenAI RAG

Started by an arriving email, and works across Gmail, Google Sheets, Telegram and in-memory vectors. It puts OpenAI behind a retrieval step, so answers are drawn from documents you supply rather than from the model alone. 20 steps, 1 branch: a working afternoon to understand properly.

Medium Calls a model: OpenAI Retrieval

[Download free](https://millionrounds.com/login?next=%2Fapp%2Fworkflow%2Fanalyze-classify-and-summarize-gmail-with-openai-rag)

**20 steps** Medium: a working afternoon

**1** Branch: places the flow splits

**0** Loops or waits

**4** Services it connects to

## The flow

Starts it 2 Model 7 Logic 4 Service 7

The steps in the order they run, from what starts it.

- 1 **OpenAI Chat Model** Lm Chat Open Ai *Model*
- 2 **Gmail Trigger** Gmail trigger *Starts it*
- 3 **When clicking ‘Execute workflow’** Manual trigger *Starts it*
- 4 **Prepare taxonomy documents** Document Default Data Loader *Model*
- 5 **Create embeddings (OpenAI)** Embeddings Open Ai *Model*
- 6 **Analyze email with RAG agent** Agent *Model*
- 7 **Fetch full Gmail message** Gmail *Service*
- 8 **Get row(s) in sheet** Google Sheets *Service*
- 9 **Vector store, taxonomy index** Vector Store In Memory *Model*
- 10 **Vector store retriever (RAG tool)** Vector Store In Memory *Model*
- 11 **Parse AI analysis result** Set *Logic*
- 12 **Normalize email fields** Set *Logic*
- 13 **Store processed email** Google Sheets *Service*
- 14 **Check for new taxonomy items** If *Logic*
- 15 **Load taxonomy dataset** Google Sheets *Service*
- 16 **Generate audio summary** Open Ai *Model*
- 17 **Get next taxonomy ID** Code *Logic*
- 18 **Send audio summary to Telegram** Telegram *Service*
- 19 **Append new taxonomy entry** Google Sheets *Service*
- 20 **Notify admin about taxonomy update** Telegram *Service*

## How it's built

- **Starts on:** An arriving email
- **Steps:** 20, with 1 branch
- **Size:** Medium: a working afternoon
- **Connects to:** Gmail, Google Sheets, Telegram, in-memory vectors
- **Model:** OpenAI
- **Retrieval:** Answers are drawn from documents you supply, not from the model alone

## Questions

What does it need to run?

An n8n account, plus your own Gmail, Google Sheets, Telegram and in-memory vectors accounts, and a key for OpenAI. You connect your own accounts after importing it; none are included.

What starts it?

It starts on an arriving email.

Does it use AI?

Yes. It calls OpenAI. Its answers draw on documents you give it, not on the model alone. Model calls are billed by the provider, not by n8n.

How long does it take to set up?

Plan an afternoon. 20 steps is enough that you should read each one before running it.

How do I import it?

Copy the workflow, open a new workflow in n8n and paste. The steps appear on the canvas, ready for your own accounts.

**Before you run it**

Nothing here has been tested by us. It is somebody's working automation, read and described from its own steps. Treat the connections it wants as a list of accounts it will touch, and read the 20 steps before you point it at anything that matters.

## Run it in n8n

- **Create your n8n account** Free to start. n8n is where the workflow runs. [Create an n8n account ↗](https://millionrounds.com/n8n)
- **Download the workflow** Free with a Millionrounds account. [Download free](https://millionrounds.com/login?next=%2Fapp%2Fworkflow%2Fanalyze-classify-and-summarize-gmail-with-openai-rag)
- **Paste it into n8n** Open a new workflow in n8n and paste. Then connect your own accounts.

Stored with the author's traces removed: canvas notes, instance identifiers, saved credential names and any live document they had left behind.

## Connects to

Each opens the other workflows that use it.

[Gmail](https://millionrounds.com/workflows?service=Gmail#library)[Google Sheets](https://millionrounds.com/workflows?service=Google+Sheets#library)[Telegram](https://millionrounds.com/workflows?service=Telegram#library)[in-memory vectors](https://millionrounds.com/workflows?service=in-memory+vectors#library)

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Also research and reporting, with the same services where possible, closest in size first.

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