Agent in a Box

Email Inbox Manager Agent

operations
1

The Problem

Your inbox has 1,000+ unread emails. Important messages hide among newsletters, notifications, and spam. You spend the first hour of every day just triaging instead of doing real work.

The Solution

An AI agent that monitors your inbox, categorizes incoming mail, drafts responses for routine emails, and surfaces only what truly needs your attention.

How It Works

  1. Monitor: Agent watches inbox via Gmail/Outlook API
  2. Classify: Determines email type and urgency
  3. Act: Labels, archives, or flags based on rules
  4. Draft: Prepares responses for routine requests
  5. Alert: Notifies you of genuinely urgent items only

Tool Stack

  • Gmail/Outlook API: Email access
  • Claude/GPT-4: Classification and drafting
  • n8n: Workflow automation
  • Slack: Urgent notifications
  • Google Sheets: Daily summary (optional)

Example Prompt

Analyze this email and determine the appropriate action.

Email:
From: {{sender}}
Subject: {{subject}}
Body: {{body}}

Respond with JSON:
{
  "category": "urgent|action_required|fyi|newsletter|automated|spam",
  "needs_response": true/false,
  "urgency": "immediate|today|this_week|whenever",
  "summary": "One sentence summary",
  "suggested_action": "reply|forward|archive|schedule|delete",
  "draft_response": "If needs_response, draft a professional reply"
}

Context about me:
- I'm a [role] at [company]
- My priorities this week: [priorities]
- Auto-archive newsletters unless from: [list]

Implementation Tips

  • Start with classification only—don't auto-send replies
  • Create an "AI Processed" label for review
  • Build approved sender lists for higher automation
  • Review weekly: adjust categories based on what you override

When to Use This

  • Inbox exceeds 100 emails/day
  • Missing important messages regularly
  • Spending 1+ hours on email management daily
  • Most emails are routine/repetitive

Limitations

  • Won't understand complex context or relationships
  • Sensitive emails should always be human-reviewed
  • Not for time-critical roles (sales, support) without human backup
  • Initial setup requires defining your priorities clearly