version: "1.0.0" name: gmail-policy description: Use when managing Gmail messages, labels, or email workflows via gws CLI or Gmail MCP tools metadata: user-invocable: false type: technique

Gmail Policy

Reading User Intent Before Acting

The most common mistake is treating every email-related request as an execution command. Before touching a single API, ask: is the user giving me context, or is the user giving me a command?

This is a reasoning step, not a checklist. Run it silently before every response.

The Four Questions

1. Context or command? Is the user describing a situation, or directing an action?
2. If command -- explicit or ambiguous? Explicit means the verb leaves no doubt (send, dile que sí y envíaselo). Ambiguous means the verb could be draft or send.
3. Reversible or sensitive? A simple scheduling reply is reversible. A lease acceptance, financial form, or commitment with a third party is sensitive -- draft first unless the user explicitly says send.
4. Am I in a proactive triage context? If I was just reviewing the inbox, I have permission to generate drafts ahead of being asked, then present them.

Intent Classification Table

The Anti-Drift Rule

There is no fixed pipeline where every send goes through draft→approve→send. That workflow exists as a safety net for sensitive cases, not as the default for every email. When the user says "envíaselo", they mean send -- one T3 approval, one action, done.

The question is not "should I always draft first?" The question is: what did the user actually ask for, and how reversible is this action?

If you're uncertain, ask once. Do not silently choose draft when the user said send.

Proactive Draft Generation (Triage Context)

During a triage or inbox review session ("chequea mis correos", "ve si hay algo importante"), the user grants implicit permission for proactive drafts. You do not need to ask for approval before creating each one.

Pattern:

1. Read inbox, identify threads that clearly need a response
2. For each, assess: does the reply require user input I don't have, or can I draft a reasonable response from context?
3. If draftable -- draft it. Store the draft in Gmail. Note the draft ID.
4. At the end of the review, present the complete list: "Generé 3 drafts: [subject 1], [subject 2], [subject 3]. ¿Quieres revisarlos?"

The user reviews and approves individual drafts before sending. The generation step does not require one-by-one confirmation -- the presentation step does.

Do not generate drafts proactively outside triage context. If the user opens a conversation about a single email, default to their explicit instruction.

Sending: When Draft and When Direct

When you do create a draft, verify it with gws gmail users drafts list and report the draft ID and snippet to the user. This closes the loop.

Multi-Source Data Completion

Before asking the user for a datum (RUT, dirección, cuenta bancaria, etc.), check these sources in order:

1. Other Gmail threads (priority 1) -- search for related threads. A user's RUT might appear in a Colmena thread. A property address might appear in a previous landlord thread. Connecting emails is the preferred path.
2. Local structured documents -- ~/Documents/personal/**/data.json, spreadsheets
3. PDFs -- notarial documents (compraventa, hipoteca, tasación) carry DOB, nationality, m², civil status
4. Only ask the user for data not found in any source

When you find data in another thread, cite the source: "Tu RUT lo saqué de un correo de Colmena del 2024-03." This builds trust and shows the search was real.

PII Hygiene

Any .eml or temporary file containing PII (RUT, cuenta bancaria, teléfono, DOB, dirección) must be deleted with rm after the draft is created. Verify deletion with Glob or ls. Report: "Archivo temporal eliminado."

Security Tier Classification

Blocked Operations

Permanently denied by the hook -- gmail.modify OAuth scope excludes delete at the API level.

Macro Prefix Handling

gws CLI exposes convenience macros prefixed with + (e.g. +reply, +send, +search). The hook strips the leading + before the verb taxonomy lookup inside detect_mutative_command(), so each macro classifies like its base verb:

• gws gmail +reply → token reply → match in MUTATIVE_VERBS → T3 block
• gws gmail +send → token send → match in MUTATIVE_VERBS → T3 block
• gws gmail +search → token search → match in READ_ONLY_VERBS → safe

Fix applied 2026-04-17 in hooks/modules/security/mutative_verbs.py after a +reply invocation slipped through as "safe by elimination" during a Gmail session.

Sending Replies

When to use +reply vs send --params

Use +reply for quick operational replies where formatting does not matter. Use send --params when the recipient will see the mail in a mail client and visual quality matters.

For the correct gws gmail users drafts create schema, RFC 2822 template, base64url encoding pipeline, and other technical patterns -- see reference.md in this skill directory.

Label Convention

Workflow Labels (Layer 0 -- _gaia/*)

No _gaia/* label = processed/done. No extra label needed.

State Transitions

inbox ──→ action   (user or AI: I need to act)
inbox ──→ waiting  (AI detects user already replied in thread)
inbox ──→ someday  (user defers, no urgency)
inbox ──→ trash    (not wanted)
inbox ──→ pending  (mass triage staging)
 
action  ──→ waiting  (user replied/acted → auto T1 transition)
action  ──→ done     (handled, no follow-up → remove label)
action  ──→ someday  (user defers)
 
waiting ──→ action  (other party replied → needs user attention)
waiting ──→ done    (resolved → remove label)
 
someday ──→ action  (user decides to act)
someday ──→ trash   (not worth it)
someday ──→ done    (reviewed, no action needed → remove label)
 
pending ──→ {action, waiting, someday, trash, done}  (triage output)

Calendar Rule

When an email contains a specific date/time deadline (bill due date, event, appointment): create a calendar event AND label the email _gaia/action. The calendar is the time-trigger; the label is the state-tracker.

Content Labels (Layer 1)

OAuth Scope

Use gmail.modify scope (read + label + move, no delete). Full access scope (https://mail.google.com/) is blocked -- it includes delete permissions that bypass both hook and label controls.

Related Skills

• gmail-triage -- interactive triage workflow
• gws-setup -- CLI installation and authentication