Auto-categorize Outlook emails into color categories with GPT-4o

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Important notice

This workflow is provided as-is. Please review and test before using in production.

1. Workflow Overview

This workflow fetches recent emails from Outlook and uses OpenAI to assign a category (e.g., Red , Yellow , Green ). It then updates each message’s category in Outlook. ️ Setup Instructions 1️⃣ Se...

Best for

AI Summarization automation workflows
Multimodal AI automation workflows
intermediate n8n builders looking for reusable templates

Tools used

n8n-nodes-base.splitinbatches, n8n-nodes-base.manualtrigger, n8n-nodes-base.microsoftoutlook, @n8n/n8n-nodes-langchain.lmchatopenai, @n8n/n8n-nodes-langchain.outputparserstructured, n8n-nodes-base.set, @n8n/n8n-nodes-langchain.agent, n8n-nodes-base.stickynote

Source and attribution

This workflow is cataloged by N8N Workflows and links back to its original n8n.io source page by Robert Breen.

Original n8n.io source

1.1 Workflow description

Title: Auto-categorize Outlook emails into color categories with GPT-4o
Workflow name: Auto-categorize Outlook emails into color categories with GPT-4o

This workflow fetches recent emails from Outlook and uses OpenAI to assign a category (e.g., Red, Yellow, Green). It then updates each message’s category in Outlook.

⚙️ Setup Instructions

1️⃣ Set Up Outlook Connection

In n8n → Credentials → New → Microsoft Outlook OAuth2 API
Log in with your Outlook account & approve access
Attach this credential to the Get Messages from Outlook and Update Category nodes in the workflow
(Optional) Adjust the limit field in Get Messages from Outlook if you want more/less than 5 results

2️⃣ Set Up OpenAI Connection

Go to the OpenAI Platform
Navigate to OpenAI Billing
Add funds to your billing account
Copy your API key into the OpenAI credentials in n8n and select it on the OpenAI Chat Model and Categorizing Agent nodes

✅ Notes

The agent reads subject + bodyPreview and returns a JSON category.
The Update Category node writes that category back to Outlook.
You can tweak the category names or logic in the Categorizing Agent system message.

📬 Contact

Need help customizing the categorization rules or routing categories to folders?

📧 [email protected]
🔗 Robert Breen
🌐 ynteractive.com

1.2 Logical Blocks

This catalog entry is organized from the workflow JSON. The node-level section below shows the executable blocks available for review before importing the template.

2. Block-by-Block Analysis

Block 1 - Loop Over Items1

Type / Role: n8n-nodes-base.splitInBatches - splitInBatches
Config choices: Version 3

Block 2 - When clicking ‘Execute workflow’

Type / Role: n8n-nodes-base.manualTrigger - manualTrigger
Config choices: Version 1

Block 3 - Get Messages from Outlook

Type / Role: n8n-nodes-base.microsoftOutlook - microsoftOutlook
Config choices: Version 2

Block 4 - OpenAI Chat Model1

Type / Role: @n8n/n8n-nodes-langchain.lmChatOpenAi - lmChatOpenAi
Config choices: Version 1.2

Block 5 - Structured Output Parser

Type / Role: @n8n/n8n-nodes-langchain.outputParserStructured - outputParserStructured
Config choices: Version 1.3

Block 6 - Set Fields from Email

Type / Role: n8n-nodes-base.set - set
Config choices: Version 3.4

Block 7 - Categorizing Agent

Type / Role: @n8n/n8n-nodes-langchain.agent - agent
Config choices: Version 2.2

Block 8 - Set Category and ID

Type / Role: n8n-nodes-base.set - set
Config choices: Version 3.4

Block 9 - Update Category

Type / Role: n8n-nodes-base.microsoftOutlook - microsoftOutlook
Config choices: Version 2

Block 10 - Sticky Note54

Type / Role: n8n-nodes-base.stickyNote - stickyNote
Config choices: Version 1

Block 11 - Sticky Note24

Type / Role: n8n-nodes-base.stickyNote - stickyNote
Config choices: Version 1

Block 12 - Sticky Note21

Type / Role: n8n-nodes-base.stickyNote - stickyNote
Config choices: Version 1

Block 13 - Sticky Note22

Type / Role: n8n-nodes-base.stickyNote - stickyNote
Config choices: Version 1

3. Summary Table

Workflow	Auto-categorize Outlook emails into color categories with GPT-4o
Complexity	intermediate
Nodes	13
Categories	AI Summarization, Multimodal AI
Author	Robert Breen
Published	24 Aug 2025

4. Reproducing the Workflow from Scratch

1. Download the workflow JSON

Use the JSON export at /data/workflows/7796/7796.json as the source template for this automation.
2. Import the template into n8n

Open n8n, import the downloaded JSON, and review each node before activating the workflow.
3. Configure credentials and variables

Replace placeholder credentials, API keys, webhook URLs, account IDs, and environment-specific values with your own settings.
4. Test with sample data

Run the workflow manually or in a staging workspace, inspect node output, and confirm downstream systems receive the expected data.
5. Activate and monitor

Enable the workflow only after testing, then monitor executions, errors, and rate limits during the first production runs.

5. General Notes & Resources

Review imported nodes carefully before activation. This catalog entry is intended to help you inspect the workflow structure, understand required services, and find related templates faster.

Node names, credentials, schedules, webhook paths, and external service limits may need adjustment for your workspace.

Download workflow JSON Original n8n.io source AI Summarization workflows Multimodal AI workflows

Frequently asked questions

What does Auto-categorize Outlook emails into color categories with GPT-4o do?

What do I need before importing this workflow?

Review the workflow JSON, configure any required credentials in n8n, and test the automation in a safe workspace before using it in production.

Can I customize this workflow?

Yes. Use the block-by-block analysis and the downloadable JSON to inspect each node, then adjust credentials, prompts, schedules, filters, or destinations for your AI Summarization, Multimodal AI use case.

Robert Breen

90 workflows

Nodes

n8n-nodes-base.splitinbatches n8n-nodes-base.manualtrigger n8n-nodes-base.microsoftoutlook @n8n/n8n-nodes-langchain.lmchatopenai @n8n/n8n-nodes-langchain.outputparserstructured n8n-nodes-base.set @n8n/n8n-nodes-langchain.agent n8n-nodes-base.stickynote

Complexity

intermediate

Published 24 Aug 2025

Likes 0

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Install path: /data/workflows/7796/7796.json

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Auto-categorize Outlook emails into color categories with GPT-4o

Workflow preview

Important notice

1. Workflow Overview

Best for

Tools used

Source and attribution

1.1 Workflow description

⚙️ Setup Instructions

1️⃣ Set Up Outlook Connection

2️⃣ Set Up OpenAI Connection

✅ Notes

📬 Contact

1.2 Logical Blocks

2. Block-by-Block Analysis

Block 1 - Loop Over Items1

Block 2 - When clicking ‘Execute workflow’

Block 3 - Get Messages from Outlook

Block 4 - OpenAI Chat Model1

Block 5 - Structured Output Parser

Block 6 - Set Fields from Email

Block 7 - Categorizing Agent

Block 8 - Set Category and ID

Block 9 - Update Category

Block 10 - Sticky Note54

Block 11 - Sticky Note24

Block 12 - Sticky Note21

Block 13 - Sticky Note22

3. Summary Table

4. Reproducing the Workflow from Scratch

1. Download the workflow JSON

2. Import the template into n8n

3. Configure credentials and variables

4. Test with sample data

5. Activate and monitor

5. General Notes & Resources

Frequently asked questions