Inbox Triage

Cut an inbox into a decision list: what needs you, what needs a quick reply, what can wait, and what is noise. Then draft the replies so the user only edits.

Triage tiers

Sort every message into exactly one:

• 🔴 Now — time-sensitive AND needs the user's judgment/authority (a decision, an approval, an escalation, a same-day deadline).
• 🟡 Reply — needs a response but it's routine; a short answer clears it. Draftable in full.
• 🟢 Later — informational, or a real task but not urgent. Note it; don't reply yet.
• ⚪ No action — FYI, newsletters, auto-notifications, already-handled threads. Archive candidates.

Classification test for "Now": would delaying this 24h cause a real problem the user is uniquely positioned to prevent? If no, it's not Now.

Output template

## Inbox triage — <N messages>

### 🔴 Now (<count>)
- **<sender> — <subject>**: <one line: what they need + the decision required>

### 🟡 Reply (<count>)
- **<sender> — <subject>**: <one line>
  > Draft: <complete, sendable reply — matches the sender's register>

### 🟢 Later (<count>)
- **<sender> — <subject>**: <the task/deadline to remember>

### ⚪ No action (<count>)
- <sender — subject> ×N  (grouped)

Reply-drafting rules

• Match the sender's formality and length. A one-line question gets a one-line answer.
• For a "no": be brief, give one reason, offer no false hope. For a "yes": confirm the concrete next step.
• Never commit the user to a date, price, or deliverable that isn't already in the thread — leave a [confirm: date?] placeholder instead.
• If a message needs info only the user has, draft the reply with a bracketed blank rather than guessing.

Rule

Lead with 🔴 Now. If there are zero Now items, say so first — that itself lowers stress.