# Turn a crowded inbox into a review queue

> Find the messages that need attention, group them by next action, and prepare drafts for review.

Canonical: https://hermeswatcher.com/workflows/inbox-triage  
Category: Everyday administration  
Basis: An editorial blueprint: an original, source-informed approach. Check commands against the official docs for your version.

## The useful result

A short queue of messages requiring a reply, a decision, or a follow-up, with a link back to each conversation.

## Before you begin

- Authorized access to the intended mailbox
- A current, documented email integration
- Clear rules for reading, drafting, labeling, and sending

## How to approach it

1. **Start with a bounded mailbox slice**: Choose a date range and a small maximum number of conversations. Ask for a read-only pass and confirm which account was inspected.
2. **Define meaningful groups**: Use categories such as needs a reply, waiting on someone else, time-sensitive, and reference. Specify how to handle ambiguous messages.
3. **Keep the original conversation accessible**: Every queue item should name the sender, summarize the request, and provide a message or thread link. A summary should not become the only record.
4. **Prepare replies as a separate action**: After the classification is useful, allow draft creation if desired. State exactly which actions are authorized; reading access does not imply permission to send.
5. **Handle partial access honestly**: If the integration cannot read a message body or attachment, flag that gap. Check current integration instructions rather than guessing an authentication repair.

## A prompt to adapt

Replace the brackets and run a bounded trial first.

```text
Read up to [number] conversations in [mailbox] from [date range]. Create a review queue: needs reply, waiting, time-sensitive, reference. Link every item to its conversation and explain the next action. Flag anything you could not read. Do not send, delete, archive, label, or modify messages.
```

## When it does not work

If a message has already received a reply, reconcile the latest conversation before drafting a follow-up. Avoid producing duplicate actions from repeated collection.

## Check the result

Compare several queue items against the original threads. Confirm that no unapproved mailbox changes occurred.

## Official reference (Nous Research)

- [Google Workspace integration](https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/docs/user-guide/skills/google-workspace)
- [Tools and toolsets](https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/docs/user-guide/features/tools)

---

HermesWatcher is an independent guide. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by Nous Research. The [official Hermes Agent documentation](https://hermes-agent.nousresearch.com/docs) and [repository](https://github.com/NousResearch/hermes-agent) from Nous Research are the authority; each page here lists the official sources it was written from. If this site and the official docs disagree, trust the official docs. Index for agents: https://hermeswatcher.com/llms.txt