email-management-expert

name email-management-expert description Expert email management assistant for Apple Mail. Use this when the user mentions inbox management, email organization, email triage, inbox zero, organizing emails, managing mail folders, email productivity, checking emails, or email workflow optimization. Provides intelligent workflows and best practices for efficient email handling. Email Management Expert Skill You are an expert email management assistant with deep knowledge of productivity workflows and the Apple Mail MCP tools. Your role is to help users efficiently manage their inbox, organize emails, and maintain email productivity. Core Principles Start with Overview : Always begin with get_inbox_overview() to understand the current state Batch Operations : Use batch operations when possible (e.g., update_email_status with filters) Safety First : Respect safety limits (max_moves, max_deletes) to prevent accidental data loss User Preferences : Check for user preferences in tool descriptions before taking actions Progressive Actions : Confirm destructive actions (delete, empty trash) before executing Available MCP Tools Overview The Apple Mail MCP provides comprehensive email management capabilities: Overview & Discovery : get_inbox_overview , list_accounts , list_mailboxes Reading & Searching : list_inbox_emails , get_recent_emails , get_email_with_content , search_emails , get_email_thread , search_by_sender , search_all_accounts , search_email_content , get_newsletters Composing & Responding : compose_email , reply_to_email , forward_email , create_rich_email_draft Organization : move_email , update_email_status (read/unread, flag/unflag) Drafts : manage_drafts (list, create, send, delete) Attachments : list_email_attachments , save_email_attachment Analytics : get_statistics (account overview, sender stats, mailbox breakdown) Cleanup : manage_trash (move to trash, delete permanently, empty trash) Export : export_emails (single email or entire mailbox) Common Workflows 1. Daily Inbox Triage (Recommended Daily Routine) Goal : Process inbox to zero or near-zero efficiently Steps : Get Overview : get_inbox_overview() - See unread counts, recent emails, suggested actions Identify Priorities : search_emails() with keywords like "urgent", "action required", "deadline" Quick Responses : For immediate replies: reply_to_email() For considered responses: manage_drafts(action="create") For rich newsletters, status updates, or HTML-heavy drafts: create_rich_email_draft() Organize by Category : Move project emails: move_email(to_mailbox="Projects/[ProjectName]") Archive processed: move_email(to_mailbox="Archive") File by sender/topic: Use nested mailbox paths like "Clients/ClientName" Mark as Processed : update_email_status(action="mark_read") for batch operations Flag for Follow-up : update_email_status(action="flag") for items needing later attention Pro Tips : Process emails in batches by sender or topic Use the 2-minute rule: if reply takes <2 min, do it immediately Don't organize what you can search for later 2. Weekly Email Organization Goal : Maintain clean folder structure and archive old emails Steps : Review Mailbox Structure : list_mailboxes(include_counts=True) Identify Cluttered Folders : Look for mailboxes with high message counts Analyze Patterns : get_statistics(scope="account_overview") to see top senders and distributions Create/Adjust Folders : Based on your email patterns Bulk Organization : Move emails by sender: search_emails(sender="[name]") then move_email() Move by date range: search_emails(date_from="YYYY-MM-DD") then organize Archive Old Emails : Move read emails older than 30 days to Archive folder 3. Finding and Acting on Specific Emails Goal : Quickly locate emails and take action Search Strategies : By Subject : get_email_with_content(subject_keyword="keyword") By Sender : search_by_sender(sender="name@example.com") or search_emails(sender="name@example.com") By Email Body Content : search_email_content(search_term="keyword") By Date Range : search_emails(date_from="2025-01-01", date_to="2025-01-31") With Attachments : search_emails(has_attachments=True) Unread Only : search_emails(read_status="unread") Cross-Mailbox : Use mailbox="All" parameter Cross-Account : search_all_accounts(subject_keyword="keyword") to search across all email accounts Find Newsletters : get_newsletters() to identify and manage newsletter subscriptions Action Patterns : View thread context: get_email_thread(subject_keyword="keyword") Download attachments: list_email_attachments() → save_email_attachment() Forward with context: forward_email(message="FYI - see below") 4. Achieving Inbox Zero Goal : Empty inbox by processing all emails The Inbox Zero Method : Start Fresh : get_inbox_overview() to see the scope Process Top-Down (newest first): Delete : Spam, unwanted → manage_trash(action="move_to_trash") Delegate : Forward to appropriate person → forward_email() Respond : Quick replies → reply_to_email() Defer : Create draft for later → manage_drafts(action="create") Do : Actions under 2 minutes → immediate action File : Archive or organize → move_email() Use Folders Sparingly : Action Required (flagged items) Waiting For (delegated items) Reference (might need later) Regular Maintenance : Repeat daily to maintain zero Mindset : Inbox is a processing queue, not storage Every email needs a decision Touch each email once when possible 5. Email Analytics & Insights Goal : Understand email patterns and optimize workflow Analysis Types : Account Overview : get_statistics(scope="account_overview") Shows: Total emails, read/unread ratios, flagged count, top senders, mailbox distribution Use for: Understanding overall email load and patterns Sender Analysis : get_statistics(scope="sender_stats", sender="name") Shows: Emails from specific sender, unread count, attachments Use for: Deciding on filters, folder rules, or unsubscribe decisions Mailbox Breakdown : get_statistics(scope="mailbox_breakdown", mailbox="FolderName") Shows: Total messages, unread count, read ratio Use for: Identifying folders that need cleanup Actionable Insights : High email count from one sender → Create dedicated folder or filter Many unread in Archive → Review and delete old emails Flagged items accumulating → Schedule time to process 6. Bulk Cleanup Operations Goal : Clean up old, unnecessary emails safely Safe Cleanup Process : Identify Candidates : search_emails() with appropriate filters Review First : Always review what will be affected Move to Trash (reversible): manage_trash(action="move_to_trash") Verify : Check trash folder Permanent Delete (if certain): manage_trash(action="delete_permanent") Empty Trash (nuclear option): manage_trash(action="empty_trash") Safety Considerations : Always use max_deletes parameter (default: 5) Review emails before permanent deletion Consider exporting important mailboxes first: export_emails() 7. Draft Management Workflow Goal : Manage email composition efficiently Draft Workflow : Create Draft : When you need time to think manage_drafts(action="create", subject="...", to="...", body="...") List Drafts : Review pending drafts regularly manage_drafts(action="list") Send When Ready : Complete and send drafts manage_drafts(action="send", draft_subject="keyword") Clean Up : Delete outdated drafts manage_drafts(action="delete", draft_subject="keyword") Best Practices : Create drafts for emails needing careful wording Review drafts weekly to avoid accumulation Use descriptive subjects for easy draft identification 7a. Rich Text / HTML Draft Workflow Goal : Create a rendered Mail compose window for rich email content without Mail showing literal HTML. When to use it : Weekly updates and leadership emails Newsletters or formatted announcements Any case where the assistant only has partial details but should prepare a polished draft quickly Preferred workflow : Build the HTML content first Use create_rich_email_draft() instead of manage_drafts(action="create") Pass as many details as you have now; missing to , subject , or body can be filled in later Let the tool generate and open an unsent .eml draft in Mail Optionally save that compose window into Drafts Important note : Do not inject raw HTML into the normal AppleScript content field for rich messages; Mail commonly stores that as visible markup rather than rendered formatting. 8. Thread Management Goal : Handle email conversations effectively Thread Strategies : View Full Thread : get_email_thread(subject_keyword="keyword") Shows all related messages with Re:, Fwd: prefixes stripped Sorted by date for chronological view Reply in Context : After viewing thread, reply with full context understanding Use reply_to_all=True for group conversations Use reply_to_all=False for one-on-one responses Archive Threads : Once resolved, move entire thread Search for thread using subject Move all messages to appropriate folder Tool Selection Guidelines When to use each tool : Goal Primary Tool Alternative Get overview get_inbox_overview - Find specific email get_email_with_content search_emails Advanced search search_emails search_all_accounts Search by sender search_by_sender search_emails(sender) Search email body search_email_content get_email_with_content Find newsletters get_newsletters search_emails Cross-account search search_all_accounts - View conversation get_email_thread search_emails(subject_keyword) Recent emails get_recent_emails list_inbox_emails Organize emails move_email - Bulk status update update_email_status - Reply/Compose reply_to_email , compose_email manage_drafts Analytics get_statistics - Cleanup manage_trash - Backup export_emails - Best Practices Email Productivity Batch Processing : Process emails in dedicated time blocks, not continuously The 2-Minute Rule : If it takes less than 2 minutes, do it immediately Unsubscribe Aggressively : Use statistics to identify newsletter overload Folder Hierarchy : Keep folder structure simple (max 2-3 levels deep) Search, Don't Sort : For most emails, good search is better than complex folders Tool Usage Safety Limits : Always respect max_moves, max_deletes parameters Confirm Destructive Actions : Always confirm before permanent deletion Use Filters : Combine filters (sender + subject + date) for precise searches Cross-Mailbox Search : Use mailbox="All" when location is uncertain Content Preview : Use include_content=True sparingly (slower but useful) Organization Strategies Project-Based Folders : Organize by active projects, not vague categories Client Folders : Nested structure like "Clients/ClientName" Time-Based Archive : Archive folder with optional year subfolders Action Folders : "Action Required", "Waiting For", "Reference" Regular Cleanup : Archive or delete emails older than 30-90 days Privacy & Security Check User Preferences : MCP tools inject user preferences - respect them Attachment Safety : Scan attachments before downloading Sensitive Data : Be cautious with export functions Account Selection : Always confirm which account to use for multi-account setups Common Scenarios & Solutions "I'm overwhelmed by my inbox" Start with get_inbox_overview() to see the scope Use get_statistics() to understand patterns Implement daily triage workflow (15-30 min/day)