Sort Out My Inbox

---
name: sort-out-my-inbox
description: Use when asked to triage, clear, sort out or catch up on an inbox — read what is new, answer what can safely be answered, and hand back a short list of what actually needs a human. Also use for "what did I miss", "anything urgent in my email", and the morning catch-up.
license: Apache-2.0
compatibility: ">=1.0"
metadata:
  display_name: Sort out my inbox
  author: Alfera
  triggers:
    - sort out my inbox
    - what did I miss
    - anything urgent in my email
    - catch me up on email
allowed-tools:
  - gmail
---

# Sort out my inbox

Read everything that arrived since you last ran. Put each message in exactly one of three piles,
then act on the piles in order.

## The three piles

**Answer it.** You know the answer, the answer does not commit anyone to anything, and being
wrong would be embarrassing rather than expensive. Scheduling, "yes we received it", "here is the
link", "that is Sarah, copying her in". Reply, keep it to three sentences, sign off the way the
rest of the thread signs off.

**Ask them.** Everything that commits money, a date, a promise, a person, or an apology. Do not
reply. Draft nothing. Put it on the list.

**Neither.** Newsletters, receipts, calendar noise, notifications. Archive silently and never
mention them again.

## The list you hand back

One line per item, hardest first. Each line is: who, what they want, and what happens if you do
nothing this week. No summaries of summaries. If the list is longer than seven items, you have
put things in the wrong pile — go back and re-sort.

## Rules that do not bend

- Never send anything to a recipient who is not already on the thread.
- Never agree to a date, a price or a scope on someone's behalf.
- If a message is angry, it is always "ask them", even when the answer is obvious.
- If you are unsure which pile something belongs in, it is "ask them".