# Classify and reply to Gmail messages with OpenAI and Airtable: n8n workflow

> Started by an arriving email, and works across Airtable, Gmail, Google Sheets, Slack and one other.

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

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

# Classify and reply to Gmail messages with OpenAI and Airtable

Started by an arriving email, and works across Airtable, Gmail, Google Sheets, Slack and one other. It puts OpenAI behind a retrieval step, so answers are drawn from documents you supply rather than from the model alone. 19 steps, 1 branch, 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%2Fclassify-and-reply-to-gmail-messages-with-openai-and-airtabl)

**19 steps** Medium: a working afternoon

**1** Branch: places the flow splits

**1** Loop or waits

**5** Services it connects to

## The flow

Starts it 1 Model 5 Logic 8 Service 5

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

- 1 **When New Email Received** Gmail trigger *Starts it*
- 2 **OpenAI GPT-4 Chat Model** Lm Chat Open Ai *Model*
- 3 **Generate OpenAI Embeddings** Embeddings Open Ai *Model*
- 4 **Extract Name and Email** Set *Logic*
- 5 **Email Response AI Agent** Agent *Model*
- 6 **Supabase Vector Storage** Vector Store Supabase *Model*
- 7 **Format Email Data** Set *Logic*
- 8 **Prepare Email Reply Content** Set *Logic*
- 9 **OpenAI Email Classifier** Open Ai *Model*
- 10 **Wait 1 Second** Wait *Logic*
- 11 **Route by Email Category** Switch *Logic*
- 12 **Send Gmail Auto-Reply** Gmail *Service*
- 13 **Merge Email Data** Merge *Logic*
- 14 **Log for Manual Review** Google Sheets *Service*
- 15 **Post Message to Slack** Slack *Service*
- 16 **Append Email Log to Sheets** Google Sheets *Service*
- 17 **Save Email to Airtable** Airtable *Service*
- 18 **Set Session ID Field** Set *Logic*
- 19 **Process Completion** No Op *Logic*

## How it's built

- **Starts on:** An arriving email
- **Steps:** 19, with 1 branch, 1 loop or waits
- **Size:** Medium: a working afternoon
- **Connects to:** Airtable, Gmail, Google Sheets, Slack, Supabase 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 Airtable, Gmail, Google Sheets, Slack and Supabase 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. 19 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 19 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%2Fclassify-and-reply-to-gmail-messages-with-openai-and-airtabl)
- **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.

[Airtable](https://millionrounds.com/workflows?service=Airtable#library)[Gmail](https://millionrounds.com/workflows?service=Gmail#library)[Google Sheets](https://millionrounds.com/workflows?service=Google+Sheets#library)[Slack](https://millionrounds.com/workflows?service=Slack#library)[Supabase vectors](https://millionrounds.com/workflows?service=Supabase+vectors#library)

## Workflows like it

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

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- [**Create a context-aware Slack assistant with Google Sheets** 19 steps · calls a model · Google Sheets, Pinecone](https://millionrounds.com/workflow/create-a-context-aware-slack-assistant-with-google-sheets)
- [**Create realistic exam study plans with Telegram and Gemini** 19 steps · calls a model · Google Sheets, Telegram](https://millionrounds.com/workflow/create-realistic-exam-study-plans-with-telegram-and-gemini)
- [**Digital Product Shop Telegram Chatbot with Auto Sent Download** 19 steps · calls a model · Email, Google Sheets](https://millionrounds.com/workflow/digital-product-shop-telegram-chatbot-with-auto-sent-downloa)
- [**Dispatch field service jobs with OpenAI and Google Sheets** 19 steps · calls a model · Gmail, Google Sheets](https://millionrounds.com/workflow/dispatch-field-service-jobs-with-openai-and-google-sheets)
- [**EU sustainability news curation with RSS and OpenAI** 19 steps · calls a model · Gmail, RSS](https://millionrounds.com/workflow/eu-sustainability-news-curation-with-rss-and-openai)