# Triage and draft Gmail replies with OpenAI and Slack: n8n workflow

> Started by an arriving email, and works across Gmail, Google Sheets and Slack. 15 steps, 1 branch: a working afternoon to understand properly.

Source: https://millionrounds.com/workflow/triage-and-draft-gmail-replies-with-openai-and-slack (Millionrounds; every figure on the page links to its filing or article)

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

# Triage and draft Gmail replies with OpenAI and Slack

Started by an arriving email, and works across Gmail, Google Sheets and Slack. 15 steps, 1 branch: a working afternoon to understand properly.

Medium

[Download free](https://millionrounds.com/login?next=%2Fapp%2Fworkflow%2Ftriage-and-draft-gmail-replies-with-openai-and-slack)

**15 steps** Medium: a working afternoon

**1** Branch: places the flow splits

**0** Loops or waits

**3** Services it connects to

## The flow

Starts it 2 Logic 5 Service 8

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

- 1 **📬 Gmail: Watch Inbox** Gmail trigger *Starts it*
- 2 **⚠️ Error Trigger** Error trigger *Starts it*
- 3 **🛑 Slack: Workflow Error** Slack *Service*
- 4 **⚙️ Normalize Email Data** Code *Logic*
- 5 **🚫 Filter Bot Emails** Code *Logic*
- 6 **📝 Build AI Payload** Code *Logic*
- 7 **🧠 OpenAI: Classify & Draft** Http Request *Service*
- 8 **🔍 Parse AI Response** Code *Logic*
- 9 **📊 Log to Google Sheets** Google Sheets *Service*
- 10 **🔀 Route by Category** Switch *Logic*
- 11 **✍️ Draft Reply: URGENT** Gmail *Service*
- 12 **✍️ Draft Reply: SALES** Gmail *Service*
- 13 **✍️ Draft Reply: SUPPORT** Gmail *Service*
- 14 **🗂️ Archive Newsletter** Gmail *Service*
- 15 **🔔 Slack Alert: URGENT** Slack *Service*

## How it's built

- **Starts on:** An arriving email
- **Steps:** 15, with 1 branch
- **Size:** Medium: a working afternoon
- **Connects to:** Gmail, Google Sheets, Slack
- **Model:** None. This is plumbing, not judgement

## Questions

What does it need to run?

An n8n account, plus your own Gmail, Google Sheets and Slack accounts. You connect your own accounts after importing it; none are included.

What starts it?

It starts on an arriving email.

Does it use AI?

No. Every step is fixed logic or a call to a service, so it does the same thing every time.

How long does it take to set up?

Plan an afternoon. 15 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 15 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%2Ftriage-and-draft-gmail-replies-with-openai-and-slack)
- **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)[Slack](https://millionrounds.com/workflows?service=Slack#library)

## Workflows like it

Also alerts and monitoring, with the same services where possible, closest in size first.

- [**Audit Notion wiki health and send weekly digests to Slack** 15 steps · Notion, Slack](https://millionrounds.com/workflow/audit-notion-wiki-health-and-send-weekly-digests-to-slack)
- [**Automate Instagram influencer contract compliance with Claude** 15 steps · Google Sheets, Slack](https://millionrounds.com/workflow/automate-instagram-influencer-contract-compliance-with-claud)
- [**Automate vulnerability triage from Snyk with Jira and Slack** 15 steps · Airtable, Jira](https://millionrounds.com/workflow/automate-vulnerability-triage-from-snyk-with-jira-and-slack)
- [**Automated Nano-banana infographic generator & Slack uploader** 15 steps · Slack](https://millionrounds.com/workflow/automated-nano-banana-infographic-generator-and-slack-upload)
- [**Automated failed login detection with Jira and Slack** 15 steps · Jira, Notion](https://millionrounds.com/workflow/automated-failed-login-detection-with-jira-and-slack)
- [**Automatic email notifications for n8n version releases** 15 steps · Gmail](https://millionrounds.com/workflow/automatic-email-notifications-for-n8n-version-releases)