Sifting through hundreds of emails every day can quickly become overwhelming. This no‑code workflow leverages n8n, OpenAI’s Chat model and the Gmail API to intelligently classify each incoming message. It polls your inbox, reads the content and context of every email and automatically assigns the most appropriate label. If no suitable label exists, the workflow creates one on the fly — turning your Gmail into a self‑organizing communication hub.

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🔍 What Is This Workflow?

At its core, this automation watches your Gmail inbox, reads each new email’s subject and body and compares it to your existing label structure. When an appropriate label exists, the workflow applies it immediately. If not, it creates a brand‑new label based on the email’s theme and moves the message accordingly. This means no more tedious manual sorting — the system keeps your inbox clean and organized for you.

“Your inbox becomes self‑organizing — powered by AI.”

⚙️ How the Workflow Operates

The automation is composed of several n8n nodes, each with a specific role. Below is a breakdown of every step in the flow:

1️⃣ Gmail Trigger

This node polls your Gmail inbox at regular intervals (default: every five minutes) and triggers the workflow whenever new emails arrive.

2️⃣ Gmail – Read Labels

The workflow fetches all existing Gmail labels from your account. This lookup helps the AI decide whether a label already exists for the incoming message or if a new one must be created.

3️⃣ Gmail – Get Message

This node retrieves the full content of the email — including subject, sender details and body text — so the AI has all the context it needs for analysis.

4️⃣ OpenAI Chat Model

The retrieved email text is sent to OpenAI’s Chat model. The model analyzes the subject and body, extracting keywords, intent and context to suggest the most appropriate label.

5️⃣ Memory Buffer

To maintain consistency, the workflow includes a memory component. This buffer stores previous analysis context so the AI can make more informed decisions across multiple emails.

6️⃣ Wait Node

A short wait period is inserted to ensure that the message processing and label creation occur sequentially without collisions or race conditions.

7️⃣ Gmail – Add Label to Message

If the AI finds a matching label, this node applies that label to the email and — if desired — removes other labels such as the Inbox label to keep your inbox tidy.

8️⃣ Gmail – Create Label

When no suitable label exists, a new Gmail label is created. The workflow then assigns this newly created label to the email, ensuring consistent organization going forward.

📦 Setup & Prerequisites

• Gmail API setup: configure OAuth2 credentials in n8n to access your Gmail account.
• OpenAI API key: add your API key to the OpenAI Chat Model node for content analysis.
• Labeling standards: establish a clear Gmail label structure to help the AI categorize emails effectively.

🛠 Instructions

1. Add your Gmail API credentials to the Gmail nodes.
2. Add your OpenAI API credentials to the OpenAI Chat Model node.
3. Activate the workflow — it will begin polling your Gmail for new emails automatically.
4. Review the labeling logic periodically and refine prompts to suit your organizational needs.

📌 Ideal Use Cases

• Individuals or teams receiving high volumes of email
• Support desks needing consistent categorization
• Sales or marketing teams filtering promotions and inquiries
• Anyone wanting to automate repetitive inbox management tasks

❓ Frequently Asked Questions

Is this workflow beginner‑friendly?

Absolutely. n8n’s visual interface makes it easy to build and customize this automation without writing code.

Does OpenAI read or store my emails?

OpenAI analyzes the text provided via API to generate a label suggestion. Always review your organization’s privacy requirements before sending sensitive data to external APIs.

Can I customize the labeling logic?

Yes — you can refine the prompts fed into the OpenAI node to better reflect your business terminology and preferred labels. You can also add extra nodes to perform additional actions like summarizing emails or sending notifications.

What happens to emails that don’t fit any label?

If no suitable label exists, the workflow dynamically creates a new label based on the email’s content so that it always ends up organized.

Final Thought: By combining n8n, OpenAI and Gmail, this workflow transforms your inbox into an autonomous, AI‑driven assistant. Spend less time sorting and more time acting on the messages that truly matter.