# Basic automatic Gmail email labelling with OpenAI: n8n workflow

> Started by an arriving email, and works across Gmail. It puts OpenAI behind a retrieval step, so answers are drawn from documents you supply rather than...

Source: https://millionrounds.com/workflow/basic-automatic-gmail-email-labelling-with-openai (Millionrounds; every figure on the page links to its filing or article)

[Automation library](https://millionrounds.com/workflows) · [AI assistants](https://millionrounds.com/workflows?category=AI+assistants#library)

# Basic automatic Gmail email labelling with OpenAI

Started by an arriving email, and works across Gmail. It puts OpenAI behind a retrieval step, so answers are drawn from documents you supply rather than from the model alone. 9 steps, 1 loop or waits: a working afternoon to understand properly.

Medium Calls a model: OpenAI Retrieval

[Download free](https://millionrounds.com/login?next=%2Fapp%2Fworkflow%2Fbasic-automatic-gmail-email-labelling-with-openai)

**9 steps** Medium: a working afternoon

**0** Branches: places the flow splits

**1** Loop or waits

**1** Service it connects to

## The flow

Starts it 1 Model 3 Logic 1 Service 4

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

- 1 **Gmail Trigger** Gmail trigger *Starts it*
- 2 **OpenAI Chat Model1** Lm Chat Open Ai *Model*
- 3 **Gmail - read labels** Gmail Tool *Service*
- 4 **Gmail - get message** Gmail Tool *Service*
- 5 **Gmail - add label to message** Gmail Tool *Service*
- 6 **Gmail - create label** Gmail Tool *Service*
- 7 **Window Buffer Memory** Memory Buffer Window *Model*
- 8 **Wait** Wait *Logic*
- 9 **Gmail labelling agent** Agent *Model*

## How it's built

- **Starts on:** An arriving email
- **Steps:** 9, 1 loop or waits
- **Size:** Medium: a working afternoon
- **Connects to:** Gmail
- **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 account, 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. 9 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 9 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%2Fbasic-automatic-gmail-email-labelling-with-openai)
- **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)

## Workflows like it

Also ai assistants, with the same services where possible, closest in size first.

- [**AI Email Teaching Assistant with RAG and Intent Classification** 9 steps · calls a model · Gmail, Pinecone](https://millionrounds.com/workflow/ai-email-teaching-assistant-with-rag-and-intent-classificati)
- [**AI pen pal with OpenAI and Gmail** 9 steps · calls a model · Gmail](https://millionrounds.com/workflow/ai-pen-pal-with-openai-and-gmail)
- [**AI-powered Gmail assistant: send replies by analyzing thread ID** 9 steps · calls a model · Gmail](https://millionrounds.com/workflow/ai-powered-gmail-assistant-send-replies-by-analyzing-thread-)
- [**Automated email inquiry processing & routing with Gmail** 9 steps · calls a model · Gmail](https://millionrounds.com/workflow/automated-email-inquiry-processing-and-routing-with-gmail)
- [**Automated professional Gmail replies with OpenAI** 9 steps · calls a model · Gmail](https://millionrounds.com/workflow/automated-professional-gmail-replies-with-openai)
- [**Automated system for generating commercial proposals** 9 steps · calls a model · Gmail, Google Drive](https://millionrounds.com/workflow/systeme-automatise-de-generation-de-propositions-commerciale)