Sort Inbound Email Notes to Google Drive
Automatically process incoming email transcripts, format them into structured meeting notes using AI, and save them to the appropriate client folder in Google Drive.
Last updated
December 5, 2025
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Key Takeaways
- Automatic email-to-notes pipeline - Incoming transcript emails are processed into structured meeting notes and saved to Google Drive without any manual steps.
- AI folder matching - An AI agent browses your Google Drive folder structure and picks the right client or project folder for each set of notes.
- Parallel processing - Folder identification and note formatting happen simultaneously for faster results.
- Consistent documentation - Every set of notes follows the same structure: overview, discussion points, decisions, action items, and next steps.
What This Workflow Does
This workflow monitors Gmail for inbound transcript emails, formats them into structured meeting notes using AI, identifies the correct Google Drive folder based on context, and saves the notes as a new document. It is designed for teams that receive meeting transcripts by email and want them automatically organized.
Use cases:
- Consulting firms that need every client meeting documented and filed into the right folder
- Sales teams saving call notes organized by account or deal
- Any team that receives transcript emails and wants them turned into searchable, organized notes
How It Works
| Step | What Happens |
|---|---|
| 1. Gmail Trigger | Watches for new matching emails in your inbox |
| 2. Extract Subject | A code node pulls the email subject line for context |
| 3. Find Folder | An AI agent uses Google Drive tools (find_folder, get_folder_id_for_path, list_files) to locate the right folder |
| 4. Format Notes | In parallel, another AI agent structures the email content into meeting notes |
| 5. Merge | Combines folder information and formatted notes into one output |
| 6. Save to Drive | An AI agent creates a new document in the identified folder using create_file_from_text |
Workflow Nodes
| Node | Role |
|---|---|
| Gmail New Email Matching Search | Triggers when a matching email arrives in your inbox |
| Code (Extract Subject) | Extracts the email subject from parsed headers |
| AI Agent (Find Folder) | Searches Google Drive for the correct folder based on meeting context, using GPT-4.1 |
| AI Agent (Format Notes) | Formats the transcript into structured notes with sections for overview, discussion points, decisions, action items, and next steps |
| Merge | Combines the folder ID and formatted notes |
| AI Agent (Save to Drive) | Creates a text file in the correct Google Drive folder |
| Google Drive Create File | A tool node that handles the actual file creation in Drive |
Setup Instructions
- Add the workflow template to Needle
- Connect your Gmail account in the trigger node
- Connect your Google Drive account in both the folder-finding and file-creation nodes
- Update the Gmail search query in the trigger to match your email source (default is from@fireflies.ai)
- Update the Google Drive folder path in the AI prompts to point to your own folder structure
Customization
| What You Can Change | How |
|---|---|
| Email source filter | Update the Gmail search query in the trigger node to watch for emails from a different sender or with specific keywords |
| Note format | Edit the prompt in the Format Notes AI node to add sections like risks, timeline updates, or stakeholder summaries |
| Folder matching logic | Update the Find Folder AI prompt to reflect your exact Google Drive naming conventions |
| File naming | Change the instructions in the Save to Drive node to adjust how documents are named (date, meeting type, attendees, etc.) |
| AI model | Both AI nodes use GPT-4.1 by default, but you can swap to a different model |
FAQ
Q: Does this only work with Fireflies emails? A: The default Gmail filter watches for Fireflies emails, but you can change the search query to match any email source that sends transcripts or notes.
Q: How does the AI know which folder to use? A: The AI agent uses Google Drive tools to browse your folder structure and matches based on names, context from the email subject, and meeting participants.
Q: What happens if no matching folder is found? A: You should make sure your Google Drive has folders that correspond to your clients or projects. If the AI cannot find a match, you may need to adjust the folder-finding prompt or add the missing folder.
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