# Smart Email Triage ## Your Role You intelligently classify Gmail emails into labeled categories using header analysis, body scanning, domain patterns, and scoring thresholds — while protecting VIP contacts from auto-triage. ## Required - Gmail MCP integration - Config files at `~/.claude-assistant/config/` ## Arguments - `noapply` — preview classifications without applying labels - `days:N` — override search window (e.g., `days:14`) - `limit:N` — process only first N emails ## Instructions ### Phase 1: Load Configuration Read `triage-config.md` and `email-policy.md` from `~/.claude-assistant/config/`. ### Phase 2: Label-in-Inbox Sweep Find emails that already have triage labels but are still in inbox — archive them. ### Phase 3: Calculate Search Window Determine lookback period based on last run timestamp. Use `days:N` if specified. ### Phase 4: Search Inbox Two queries: unread general emails + all potential expenses (including read). ### Phase 5: Deduplicate Skip emails processed in previous runs (check state file). ### Phase 6: Fetch Email Content Retrieve headers and body for each email. ### Phase 7: VIP Protection Skip classification for Tier 1 and Tier 2 VIP contacts. These always stay in inbox. ### Phase 8: Expense Detection Route receipts based on vendor domains, subject keywords, and routing table: - Known vendor domains → Expenses-Pending or Expenses-Personal - Uncertain matches → Expenses-Uncertain ### Phase 9: Filter Bypass Recovery Check against documented Gmail filters — apply missed filter actions. ### Phase 10: Calendar Detection Identify meeting invitations (calendar- prefix, "Invitation:" subject, text/calendar content). ### Phase 11: Classification Logic Score remaining emails: | Signal | Points | |--------|--------| | List-Unsubscribe header | +2 | | "unsubscribe" in body | +2 | | noreply/no-reply address | +1 | | Generic greeting | +1 | | Newsletter platform domain | → @ToRead directly | | School domain | → @School directly | Apply thresholds: Newsletter >=3, Announcement >=2. Use classification priority table for tiebreakers. ### Phase 12: Generate Report Show proposed actions before applying: ``` TRIAGE REPORT ━━━━━━━━━━━━ @ToRead: [N] newsletters @Announcements: [N] institutional @School: [N] academic Expenses: [N] receipts Auto-Archive: [N] notifications Skipped (VIP): [N] protected ``` ### Phase 13: Apply Labels (skip if noapply) Apply labels and archive per routing rules. Never fire parallel batch operations. ### Phase 14: Update State Log processed message IDs and timestamp. ## Label Application Rules - @ToRead: Add label, remove INBOX, leave UNREAD - @Announcements, @School: Add label, remove INBOX, leave UNREAD - Expenses-Pending/Personal: Add label, remove INBOX, mark READ - Expenses-Uncertain: Add label, remove INBOX, leave UNREAD - Auto-Archive: Add label, remove INBOX and UNREAD ## Critical Rules - Never reclassify emails already bearing Expenses-* labels - VIP contacts are NEVER auto-triaged - Never fire multiple batch operations in parallel

What This Does

Goes beyond Gmail's native filters to intelligently classify emails into labeled categories — newsletters, announcements, expenses, school notices, and auto-archive candidates. Uses header analysis, body scanning, domain patterns, and scoring thresholds with VIP protection for important contacts.

Prerequisites

Gmail MCP integration configured in Claude Code
Two config files (setup guide below)

Quick Start

Step 1: Set Up Config Directory

mkdir -p ~/.claude-assistant/config ~/.claude-assistant/state ~/.claude-assistant/logs

Step 2: Get Your Gmail Label IDs

Run in Claude Code: "List my Gmail labels and their IDs"

Step 3: Create Config Files

Create ~/.claude-assistant/config/triage-config.md with your label IDs, vendor domains, and thresholds.

Create ~/.claude-assistant/config/email-policy.md with your VIP contact lists and archive rules.

Step 4: Download the Template and Test

Click Download above, save to your working directory, then:

"Triage my inbox — preview only"

Classification Categories

Category	Label	Read State	Archived?
Newsletters	@ToRead	Unread	No
Announcements	@Announcements	Unread	Yes
School notices	@School	Unread	Yes
Expense receipts	Expenses-Pending	Read	Yes
Personal expenses	Expenses-Personal	Read	Yes
Uncertain expenses	Expenses-Uncertain	Unread	Yes
Auto-archive	Auto-Archive	Read	Yes

How Classification Works

Check overrides — sender-specific routing rules applied first
Scan headers — List-Unsubscribe (+2), noreply address (+1)
Scan body — unsubscribe links (+2), generic greetings (+1)
Check domains — newsletter platforms (Substack, Mailchimp), school domains
Apply scoring — newsletter threshold (default >=3), announcement (>=2)
VIP protection — Tier 1/2 contacts never auto-triaged

Config Files

email-policy.md

VIP Tier 1: Family, compliance senders — always stay in inbox
VIP Tier 2: Collaborators, team members — always stay in inbox
Auto-archive rules: Documented Gmail filters as backstop

triage-config.md

Label IDs: Gmail internal IDs for each category
Vendor domains: Amazon, Uber, etc. for expense detection
Scoring thresholds: Adjust classification aggressiveness
Override table: Sender-specific routing rules

Usage

"Triage my inbox"                    — Scan and apply labels
"Triage my inbox — preview only"     — Preview without applying
"Triage my inbox — last 14 days"     — Extended lookback
"Triage my inbox — limit 20"         — Process only 20 emails

Smart Features

Adaptive search windows — adjusts lookback based on when you last ran it
Classification overrides — sender-specific rules that bypass scoring
Auto-filter creation — creates Gmail filters for high-confidence patterns
Deduplication — tracks processed emails to avoid re-scanning
Expense detection — routes receipts to the right expense category

Tips

Start with preview mode — run with "preview only" until you trust the classifications
Build overrides gradually — add sender-specific rules as you spot misclassifications
VIP list is sacred — important contacts are never auto-triaged
Run daily or after travel — keeps inbox manageable

Troubleshooting

Emails misclassified Add the sender to the classification overrides table in triage-config.md

Too aggressive archiving Raise the scoring thresholds in triage-config.md

VIP emails getting triaged Add the contact to Tier 1 or Tier 2 in email-policy.md

"Label not found" errors Re-run the label ID retrieval — Gmail IDs can change

Smart Email Triage