Step 4: Email Actions

Automate your inbox workflow with Email Actions—automatically forward, organize, and manage emails based on AI-powered conditions.

Location: Email Actions tab in the left sidebar

Description: Create automated rules that trigger actions based on AI-powered conditions. Email Actions let you automatically forward, organize, filter, and manage emails without manual work.

How it works: You define conditions using natural language (e.g., "emails about invoices"), and the AI automatically applies actions (e.g., forward to accounting) when it detects matching emails. Each rule can have up to 3 different actions.

Email Actions overview showing list of automation rules

What Are Email Actions?

Email Actions transform your inbox from a reactive tool into a proactive workflow system. Instead of manually sorting, forwarding, or organizing emails, you create intelligent rules that handle it automatically.

Common Use Cases

  • Spam & Promotion Filtering: Automatically move spam, promotional emails, or newsletters to trash or specific folders
  • Invoice & Receipt Management: Forward all invoices to your accounting department automatically
  • Team Distribution: Route support tickets, sales inquiries, or HR requests to the right team members
  • Inbox Organization: Automatically star important emails, archive processed messages, or organize by labels
  • Notification Management: Filter automated notifications, alerts, or system emails into dedicated folders
  • Client Communication: Forward client emails to project managers or relevant team members
  • Compliance & Archiving: Automatically archive legal communications or compliance-related emails

How to Create an Email Action

Step 1: Navigate to Email Actions

  1. Click the Email Actions tab in the left sidebar
  2. You'll see a list of your existing rules (if any)
  3. Click Create Rule to start a new automation

Step 2: Select Email Account

  1. Choose Connected Account
    • Select which email account this rule applies to
    • Rules are account-specific, so you can have different rules for different inboxes
    • Only active connected accounts are available

Step 3: Name Your Rule

  1. Enter Rule Name
    • Choose a descriptive name that explains what the rule does
    • Examples: "Forward Invoices to Accounting", "Filter Spam Emails", "Route Support Tickets"
    • Name must be 3-100 characters

Step 4: Define Conditions

  1. Write Condition Description
    • Use natural language to describe when this rule should apply
    • The AI understands context and intent
    • Be specific but conversational

Example Conditions:

Emails about invoices, receipts, or billing from vendors
Promotional emails, marketing newsletters, or advertisements
Support requests from customers asking for technical help
Emails from recruiting@company.com about new job applications
Any email that appears to be spam or phishing attempts
Internal notifications or automated alerts from our systems

Tips for Writing Good Conditions:

  • Be specific about email content, sender, or subject matter
  • Use keywords that clearly identify the type of email
  • Mention sender patterns if relevant (e.g., "emails from @vendor.com")
  • Describe the intent or topic rather than exact phrases

Step 5: Configure Actions

Each rule can have 1 to 3 actions that execute sequentially. Choose from the following action types:

Available Actions

Forward to Addresses

  • Automatically forward matching emails to one or multiple recipients
  • Enter email addresses separated by commas or new lines
  • Example: accounting@company.com, finance@company.com
  • Useful for routing emails to teams or departments

Move to Folder

  • Organize emails into specific Gmail labels or Outlook folders
  • Select from your existing folders
  • Creates structure and reduces inbox clutter
  • Perfect for categorizing emails automatically

Move to Trash

  • Automatically delete unwanted emails
  • Use cautiously—deleted emails may be hard to recover
  • Best for clear spam or unwanted automated emails

Move to Spam

  • Mark emails as spam
  • Helps train your email provider's spam filter
  • Use for phishing attempts or confirmed spam

Star / Mark Important

  • Highlight important emails with a star
  • Makes emails easier to find later
  • Useful for priority emails or follow-up items

Archive

  • Remove emails from inbox while keeping them accessible
  • Keeps inbox clean without deleting
  • Great for processed emails that need to be retained

Apply To Settings

Each action has an Apply To setting:

  • First email in thread only (default) – Action only applies to the first email in a conversation thread
  • All emails in thread – Action applies to every email in the thread

Example:

  • If you want to forward only the initial customer inquiry but not the entire conversation, use "First email in thread only"
  • If you want to archive every email in a conversation, use "All emails in thread"

Adding Multiple Actions

  1. Click Add Action to add a second or third action
  2. Actions execute in the order you define them
  3. Maximum of 3 actions per rule

Example Multi-Action Rule:

  1. Forward to support@company.com
  2. Star the email
  3. Move to folder "Customer Inquiries"

Step 6: Enable/Disable Rule

  1. Enable Rule toggle
    • Turn on to activate the rule immediately
    • Turn off to keep the rule saved but inactive
    • Useful for testing or seasonal rules

Step 7: Save the Rule

  1. Click Create Rule to save
  2. The rule will start processing new incoming emails immediately
  3. Rules only apply to future emails, not existing ones

Managing Email Actions

Viewing Your Rules

  1. Go to Email Actions tab
  2. You'll see a list of all your rules with:
    • Rule name
    • Connected account
    • Enabled/disabled status
    • Created date

Editing a Rule

  1. Find the rule you want to edit
  2. Click Edit or the rule name
  3. Update any settings:
    • Conditions
    • Actions
    • Name
    • Enable/disable status
  4. Click Update Rule to save changes

Deleting a Rule

  1. Find the rule you want to delete
  2. Click Delete or the trash icon
  3. Confirm the deletion
  4. The rule is permanently removed and stops processing emails

Enabling/Disabling Rules

  1. Find the rule you want to toggle
  2. Click the Enable/Disable switch
  3. Disabled rules remain in your list but don't process emails
  4. Re-enable anytime to start processing again

Monitoring Email Actions

Action Logs

InboxPilot tracks every action executed by your rules:

  1. Go to the Logs tab in the left sidebar
  2. Filter by "Email Actions" to see rule executions
  3. View details:
    • Which rule was triggered
    • What email matched
    • What actions were executed
    • Timestamp

Troubleshooting

If a rule isn't working as expected:

  1. Check if the rule is enabled – Disabled rules don't process emails
  2. Review the condition – Make sure it's specific enough to match intended emails
  3. Check action configuration – Verify forward addresses, folder selections, etc.
  4. Review logs – Check if the rule is being triggered and what's happening
  5. Test with a sample email – Send yourself a test email that should match
  6. Update the rule – Refine the condition or actions based on results

Best Practices for Email Actions

Writing Effective Conditions

Do:

  • Be specific about the type of email you want to match
  • Use keywords and context the AI can understand
  • Test with sample emails before going live
  • Include sender information when relevant

Don't:

  • Use overly vague conditions like "important emails"
  • Create conflicting rules that might both match the same email
  • Forget to test before enabling

Organizing Your Rules

  • Create separate rules for different purposes (don't try to do everything in one rule)
  • Use descriptive names that explain what each rule does
  • Group similar rules by account
  • Regularly review and clean up unused rules

Avoiding Common Mistakes

  1. Too Many Actions on One Rule: Keep it focused—use multiple rules for complex workflows
  2. Forwarding Loops: Don't create rules that forward back to the same account
  3. Overly Broad Conditions: Be specific to avoid matching unintended emails
  4. Not Testing First: Always test with sample emails before enabling
  5. Deleting Important Emails: Use "Move to Folder" or "Archive" instead of "Trash" for safety

Example Email Action Rules

Customer Support Routing

Rule Name: Route Support Requests to Team
Condition: Emails from customers asking for help, support, or technical assistance
Actions:

  1. Forward to support@company.com
  2. Move to folder "Support Requests"

Invoice Processing

Rule Name: Forward Invoices to Accounting
Condition: Emails containing invoices, receipts, billing statements, or payment requests
Actions:

  1. Forward to accounting@company.com
  2. Star the email

Spam & Promotions Filter

Rule Name: Filter Marketing Emails
Condition: Promotional emails, marketing newsletters, sale announcements, or advertising content
Actions:

  1. Move to folder "Promotions"

Important Client Emails

Rule Name: Highlight VIP Client Emails
Condition: Emails from @importantclient.com or urgent client requests
Actions:

  1. Star the email
  2. Move to folder "VIP Clients"

Newsletter Organization

Rule Name: Organize Newsletters
Condition: Weekly or daily newsletters, industry updates, or subscription emails
Actions:

  1. Move to folder "Reading List"
  2. Archive

Automated Notifications

Rule Name: Archive System Notifications
Condition: Automated notifications, system alerts, or status updates from our internal tools
Actions:

  1. Move to folder "Notifications"
  2. Archive

Advanced Tips

Sequential Action Processing

Actions execute in order from top to bottom. This matters when:

  • Forwarding then moving to folder (forward first ensures original content is sent)
  • Starring before archiving (star is applied before email leaves inbox)
  • Moving to folder before archiving (folder assignment happens first)

Account-Specific Workflows

Create different rules for different accounts:

  • Personal account: Filter newsletters and promotions
  • Work account: Route departmental emails and client requests
  • Support account: Organize by ticket priority or type

Combining with AI Responses

Email Actions work alongside your AI email bot:

  1. Email Actions organize and route emails
  2. AI Email Bot generates responses
  3. Together they create a fully automated workflow

Example:

  • Action: Route support emails to "Support" folder
  • AI Bot: Generates draft responses for support emails
  • Result: Organized inbox + automated responses

Limits & Quotas

  • Maximum actions per rule: 3
  • Maximum rules per account: Check your plan limits
  • Condition length: 10-500 characters
  • Rule name length: 3-100 characters
  • Forward recipients: Unlimited (comma or newline separated)
  • Connect Account: Set up email accounts before creating rules → Step 2
  • Knowledge Center: Upload data to improve AI condition matching → Step 1
  • Logs: Monitor rule execution and troubleshoot → View Logs tab
  • AI Email Bot: Combine with Email Actions for complete automation → Edit Prompts

Need Help?

Questions about Email Actions?

  • Email Support: support@inboxpilot.co
  • Documentation: Browse other setup guides
  • Logs: Check action execution history in the Logs tab