If your workday is about emails, you probably know the struggle: downloading attachments, saving them in the right folder, keeping everything organized, and making sure nothing slips through the cracks. I used to deal with this every week — until I finally decided to automate it.
Recently, I’ve implemented a simple but powerful automation using Unmeshed, a no-code workflow platform. The goal was simple:
Any time an email lands in my Gmail inbox with attachments, I want those files to automatically save into a dedicated folder in Google Drive.
No clicking, no downloading, no sorting.
And it works beautifully.
In this post, I’ll be sharing what this automation does, how it works behind the scenes, and why it has made such a difference in daily operations.
Why I Needed This Automation
I deal with a large number of invoices, reports, receipts, and client documents daily. Even for not very complex emails, the work of manually saving attachments all day long is time-consuming and therefore prone to human error.
I wanted a system that:
- Checks my Gmail inbox frequently.
- Picks up any email with attachments
- Saves those attachments into one, organized folder
- Runs on its own without any interference from me
That is precisely what this workflow now does.
What the Automation Actually Does
Here’s a simplified explanation of how the system works:
- Monitors Gmail every 15 minutes
- Look for new messages that have been received in the last 20 minutes.
- Identifies emails with attachments
- It automatically detects and extracts files regardless of the file type.
- Uploads attachments to Google Drive
- Each file gets stored in a designated folder inside my Drive.
- Runs 24/7 I never need to initiate this process manually. This workflow works continuously in the background.
This means anything — from invoices to PDFs to client submissions — gets safely backed up without me ever touching the email.
Why It Helps So Much
The ones below are the most important benefits after using it for a while:
- Huge Savings in Time
No more downloading files one by one or dragging them into Drive.
- Better Organization
All attachments go in one structured folder, so nothing can be lost.
- Automatic Backup
Important documents are automatically saved to the cloud.
- Zero-Maintenance Automation
It never needs me to start it or approve anything.
- Highly Scalable
Whether it’s 2 emails or 200 emails, the workflow handles them in exactly the same way.
Real-World Use Cases
This automation has practical benefits across a variety of workflow types:
Invoice Management
Vendor invoices auto-save for bookkeeping.Collection of Receipts
Expense receipts remain in one place.
- Distribution of Reports
Daily or weekly reports are automatically stored.
- Client Document Handling
Everything clients submit is instantly filed.
- Backup & Compliance
Everything stays archived, with minimal effort.
If your business deals with recurring, attachment-heavy emails, the time savings become considerable.
To keep everything running smoothly:
- Review workflow logs weekly
- Check Drive storage monthly
- Re-authorize integrations occasionally
- Clean up old files quarterly if needed
It doesn’t require heavy management — just light oversight.
Final Thoughts
This automation might sound simple, but it has made a noticeable difference in productivity. I no longer waste time downloading attachments or worry about missing an important document in my inbox. Everything gets filed, backed up, and organized automatically.
Tools like Unmeshed make it incredibly easy to build workflows like this without writing a single line of code.
Top comments (0)