A Gmail inbox summary that tells you what needs you
You open Gmail to 140 unread emails and no idea where to start. This prompt has your todo.is agent read your unread inbox, group every email into needs a reply, read later and safe to skip, and give you a one-line summary of each, so you deal with the five that matter first.
The prompt
- Read my unread Gmail from [TIME RANGE] and give me an inbox summary. Sort every email into 3 groups: Needs a reply from me, FYI (read later) and Safe to skip (promotions, notifications, newsletters). For each email in the first two groups write one line: sender, subject, what they want, and any deadline. Put emails from [VIP SENDERS] at the top. In Needs a reply, add how urgent it is (today, this week, no rush). At the end, tell me how many emails are in each group and suggest which 3 to handle first. Send the summary to [WHERE TO SEND]. Do not archive, delete, label or reply to anything.
What to change
- [TIME RANGE]: e.g. "the last 24 hours", "since Friday 6 pm" or "the last 7 days" after a holiday.
- [VIP SENDERS]: People or domains that always come first, e.g. "my manager Dana, anyone at @northwind.com".
- [WHERE TO SEND]: Here in todo.is, or WhatsApp, Telegram, Slack or email.
Example result
- Inbox summary: 86 unread since Friday 6 pm
- • Needs a reply: 7
- • FYI: 14
- • Safe to skip: 65
- Needs a reply
- 1. Dana Price (manager), "Q4 headcount numbers": wants your team's hiring plan for the budget meeting. Today, before 3 pm.
- 2. Leo Martins, Northwind, "Contract redline v3": asks if you accept the new payment terms (net 45). Today.
- 3. Priya Shah, "Workshop speaker slot": asks you to confirm the 20 March talk. This week.
- 4. Accounts, Fennel Studio, "Missing PO number": your invoice is on hold until you send a PO. This week.
- 5. Tom Baker, "Coffee next week?": suggests Tuesday or Thursday. No rush.
- 6. IT Help Desk, "Laptop return": asks you to pick a date to swap your old laptop. No rush.
- 7. Mia (sister), "Mum's birthday dinner": asks if Saturday 7 pm works. This week.
- FYI (read later)
- • Product team: release notes for version 4.2, two features your clients asked about
- • HR: open enrollment for benefits ends on 31 October
- • Northwind: meeting notes from Thursday, no action for you
- • Bank: your statement is ready
- • 10 more: team updates, shared docs and calendar changes
- Safe to skip
- • 31 promotions (Zalando, Booking.com deals, software trials)
- • 22 notifications (LinkedIn, GitHub, Slack digests)
- • 12 newsletters
- Handle these first
- 1. Send Dana the headcount numbers: she needs them before 3 pm.
- 2. Answer Leo about net 45 so the contract does not stall.
- 3. Send the PO number to Fennel Studio so your invoice gets paid.
How to do it with todo.is
- Connect your Google account in todo.is so your agent can read your Gmail.
- Copy the prompt, set the time range and your VIP senders, then paste it on the Today screen or send it to your agent on WhatsApp or Telegram.
- Read the summary and open the threads that need you. Your agent does not touch your inbox.
- Want it daily? Add "every weekday at 8:00" to the start and it becomes a recurring to-do.
Tips for a better result
- Name your VIP senders. A summary is only useful if your boss and key clients never get buried under promotions.
- After a holiday, use a longer range like "the last 10 days" and ask for Needs a reply only.
- Ask your agent to also draft replies for the top 3. It saves them as Gmail drafts for you to check.
- If the agent puts something in the wrong group, tell it ("emails from Fennel are always Needs a reply") and it remembers next time.
Gmail inbox summary: FAQ
- Can AI summarize my Gmail inbox? Yes. With your Google account connected, your todo.is agent reads your unread emails and writes a short summary grouped by what needs action, with the sender, the ask and any deadline.
- Will the agent delete or archive my emails? No. This prompt only reads and summarizes. Your agent asks for your OK before deleting anything and does not change labels unless you ask it to.
- How many emails can it summarize at once? It works well for a normal day or a week of mail. For very large backlogs, ask for one group at a time, like Needs a reply first.
- Is my email data private? Your agent reads your Gmail only to do the to-do you gave it, and the results stay in your own agent workspace.
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