A professional email management skill for AI agents that scans inboxes, categorizes messages by urgency, and prepares draft replies using CLI-based email tools.
Install & Download
1. ClawHub CLI
The fastest way to install a skill directly from the registry.
npx clawhub@latest install inbox-triage
2. Manual Installation
Copy the skill folder to one of these locations
~/.openclaw/skills/ <project>/skills/ Priority: Workspace > Local > Bundled
3. Prompt Installation
Copy this prompt to OpenClaw to install it automatically.
Help me install inbox-triage using Clawhub. If Clawhub is not installed, install it first (npm i -g clawhub).
Prefer to download?
Get the raw skill files in a ZIP archive.
What is Inbox Triage?
The Inbox Triage skill is a technical solution designed to turn your AI agent into a sophisticated communications gatekeeper. By integrating with Openclaw Skills, your agent gains the ability to interface directly with Gmail or any IMAP provider via command-line tools like himalaya or gmailctl. It goes beyond simple filtering by providing context-aware summaries and intelligent categorization that helps you focus on high-priority items while silencing the noise.
This skill is built for developers and power users who need to maintain an efficient inbox zero workflow without manually sifting through hundreds of notifications. It operates locally, ensuring that your sensitive email content never leaves your machine while providing the agent with the necessary context to act as a high-level executive assistant.
Inbox Triage Use Cases
- Automatically identifying and surfacing urgent client requests or internal deadlines.
- Consolidating newsletters and promotional content into a 'Noise' category for batch archiving.
- Preparing context-aware draft replies for routine inquiries like scheduling or status updates.
- Generating a comprehensive daily briefing of all incoming communications across multiple accounts.
- Setting up automated heartbeat checks to notify you only when high-priority emails arrive during deep work sessions.
How Inbox Triage Works
- The AI agent executes a pre-configured CLI command to fetch a list of unread email envelopes or full message bodies.
- The content is processed against a set of user-defined Triage Rules including VIP senders, keywords, and urgency signals.
- Each email is assigned a priority score and placed into one of four categories: Urgent, Action Needed, FYI, or Noise.
- The agent generates a structured Markdown Triage Report containing summaries and recommended next steps for every relevant item.
- If configured, the agent prepares draft responses that match the tone of the sender, ready for the user's manual approval and sending.
Inbox Triage Setup
1. Install an Email CLI
You must have a functional CLI tool to interface with your inbox. For IMAP (Outlook, Fastmail, etc.), install himalaya:
himalaya envelope list --folder INBOX --filter new
For Gmail, use gmailctl or a dedicated fetch script:
gmail-fetch --unread --limit 50
2. Configure Your Agent
Update your AGENTS.md or a dedicated config file with your triage rules to leverage Openclaw Skills effectively:
## Inbox Triage Rules
- Urgent: From [email protected] or subject contains "ASAP"
- Action: Direct questions or invoice attachments
- Noise: GitHub notifications or marketing newsletters
3. Set Automated Triggers
Add a cron job or a heartbeat check to your system to ensure regular scans:
openclaw cron add --schedule "0 9,13,17 * * 1-5" --task "Run inbox triage"
Inbox Triage Data Schema & Taxonomy
The Inbox Triage skill organizes data into a structured hierarchy to ensure clarity for both the agent and the user:
| Component | Format | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Triage Report | Markdown | The final output containing categorized summaries and action items. |
| Triage Rules | Markdown/Lists | User-defined patterns, VIP lists, and keyword signals used for scoring. |
| Heartbeat Log | Text/Markdown | Scheduled task logs that track when the last inbox scan occurred. |
| Draft Folder | Email Drafts | If enabled, drafts are stored in your mail provider's draft folder or as local files. |
Inbox Triage Advanced Features
- Urgency Scoring Engine: Implement a point-based system where senders, keywords, and thread age combine to determine real-time priority.
- Contextual Reply Drafting: The agent can generate 1-3 sentence drafts based on the formality and content of the incoming message for human review.
- Multi-Account Triage: Support for distinct rulesets across work, personal, and business accounts using different CLI profiles.
- Local-First Privacy: All email processing happens on your local hardware, keeping credentials and sensitive communication data secure within your own environment.
SKILL.md
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