Triage & tags

When an email arrives, the AI reads it and files it under one tag. You choose whether it also archives the mail it's sure you don't need to see.

Triage modes

Choose a mode in Settings → Inbox triage.

ModeWhat happens to new mail
OffNothing. Your inbox is left alone.
Label onlyEach email gets a tag. Nothing is moved. This is the default.
Label + archiveEach email gets a tag, and newsletters, receipts, notifications and marketing are archived when the model is very sure.

Archiving is cautious on purpose. The model must be at least 90% sure an email is in an archivable category, and less than 20% sure it needs your attention. Anything in between stays in your inbox.

Built-in tags

TagWhat goes there
Needs ReplyA real person expects a reply, decision or action from you.
Waiting OnYou sent the latest message and are waiting on someone else.
FYIWorth reading, but no action needed.
NotificationAutomated alerts: comments, mentions, CI, calendar notices.
ReceiptReceipts, paid invoices, orders, shipping and bookings.
NewsletterContent you subscribed to: digests, blogs, product updates.
MarketingPromotions, sales pitches and cold outreach.

Your own tags

In Settings → Tags, add a tag with a name and a sentence about what belongs in it, for example:

Hiring — Applications, recruiter emails and interview scheduling

The AI reads that description when it files mail, and uses your tags alongside the built-in ones. Write it the way you'd brief an assistant. Tag changes save right away.

Deleting a tag deletes its Gmail label. The mail itself is untouched.

Tags are Gmail labels

Each tag is a Gmail label under echelon-inbox/, such as echelon-inbox/Needs Reply. You'll see them in Gmail on the web and on your phone, and you can use them in Gmail filters and searches.

When the AI gets it wrong

Click the tag on a thread to change it. Your choice replaces the AI's. If it archived something you wanted, open the thread and press I to move it back to the inbox.