Recipes / Support
Support inbox triage with FAQ-grounded drafts
Classifies support emails, logs tickets to Sheets, Slack-alerts urgent complaints, and saves FAQ-grounded reply drafts (never auto-sent).
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 | Helpdesk first-pass triage | n8n + Gmail + Google Sheets + OpenAI |
| Monthly cost | Not reported | OpenAI API usage + n8n; free template |
| Setup | None (already in use) | Not reported · Beginner |
| Your time | Baseline | Not reported |
| Maintenance | Handled by vendor/you as before | Keep FAQ/knowledge text current. |
| 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 | Helpdesk first-pass triage |
|---|---|
| Bot / agent stack | n8n + Gmail + Google Sheets + OpenAI |
| Monthly cost before | Not reported |
| Monthly cost after | OpenAI API usage + n8n; free template |
| Setup time | Not reported |
| Time saved | Not reported |
| Skill level | Beginner |
| Reliability | 4/5: drafts only, a human always presses Send. |
| Maintenance | Keep FAQ/knowledge text current. |
| Privacy & data | Email content is sent to the LLM provider (e.g. OpenAI). Needs Gmail OAuth access to read, label and draft. |
| Best for | Small support inboxes |
| Not for | Teams already on a helpdesk with SLAs |
Pros and cons
Pros
- Never auto-sends
- Ticket log in Sheets
- Slack alerts for urgent complaints
Cons
- Polls every minute (API usage)
- Draft quality depends on your FAQ
How it works
- Connect Gmail
- Write FAQ/business info
- Add OpenAI credential
- Create log sheet
- Activate
Source and evidence
Human-in-the-loop by design: drafts only.
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)
Support inbox triage with FAQ-grounded drafts. Replaces Helpdesk first-pass triage with n8n + Gmail + Google Sheets + OpenAI. Cost before: Not reported. Cost after: OpenAI API usage + n8n; free template. Setup: Not reported, Beginner. Time saved: Not reported. Reliability 4/5: 4/5: drafts only, a human always presses Send. Best for: Small support inboxes. Not for: Teams already on a helpdesk with SLAs. Source: https://n8n.io/workflows/18047-triage-support-emails-and-draft-ai-replies-with-gmail-google-sheets-and-openai/
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