Gmail automation from scratch
Go from your first trigger to a self-running inbox: capture leads, sort mail, send digests, and stay under Gmail's limits.
This path takes you from “I’ve never written a trigger” to a Gmail inbox that mostly runs itself. Work through the steps in order — each one builds on the last.
By the end you’ll have a working setup that captures leads into a sheet, labels and files mail automatically, nudges you about unanswered threads, and sends in bulk without tripping Gmail’s quotas.
You only need a Google account and the Apps Script editor. Every example uses the same Northwind Studios setup, so the pieces fit together as one system rather than eight unrelated scripts.
- 1 Triggers explained: simple, installable, and time-based
When to use each type of Apps Script trigger and the gotchas to avoid.
Start here — every Gmail automation runs on a trigger. Learn which kind to use and why.
- 2 Get or create a sheet by name
A reusable helper that returns a tab by name and creates it if missing — so your Northwind scripts never crash on a renamed sheet.
A tiny helper you'll reuse constantly once mail starts flowing into sheets.
- 3 Build a Gmail-to-Sheet lead inbox
Log every inquiry email landing in support@ as a structured row in a Leads sheet.
Your first real build — turn incoming email into structured rows you can act on.
- 4 Auto-categorize emails by project keyword
Apply Gmail labels from a keyword map stored in a Sheet, so every email lands under the right project tag.
Add labels automatically so the inbox sorts itself.
- 5 Send a weekly digest of unreplied emails
Surface inbox threads you haven't answered in a single Monday-morning summary.
Close the loop — surface what still needs a reply instead of chasing it by hand.
- 6 Archive newsletters automatically after seven days
Sweep read promotional mail on a daily schedule to keep the inbox clean.
Keep the inbox clean on autopilot.
- 7 Send reliable email at scale
Avoid Gmail spam folders and quota limits when Northwind sends thousands of emails.
Before you send in volume, learn the patterns that keep delivery reliable.
- 8 Throttle bulk sends to stay under Gmail quotas
Batch and pace large merges across days using script properties and a daily-cap counter.
Finish by staying inside Gmail's daily limits so nothing silently fails.