Overview
Inbox zero via agent isn't magic — it's a small number of well-scoped tools and a strict policy about what the agent can send without approval. This design pattern uses read + classify + draft + file, with sending gated behind explicit human approval.
How it works
- Trigger: every 15 minutes during work hours.
- The agent lists new mail with a Gmail tool, classifies each into: reply-needed, FYI, reference, spam.
- For reply-needed with low stakes (scheduling, thanks, confirmations), it drafts a reply into Drafts — never sends.
- FYI is archived with a label. Reference is filed to Notion with a summary. Spam is reported.
- A morning digest lists what was done and any drafts waiting for your review.
Benefits
- Recovers 30–60 minutes a day of shallow inbox work.
- Never sends without approval, so risk is bounded.
- Filed reference material becomes searchable in your knowledge base.
Use cases
- Founders drowning in intros and scheduling threads.
- Consultants juggling many low-context client emails.
- Anyone whose inbox is 80% noise and 20% signal.
Step-by-step guide
Step 1: Define the policy
Write a one-page policy: what the agent can draft, what it must escalate, and forbidden actions (no sending, no calendar changes, no unsubscribes).
Step 2: Pick your stack
OpenAI/Anthropic + a Gmail tool via MCP or Zapier + a Notion tool. Keep the toolset small.
Step 3: Build the classifier prompt
A single system prompt with your policy, example classifications, and a JSON output schema.
Step 4: Wire the actions
Each classification maps to one tool call. Drafts go to Gmail drafts; FYI applies a label; reference writes to Notion.
Step 5: Add the morning digest
A scheduled job posts a digest to Slack/email with counts, drafts to review, and any escalations.
Step 6: Run it in shadow mode first
For a week, log what it would have done without acting. Read the log daily and tune the policy before enabling actions.