Recipes / Email
Inbox labeler with Sheets log & dry-run mode
Every 10 minutes, labels mail by category/priority, drafts replies, sends urgent alerts, and logs each decision to Sheets. Has a dry-run mode for testing.
App vs bot, side by side
| Old app / habit | Bot | |
|---|---|---|
| Tool | Email client filters/rules | n8n + OpenAI + Gmail + Google Sheets |
| Monthly cost | Free (built-in filters) | $29 template (n8n listing) + OpenAI API + n8n |
| Setup | None (already in use) | Not reported · Intermediate |
| Your time | Baseline | Not reported |
| Maintenance | Handled by vendor/you as before | Review log sheet; adjust categories. |
| Privacy | Data stays with the app vendor | Email content is sent to the LLM provider (e.g. OpenAI). Needs Gmail OAuth access to read, label and draft. |
Full comparison
| Replaces | Email client filters/rules |
|---|---|
| Bot / agent stack | n8n + OpenAI + Gmail + Google Sheets |
| Monthly cost before | Free (built-in filters) |
| Monthly cost after | $29 template (n8n listing) + OpenAI API + n8n |
| Setup time | Not reported |
| Time saved | Not reported |
| Skill level | Intermediate |
| Reliability | 4/5: dry-run mode and full decision log built in. |
| Maintenance | Review log sheet; adjust categories. |
| Privacy & data | Email content is sent to the LLM provider (e.g. OpenAI). Needs Gmail OAuth access to read, label and draft. |
| Best for | People who outgrew rule-based filters |
| Not for | Anyone happy with simple filters |
Pros and cons
Pros
- Dry-run to test safely
- Every decision logged
Cons
- Paid template
- Runs every 10 minutes
How it works
- Buy/import template
- Add Gmail, OpenAI, Sheets credentials
- Configure categories
- Run in dry-run
- Switch dry_run off
Source and evidence
Dry-run and logging built in.
Read the original Template source ↗
“Not reported” means the source doesn't say. We never fill gaps with guesses. Numbers marked “per author” or “vendor claim” are the source's own and weren't independently tested. Source re-checked 2026-10-15.
Plain-text summary (for search and AI assistants)
Inbox labeler with Sheets log & dry-run mode. Replaces Email client filters/rules with n8n + OpenAI + Gmail + Google Sheets. Cost before: Free (built-in filters). Cost after: $29 template (n8n listing) + OpenAI API + n8n. Setup: Not reported, Intermediate. Time saved: Not reported. Reliability 4/5: 4/5: dry-run mode and full decision log built in. Best for: People who outgrew rule-based filters. Not for: Anyone happy with simple filters. Source: https://n8n.io/workflows/20570-triage-gmail-inbox-emails-and-draft-replies-with-openai-and-google-sheets/
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