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.
Tool names link to each official site (opens in a new tab). Links marked “aff” are affiliate links. Disclosure
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 last checked 2026-10-15.
Our rating is an editorial opinion based on the public source above, not lab testing. Spot an error? Request a correction.
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/
Related recipes
- Multi-agent inbox triage & auto-reply (3/5)
- Email summaries posted to Slack (Make) (3/5)
- Inbox triage agent with Make AI Agents (3/5)
More: all Email recipes · Best AI agents to replace Zapier · n8n vs Make: AI agent recipes compared
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What is beehiiv?
beehiiv is a newsletter platform: you write and send emails, host a newsletter website, and grow and monetize a list from one place. We've used it for our own newsletter.
beehiiv says (vendor claims, not tested by us):
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Good for: starting or growing an email newsletter. Not ideal for: email automations or removing beehiiv branding on a $0 budget (those need Lite or Pro).
Free plan: $0, no card needed. Paid plans from $49/mo billed annually (Lite, up to 1,000 subscribers). People who sign up through our link get a 14-day trial plus 20% off their first 3 months, per beehiiv's partner page. Facts as of Oct 2026, from beehiiv's own website. More about beehiiv →