## How do I automate email analysis?
In this tutorial we show you how to automate email analysis using custom mailhooks in [Make.com](https://make.com). The Make scenario used in this tutorial analyses emails sent by the "Help a Reporter Out" mailing list. The Make scenario will look for a keyword match and if a match is found will message us on Slack.

We walk you through each step of the process including how to create a custom mailhook in Make, how to use regular expressions to split the text and then use Make's inbuilt filter to split the text within the body of the emails. By the end of the tutorial you will have a better understanding of how to use automation to analyse emails using Make.com.

[How to automate email analysis with Make.com. - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=icqnKh0ApPU)

## Flow

![Help a Reporter Out email analysis automation flow](https://mermaid.ink/img/pako:eNpVkE1rwzAMhv-K0Aik0A526shhMJqGXcZgHTsMX9REXUxsK9jOIYT89zn92NhFvJKeV0KasJaGscAsm7TTsZgUxpYtKywUHikksYZr7ZO8pqPhkJqQwN5rS37ciRF_5u-2D1VV7S-WwLW45n-_en7clVuF8zxnmXLKfXvqW_goF92Sl_yFTQ8E79yLj-zhbYgr5Sx1nL-mcF-LTXkwVHf5YYmrmxU2GwjsGmBL2kAUqIcQxcI5bUW6RDzBMuoycDGQIzMGvnoouU_aLHsX9LwF12jZp3aTvjQpB_D3oSTTgZ1C5ebEDX1DkfeNjuKxOJEJvEYaohxGV2MR_cA3qNSUTre_VE_uS-SWzz_Mi4oU?type=png)
```mermaidignore
graph TD

haro(Help a Reporter Out)
make(Make.com)
slack(Slack)

haro -- send email to custom mailhook --> make
make -- analyse email and filter --> slack
```

## How to create an automation with a custom mailhook using Make.com
### Resources
- [Make](https://www.make.com)
- [Help A Reporter Out Mailing List](https://www.helpareporter.com/)

The final Make scenario will have 3 steps and look like this:
![completed make automation with custom mailhook screenshot](https://ry.d.pr/i/8807h4.png)

- The first step is the custom mailhook - a custom mailhook creates a unique email address that triggers this scenario each time an email is received at that address.
- The second step will be to parse the body of the email - splitting the text into bite-size chunks and then checking for keywords.
- The third and final step is to send a message in Slack alerting us to anything of interest within the email.

### Step 1: Create a custom mailhook using Make.com
Add a `Custom mailhook` node in your scenario by selecting the node from within the `Webhooks` nodes.
![create custom mailhook screenshot](https://ry.d.pr/i/ofAbCr.png)

In the `Custom mailhook` node copy your unique email address. Now get emails 
![Copy your unique email address to your clipboard screenshot](https://ry.d.pr/i/oTe1jz.png)

### Step 2: How to parse emails in Make.com
Create a `Text Parser` node using the `Match Pattern` transformer. This allows us to use regular expressions to search and split text into manageable chunks.
![Text parser node using the match pattern transformer screenshot](https://ry.d.pr/i/oVEctn.png)

Your node settings should be similar to the one below. In the pattern match we are simply splitting on a string of hyphens as this is how the `Help A Reporter Out` emails are composed - each request for help is separated by a string of hyphens like this: `-----------------------------------`.
![Settings for text parser.png screenshot](https://ry.d.pr/i/Uxc15T.png)

So for simplicity we split the text with the following pattern:
```
(-----------------------------------\n)((.|\n)*?)(?=\n-----------------------------------\n)
```

After this we use Make's inbuilt filters to check for keywords. 
![Setup Makes inbuilt text filters screenshot](https://ry.d.pr/i/To4ff1.png)

### Step 3: How do I get Make.com to message me in Slack?
Now setup a Slack node and use the output of the `Text Parser` node to send yourself the details of the email.
![Send slack message screenshot](https://ry.d.pr/i/CmxCUR.png)

We use Make.com to filter the high volume Help A Reporter Out mailing list

How to analyse and filter high volume emails using automation

## Overview

[Use Alfred's snippets to create quick templates for daily tasks - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=my3-yZPdYPM)

## Daily standup note with Alfred automation flow diagram
![Daily standup not with Alfred automation flow diagram](https://mermaid.ink/svg/pako:eNpVkEFrwzAMhf-K0Ai00A526shhUJLmOAYtOwxf1FhtTR3b2A5bCPnvc9JmZRjs96zvCaQeaysZc8yyXhkV815gvHDDAnOBRwpJrOD-90le0VFzSEVIoPOqId8VVls_8U-bl6qqdrdI4Noa-b9ebV-LciNwGIYsE2Y8Z0_uAody1JF_4uJDkzJwSBLebeSwFCZoqq-L_XgnR_rkWS6207Occ7BeQ2FdB3fzBlPqHh6rsXMMLJ9DJCNbNzG3XnPPkfq2_hqgobOqH11whQ37hpRMq-qFAXisKck05VWgMEPiWicp8k6qaD3mJ9KBV0httPvO1JhH3_IMlYrS9M0f5ch8WTv74Rer-ovJ)
```mermaidignore
graph TD

text(Plain Text Notes)
slack(Slack)
alfred(Alfred)

text -- Copy text --> slack
slack -- type ed.standup --> alfred
alfred -- works magic --> slack
```

## How to recreate this automation
### Step 1: Create an Alfred snippet
Go to the preferences in Alfred and open up `Snippets` in the `Features` section. Create a snippet similar to this:
![Alfred snippet example](https://ry.d.pr/VBA7Pb.png)

Plain text format of the example in the video:
```
*{date:EEEE} Standup - {date:long}*
{clipboard}
```

### Step 2: Copy your notes
![Highlighted notes](https://ry.d.pr/Fqs2lw.png)

### Step 3: Go to Slack and type your trigger keyword
Type in your keyword - mine is `ed.standup` - and hit enter.
![Slack example](https://ry.d.pr/g0JI9s.png)


Creating a daily standup note using Alfred snippets

## Overview of Github, Zapier and Slack integrations
When there is a commit on the `main` branch in the Tiny Automations Github repository it triggers a build process for this website. Sometimes this new commit is automated (like when an article publish date is met) and it announces a new release is about to happen in a specified Slack channel letting you and your team members know what's going on. 

[How to connect Github to Slack using a Zapier Integration - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DX2ogTG89KQ)

## Automation flow diagram of how to automate Slack notifications using Zapier
![Automation flow diagram of how to automate Slack notifications using Zapier](https://mermaid.ink/svg/pako:eNpVkM9qwzAMxl_FaARSSA87deQwGE3TB-joofiiONpiGtvBdg5tyLtPcZeVYdAffz8JPk2gXEtQQpZN2upYThJiR4YklBIaDFwU4vfvjF5j01NgUTA4eG3Q3_audz7xL7vXuq4Pj5FAytn2v15_vO2rnYR5nrNM2uV9exw68VmlWsdubPJjShtp7zho8vklJe5Dj-qan5a4efJiuxXKGaOjcFYY1FY0Hq3qWHgXjx3rroX11BMbSzMhMWkvFGDI83jL55ikFeJ5Ci7ZyVWCtDNz49BipEOro_NQfmEfqAAcozvdrIIy-pFWqNLIDs0fNaC9OLf28w-NjYMs)
```mermaidignore
graph TD

github(Github)
zapier(Zapier)
slack(Slack)

github -- commit on main branch --> zapier
zapier -- release comms --> slack
```

## How to recreate this Zapier, Slack and Github integration automation
### Resources
* [GitHub](https://github.com/)
* [Zapier](https://zapier.com/)

### Step 1: Setup Zapier integration trigger
Use Zapier to setup a new task to monitor your Github repo. One of the reasons Zapier is a lot of peoples favourite automation tool is the simple user interface (as can be seen here) making it easy to create custom workflows that do not take much time to setup.
![Github repo trigger](https://ry.d.pr/KCteFb.png)

### Step 2: Setup your Slack message
Super simple - set it up so it posts to the relevant Slack channel (this could also be setup in a direct message)
![Slack message](### Step 1: Setup Zapier trigger.png)

And setup the formatting as you like it
![Setup formatting](https://ry.d.pr/6RxrKf.png)

### Step 3: Commit to your Github repository
That's it! Once you commit to the main branch in your Github account
![Slack message from Zapier](https://ry.d.pr/me30Zg.png)

## Future enhancements for development teams
- trigger message also after other use cases such as the build being completed/published or a new branch being created
- add a new feature to trigger for github issues or when a new issue is created
- setup a Google Sheets or Airtable integration to record commit/automation in a new row (could also create web app to view this)
- add support for Gitlab or Gitlab Issues
- Create a Github app, Slack app or Slack Bot to encorporate all of this functionality and remove the need for Zapier. You could then kick off triggers with slash commands etc.

Automate Slack notifications for your automated Github release process

How to connect Github to Slack using a Zapier Integration

## Overview
Save yourself time and effort (and from the temptation of time wasting browsing) by getting mentions of your interests, brands or products directly to Slack every morning.

[Automate your Google Alerts to Slack every morning - YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B0R2NenmSq0)

## Google Alert to Slack morning update using n8n automation flow diagram
![Google Alert to Slack morning update using n8n automation flow diagram](https://mermaid.ink/svg/pako:eNpVkE1rwzAMhv-K0QikkB52aslhUJpm92XsMHxREzU19UewnUMJ-e-Ts7ZbMbZfSc9rI03Quo6ghCyblFWxnCTEMxmSUEo4YmBRiFvuC73Co6bARcHg4JVBf9077fzCv2xe67o-_FoCtc52z_V6t91XGwnzPGeZtGn1Hoez-KyStlub815x1rleE2ryMX9ftNilQHw0DZeDxvaSN-lc3YxivRatd-l-E__sT28lyIcgTkRdWEh2PuyGQsCelvzyAxRgyBtUHU9oklaIv-mw5OYuEqSdmRuHDiMdOhWdh_KEOlABOEbXXG0LZfQj3aFKITdtHtSA9tu5ezz_ABtzh8A)
```mermaidignore
graph TD

n8n(n8n)
googlealert(Google Alert RSS)
slack(Slack)

n8n -- cron --> googlealert
googlealert -- rss feeds --> n8n
n8n -- message --> slack
```

## How to recreate this automation
### Resources
* [Github repo](https://github.com/rymawby/tiny-automations-source/blob/main/google-alerts-to-slack)
* [n8n workflow](https://github.com/rymawby/tiny-automations-source/blob/main/google-alerts-to-slack/Google_Alerts_to_Slack.json)
* [Slack - n8n Documentation](https://docs.n8n.io/integrations/nodes/n8n-nodes-base.slack/)
### Step 1: Setup your Google Alerts as RSS feeds
Go to `https://www.google.com/alerts`. Create alerts of subjects etc that are of interest to you. Once you have done that click the edit button:
![Edit google alert](https://ry.d.pr/NqAzey.png).

Change the `Deliver to` section to `RSS feed`.
![Deliver to as RSS feed](https://ry.d.pr/ipCJPS.png)

Now click on the `RSS feed` icon and grab the URL from the browser (you'll use this later in n8n - it'll look something like `https://www.google.com.au/alerts/feeds/12345581409404114402/1234574375811598703`)
![RSS feed icon](https://ry.d.pr/UFLMDn.png)

Repeat this process for all the subjects/keywords that interest you. Remember to save all your feed URLs as you'll need them in n8n.

### Step 2: Setup your n8n workflow
Your n8n workflow should look like something like this: 
![n8n workflow](https://ry.d.pr/lgsT6C.png)

The `Cron` node runs this workflow every morning at 7am. (A [cron job](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cron) is a way of running tasks at certain times repeatedly).


In the `List feeds` function node create an array of Google Alert RSS urls from `Step 1` - something like the below (`items[0].json` follows the format for passing data in n8n).
```javascript
items[0].json.feeds = [

	"https://www.google.com/alerts/feeds/12345581409404114402/1234525054193310532",
	"https://www.google.com/alerts/feeds/12345581409404114402/1234535688892159086",
	"https://www.google.com/alerts/feeds/12345581409404114402/12345125633164967",
	"https://www.google.com/alerts/feeds/12345581409404114402/1234537100179579905",
	"https://www.google.com/alerts/feeds/12345581409404114402/1234540289464225414",
	"https://www.google.com/alerts/feeds/12345581409404114402/1234577577438323748"]

return items;
```

In the `Cycle through feeds` function node we `pop` a value from the array and pass it on.
```javascript
items[0].json.feed = "";

if(items[0].json.feeds.length > 0){
	items[0].json.feed = items[0].json.feeds.pop();
}

return items;
```

If there are still feeds in the `feeds` array we loop back around to the `Cycle through feeds` function using the `IF` node (each time this is run it decreases the length of the `feeds` array by `1`). 

We also pass valid `feed` values through to the `RSS Feed Read` node. This node just takes in the value passed to it from the `IF` node (a Google Alerts RSS URL) and loads it.

The Slack node then sends this data to Slack.

## Future enhancements
- add more sources - not just Google Alerts for the ultimate morning update.
- combine Google Alert RSS feeds into a single RSS feed.




Keep up-to-date with morning updates using Google Alerts

Learn how to automate with slack