# Gmail smart auto-responder with OpenAI and Google Drive: n8n workflow

> 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...

Source: https://millionrounds.com/workflow/gmail-smart-auto-responder-with-openai-and-google-drive (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)

# 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.

Medium Calls a model: OpenAI Retrieval

[Download free](https://millionrounds.com/login?next=%2Fapp%2Fworkflow%2Fgmail-smart-auto-responder-with-openai-and-google-drive)

**17 steps** Medium: a working afternoon

**1** Branch: places the flow splits

**0** Loops or waits

**3** Services it connects to

## The flow

Starts it 1 Model 10 Logic 3 Service 3

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

- 1 **Gmail Trigger** Gmail trigger *Starts it*
- 2 **Profile Text Splitter** Text Splitter Recursive Character Text Splitter *Model*
- 3 **Thread Text Splitter** Text Splitter Recursive Character Text Splitter *Model*
- 4 **OpenAI Embeddings** Embeddings Open Ai *Model*
- 5 **OpenAI Chat Model** Lm Chat Open Ai *Model*
- 6 **Simple Memory** Memory Buffer Window *Model*
- 7 **Vector Store Retriever** Vector Store In Memory *Model*
- 8 **Google Drive - Download Profile** Google Drive *Service*
- 9 **Gmail - Fetch Thread** Gmail *Service*
- 10 **Profile Document Loader** Document Default Data Loader *Model*
- 11 **Thread Document Loader** Document Default Data Loader *Model*
- 12 **Simple Vector Store** Vector Store In Memory *Model*
- 13 **Email Reply Agent** Agent *Model*
- 14 **Error Handler** Code *Logic*
- 15 **Prepare Agent Context** Set *Logic*
- 16 **Check If Reply Needed** If *Logic*
- 17 **Gmail - Create Draft** Gmail *Service*

## 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.

## 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%2Fgmail-smart-auto-responder-with-openai-and-google-drive)
- **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 Drive](https://millionrounds.com/workflows?service=Google+Drive#library)[in-memory vectors](https://millionrounds.com/workflows?service=in-memory+vectors#library)

## Workflows like it

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

- [**Job application with OpenAI and Gmail** 17 steps · calls a model · Gmail, Google Drive](https://millionrounds.com/workflow/job-application-with-openai-and-gmail)
- [**Route Chatwoot customer chats to AI and live agents with Groq** 17 steps · calls a model · Gmail, Pinecone](https://millionrounds.com/workflow/route-chatwoot-customer-chats-to-ai-and-live-agents-with-gro)
- [**Send AI-curated weekly news digests with RSS and Vector DB** 17 steps · calls a model · Gmail, RSS](https://millionrounds.com/workflow/send-ai-curated-weekly-news-digests-with-rss-and-vector-db)
- [**Send a daily AI-rewritten RSS news digest with Gemini** 17 steps · calls a model · Gmail, RSS](https://millionrounds.com/workflow/send-a-daily-ai-rewritten-rss-news-digest-with-gemini)
- [**AI-powered email forwarding to WhatsApp with Gmail and Outlook** 18 steps · calls a model · Gmail](https://millionrounds.com/workflow/ai-powered-email-forwarding-to-whatsapp-with-gmail-and-outlo)
- [**Answer restaurant voice queries with ElevenLabs and OpenAI** 18 steps · calls a model · Google Drive, Qdrant](https://millionrounds.com/workflow/answer-restaurant-voice-queries-with-elevenlabs-and-openai)