Automation library · AI assistants

Gmail smart auto-responder with OpenAI and Google Drive

Started by an arriving email, and works across Gmail, Google Drive 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. 17 steps, 1 branch: a working afternoon to understand properly.

MediumCalls a model: OpenAIRetrieval

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17 stepsMedium: a working afternoon
1Branch: places the flow splits
0Loops or waits
3Services it connects to

The flow

Starts it 1Model 10Logic 3Service 3

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

  1. 1Gmail TriggerGmail triggerStarts it
  2. 2Profile Text SplitterText Splitter Recursive Character Text SplitterModel
  3. 3Thread Text SplitterText Splitter Recursive Character Text SplitterModel
  4. 4OpenAI EmbeddingsEmbeddings Open AiModel
  5. 5OpenAI Chat ModelLm Chat Open AiModel
  6. 6Simple MemoryMemory Buffer WindowModel
  7. 7Vector Store RetrieverVector Store In MemoryModel
  8. 8Google Drive - Download ProfileGoogle DriveService
  9. 9Gmail - Fetch ThreadGmailService
  10. 10Profile Document LoaderDocument Default Data LoaderModel
  11. 11Thread Document LoaderDocument Default Data LoaderModel
  12. 12Simple Vector StoreVector Store In MemoryModel
  13. 13Email Reply AgentAgentModel
  14. 14Error HandlerCodeLogic
  15. 15Prepare Agent ContextSetLogic
  16. 16Check If Reply NeededIfLogic
  17. 17Gmail - Create DraftGmailService

How it's built

Starts on
An arriving email
Steps
17, with 1 branch
Size
Medium: a working afternoon
Connects to
Gmail, Google Drive, 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 Drive 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. 17 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 17 steps before you point it at anything that matters.