| name | spark-recipe-label-organize |
| description | Organize emails with labels and folders: attach labels, detach wrong ones, and move misfiled emails. |
| metadata | {"version":"1.0.0","requires":{"skills":["spark"],"accessLevel":"triage"}} |
Recipe: Label & Folder Organize
Organize emails using labels and folders. Attach project labels, detach incorrect ones, and move misfiled emails to the right location.
Prerequisite: Read the spark base skill for tool reference and filter syntax.
Access level required: triage.
Steps
Step 1: Review current folder and label structure
folders {}
For a specific account:
folders { "account": "user@example.com" }
Note the existing labels and their message counts. Identify labels that are empty or no longer relevant.
Step 2: Identify emails that need labeling
Search for project-related or topic-related emails that should be labeled:
search { "query": "project name" }
emails { "filter": "from:client@company.com newer_than:30d" }
Step 3: Attach labels
Add a label to an email without removing it from its current location:
action { "action_name": "attachLabel", "message_ids": ["<id>"], "folder": "user@example.com:ProjectAlpha" }
Label multiple emails in a batch:
action { "action_name": "attachLabel", "message_ids": ["<id1>"], "folder": "user@example.com:ProjectAlpha" }
action { "action_name": "attachLabel", "message_ids": ["<id2>"], "folder": "user@example.com:ProjectAlpha" }
Step 4: Detach incorrect labels
Remove a label that was applied incorrectly:
action { "action_name": "detachLabel", "message_ids": ["<id>"], "folder": "user@example.com:WrongLabel" }
Step 5: Move misfiled emails
Move emails to the correct folder:
action { "action_name": "moveToFolder", "message_ids": ["<id>"], "folder": "user@example.com:Projects" }
Step 6: Verify
Browse the organized label to confirm the right emails are there:
emails { "folder": "user@example.com:ProjectAlpha" }
Tips
- Use
folders to discover the exact qualified names for labels (e.g., user@gmail.com:MyLabel).
attachLabel adds a label without moving the email - the email stays in its current folder too. This is how Gmail labels work.detachLabel removes a label without moving the email elsewhere.moveToFolder physically moves the email to a different folder - use this for IMAP-style organization.- For Gmail accounts, prefer
attachLabel/detachLabel over moveToFolder since Gmail uses labels rather than folders.
- Shared inbox labels use the format
shared@company.com:LabelName or "Team Name:LabelName".
- Combine with
recipe-meeting-prep or project tracking workflows to label threads as part of a larger process.
- Run this recipe periodically to keep project labels current as new related emails arrive.
