🎫 Monitor emails & send AI-generated auto-replies with Ollama & Telegram alerts

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Description

Workflow Overview

This advanced n8n workflow provides intelligent email automation with AI-generated responses. It combines four core functions:

  1. Monitors incoming emails via IMAP (e.g., SOGo)
  2. Sends instant Telegram notifications for all new emails
  3. Uses AI (Ollama LLM) to generate contextual, personalized auto-replies
  4. Sends confirmation notifications when auto-replies are sent

Unlike traditional auto-responders, this workflow analyzes email content and creates unique, relevant responses for each message.

Setup Instructions

Prerequisites

Before setting up this workflow, ensure you have:

Step 1: Install and Configure Ollama

Local Installation

  1. Install Ollama on your system:

    • Visit https://ollama.ai and download the installer for your OS
    • Follow installation instructions for your platform

  2. Download the llama3.1 model:

    ollama pull llama3.1

  3. Verify the model is available:

    ollama list

  4. Start Ollama service (if not already running):

    ollama serve

  5. Test the model:

    ollama run llama3.1 "Hello, world!"

Remote Ollama Instance

If using a remote Ollama server:

Step 2: Configure IMAP Credentials

  1. Navigate to n8n Credentials section
  2. Create a new IMAP credential with the following information:
    • Host: Your IMAP server address
    • Port: Usually 993 for SSL/TLS
    • Username: Your email address
    • Password: Your email password or app-specific password
    • Enable SSL/TLS: Yes (recommended)
    • Security: Use STARTTLS or SSL/TLS

Step 3: Configure SMTP Credentials

  1. Create a new SMTP credential in n8n
  2. Enter the following details:
    • Host: Your SMTP server address (e.g., Postfix server)
    • Port: Usually 587 (STARTTLS) or 465 (SSL)
    • Username: Your email address
    • Password: Your email password or app-specific password
    • Secure connection: Enable based on your server configuration
    • Allow unauthorized certificates: Enable if using self-signed certificates

Step 4: Configure Telegram Bot

  1. Create a Telegram bot via BotFather:

    • Open Telegram and search for @BotFather
    • Send /newbot command
    • Follow instructions to create your bot
    • Save the API token provided by BotFather

  2. Obtain your Chat ID:

    • Method 1: Send a message to your bot, then visit: https://api.telegram.org/bot<YOUR_BOT_TOKEN>/getUpdates
    • Method 2: Use a Telegram Chat ID bot like @userinfobot
    • Method 3: For group chats, add the bot to the group and check the updates
    • Note: Group chat IDs are negative numbers (e.g., -1234567890123)

  3. Add Telegram API credential in n8n:

    • Credential Type: Telegram API
    • Access Token: Your bot token from BotFather

Step 5: Configure Ollama API Credential

  1. In n8n Credentials section, create a new Ollama API credential
  2. Configure based on your setup:
    • For local Ollama: Base URL is usually http://localhost:11434
    • For remote Ollama: Enter the server URL (e.g., http://192.168.1.100:11434)
  3. Test the connection to ensure n8n can reach Ollama

Step 6: Import and Configure Workflow

  1. Import the workflow JSON into your n8n instance
  2. Update the following nodes with your specific information:

Check Incoming Emails Node

Send Notification from Incoming Email Node

Dedicate Filtering As No-Response Node

Ollama Model Node

Basic LLM Chain Node

Send Auto-Response in SMTP Node

Send Notification from Response Node

Step 7: Test the Workflow

  1. Perform initial configuration test:

    • Test Ollama connectivity: curl http://localhost:11434/api/tags
    • Verify all credentials are properly configured
    • Check n8n has access to required network endpoints

  2. Execute a test run:

    • Click “Execute Workflow” button in n8n
    • Send a test email to your monitored inbox
    • Use a clear subject and body for better AI response

  3. Verify workflow execution:

    • First Telegram notification received (incoming email alert)
    • AI processes the email content
    • Auto-reply is sent to the original sender
    • Second Telegram notification received (confirmation with AI response)
    • Check n8n execution log for any errors

  4. Verify email delivery:

    • Check if auto-reply arrived at sender’s inbox
    • Verify it’s not marked as spam
    • Review AI-generated content for appropriateness

Step 8: Fine-Tune AI Responses

  1. Send various types of test emails:

    • Different topics (inquiry, complaint, information request)
    • Various email lengths (short, medium, long)
    • Different languages if applicable

  2. Review AI-generated responses:

    • Check if topic identification is accurate
    • Verify response appropriateness
    • Ensure tone is professional

  3. Adjust the prompt if needed:

    • Modify topic word count (currently 2-4 words)
    • Change response template
    • Add language-specific instructions
    • Include custom sign-offs or branding

Step 9: Activate the Workflow

  1. Once testing is successful and AI responses are satisfactory:

    • Toggle the workflow to “Active” state
    • The workflow will now run automatically on the configured schedule

  2. Monitor initial production runs:

    • Review first few auto-replies carefully
    • Check Telegram notifications for any issues
    • Verify SMTP delivery rates

  3. Set up monitoring:

    • Enable n8n workflow error notifications
    • Monitor Ollama resource usage
    • Check email server logs periodically

How to Use

Normal Operation

Once activated, the workflow operates fully automatically:

  1. Email Monitoring: The workflow continuously checks your IMAP inbox for new messages based on the configured polling interval or trigger schedule.

  2. Immediate Incoming Notification: When a new email arrives, you receive an instant Telegram notification containing:

    • Sender’s email address
    • Email subject line
    • Date and time received
    • Note indicating it’s from IMAP mailbox

  3. Intelligent Filtering: The workflow evaluates each email against spam filter criteria:

    • Emails from “noreply” or “no-reply” addresses are filtered out
    • Emails with “newsletter” in the subject line are filtered out
    • Filtered emails receive notification but no auto-reply
    • Legitimate emails proceed to AI response generation

  4. AI Response Generation: For emails that pass the filter:

    • The AI reads the full email content
    • Analyzes the main topic or purpose
    • Generates a personalized acknowledgment
    • Creates a professional response that:
      • Thanks the sender
      • References the specific topic
      • Promises a personal follow-up
      • Maintains professional tone

  5. Automatic Reply Delivery: The AI-generated response is sent via SMTP to the original sender with:

    • Subject line: “Re: [Original Subject]”
    • From address: Your monitored mailbox
    • Body: AI-generated contextual message

  6. Response Confirmation: After the auto-reply is sent, you receive a second Telegram notification showing:

    • Original email details (sender, subject, date)
    • The complete AI-generated response text
    • Confirmation of successful delivery

Understanding AI Response Generation

The AI analyzes emails intelligently:

Example 1: Business Inquiry

Incoming Email: "I'm interested in your consulting services for our Q4 project..."
AI Topic Identification: "consulting services"
Generated Response: "Dear Correspondent! Thank you for your message regarding consulting services. I will respond with a personal message as soon as possible. Have a nice day!"

Example 2: Technical Support

Incoming Email: "We're experiencing issues with the API integration..."
AI Topic Identification: "API integration issues"
Generated Response: "Dear Correspondent! Thank you for your message regarding API integration issues. I will respond with a personal message as soon as possible. Have a nice day!"

Example 3: General Question

Incoming Email: "Could you provide more information about pricing?"
AI Topic Identification: "pricing information"
Generated Response: "Dear Correspondent! Thank you for your message regarding pricing information. I will respond with a personal message as soon as possible. Have a nice day!"

Customizing Filter Rules

To modify which emails receive AI-generated auto-replies:

  1. Open the “Dedicate Filtering As No-Response” node
  2. Modify existing conditions or add new ones:

Block specific domains:

{{ $json.from.value[0].address }}
Operation: does not contain
Value: @spam-domain.com

Whitelist VIP senders (only respond to specific people):

{{ $json.from.value[0].address }}
Operation: contains
Value: @important-client.com

Filter by subject keywords:

{{ $json.subject.toLowerCase() }}
Operation: does not contain
Value: unsubscribe

Combine multiple conditions:

Customizing AI Prompt

To change how the AI generates responses:

  1. Open the “Basic LLM Chain” node
  2. Modify the prompt text in the “text” parameter
  3. Current structure:
    • Context setting (read email, identify topic)
    • Output format specification
    • Rules for AI behavior

Example modifications:

Add company branding:

Return only this response, filling in the [TOPIC]:

Dear Correspondent! 
Thank you for reaching out to [Your Company Name] regarding [TOPIC]. 
I will respond with a personal message as soon as possible. 
Best regards,
[Your Name]
[Your Company Name]

Make it more casual:

Return only this response, filling in the [TOPIC]:

Hi there! 
Thanks for your email about [TOPIC]. 
I'll get back to you personally soon. 
Cheers!

Add urgency classification:

Read the email and classify urgency (Low/Medium/High).
Identify the main topic.

Return:

Dear Correspondent!
Thank you for your message regarding [TOPIC].
Priority: [URGENCY]
I will respond with a personal message as soon as possible.

Customizing Telegram Notifications

Incoming Email Notification:

  1. Open “Send Notification from Incoming Email” node
  2. Modify the “text” parameter
  3. Available variables:
    • {{ $json.from }} - Full sender info
    • {{ $json.from.value[0].address }} - Sender email only
    • {{ $json.from.value[0].name }} - Sender name (if available)
    • {{ $json.subject }} - Email subject
    • {{ $json.date }} - Date received
    • {{ $json.textPlain }} - Email body (use cautiously for privacy)
    • {{ $json.to }} - Recipient address

Response Confirmation Notification:

  1. Open “Send Notification from Response” node
  2. Modify to include additional information
  3. Reference AI response: {{ $('Basic LLM Chain').item.json.text }}

Monitoring and Maintenance

Daily Monitoring

Weekly Maintenance

Monthly Maintenance

Advanced Usage

Multi-Language Support

If you receive emails in multiple languages:

  1. Modify the AI prompt to detect language:
Detect the email language.
Generate response in the SAME language as the email.

If English: [English template]
If Hungarian: [Hungarian template]
If German: [German template]
  1. Or use language-specific conditions in the filtering node

Priority-Based Responses

Generate different responses based on sender importance:

  1. Add an IF node after filtering to check sender domain
  2. Route VIP emails to a different LLM chain with priority messaging
  3. Standard emails use the normal AI chain

Response Logging

To maintain a record of all AI interactions:

  1. Add a database node (PostgreSQL, MySQL, etc.) after the auto-reply node
  2. Store: timestamp, sender, subject, AI response, delivery status
  3. Use for compliance, analytics, or training data

A/B Testing AI Prompts

Test different prompt variations:

  1. Create multiple LLM Chain nodes with different prompts
  2. Use a randomizer or round-robin approach
  3. Compare response quality and user feedback
  4. Optimize based on results

Troubleshooting

Notifications Not Received

Problem: Telegram notifications not appearing

Solutions:

AI Responses Not Generated

Problem: Auto-replies sent but content is empty or error messages

Solutions:

Poor Quality AI Responses

Problem: AI generates irrelevant or inappropriate responses

Solutions:

Auto-Replies Not Sent

Problem: Workflow executes but emails not delivered

Solutions:

High Resource Usage

Problem: Ollama consuming excessive CPU/RAM

Solutions:

IMAP Connection Failures

Problem: Workflow can’t connect to email server

Solutions:

Workflow Not Triggering

Problem: Workflow doesn’t execute automatically

Solutions:

Workflow Architecture

Node Descriptions

  1. Check Incoming Emails - IMAP: Polls email server at regular intervals to retrieve new messages from the configured mailbox.

  2. Send Notification from Incoming Email: Immediately sends formatted notification to Telegram for every new email detected, regardless of spam status.

  3. Dedicate Filtering As No-Response: Evaluates emails against spam filter criteria to determine if AI processing should occur.

  4. No Operation: Placeholder node for filtered emails that should not receive an auto-reply (spam, newsletters, automated messages).

  5. Ollama Model: Provides the AI language model (llama3.1) used for natural language processing and response generation.

  6. Basic LLM Chain: Executes the AI prompt against the email content to generate contextual auto-reply text.

  7. Send Auto-Response in SMTP: Sends the AI-generated acknowledgment email back to the original sender via SMTP server.

  8. Send Notification from Response: Sends confirmation to Telegram showing the auto-reply was successfully sent, including the AI-generated content.

AI Processing Pipeline

  1. Email Content Extraction: Email body text is extracted from IMAP data
  2. Context Loading: Email content is passed to LLM with prompt instructions
  3. Topic Analysis: AI identifies main subject or purpose in 2-4 words
  4. Template Population: AI fills response template with identified topic
  5. Output Formatting: Response is formatted and cleaned for email delivery
  6. Quality Assurance: n8n validates response before sending

đź”— Nodes Used

Email Trigger (IMAP), Send Email, Telegram, Basic LLM Chain, Ollama Model

đź“Ą Import

Download workflow.json and import into n8n: Workflow menu → Import from File

📖 Importing guide · 🔑 Credential setup