We all have those email threads.
Twenty replies deep, multiple conversations happening at once, and you’re still trying to work out what’s actually being asked of you.
Inbox Triage & Reply Drafts helps you make sense of the thread, identify what needs your attention and prepare two or three reply options in different tones.
Copy the skill below into Microsoft Copilot, Claude or ChatGPT, add your email thread and you’re ready to go.
What you’ll get with this skill
- A quick summary of where the email thread stands
- What’s actually being asked of you
- Any deadlines and how urgent it is
- Two or three reply options in different tones
- Anything you need to check before sending
Copy the skill
Copy the complete instructions below into Microsoft Copilot, Claude or ChatGPT.
They tell the AI how to analyse the thread, identify what matters and give you useful reply options.
How to use it
1. Copy the skill
Use the button above to copy the complete skill.
2. Open your AI tool
Start a new conversation in Microsoft Copilot, Claude or ChatGPT.
3. Paste the skill
Paste and send the instructions so the AI knows how to analyse your email thread.
4. Paste your email thread
Paste the complete email chain into the same chat.
5. Ask for what you need
Ask something like: “Summarise this email thread and give me a proper reply.”
Or be more specific about what you’re after:
- “Help me say no without damaging the relationship.”
- “I need another week. Write a reply that buys me some time.”
- “Catch me up on this thread. I’ve been on leave.”
- “Give me one option that says yes and one that says no.”
- “Keep my reply under 80 words.”
- “Make my reply sound warm but clear.”
- “Tell me if this email needs a reply at all.”
It also helps to say who you are in the thread and what your reply needs to say.
For example: “I’m Sam. I’m still waiting for the revised quote and need to explain that it will arrive on Thursday.”
6. Review before sending
Choose the reply option that best fits the situation and check names, dates, commitments, deadlines and attachments before sending.
Tips on using this skill
- Paste the whole email thread, including older messages. Context changes the right answer.
- Tell it what you want to say, if you know. It’s much better at how than at guessing what.
- Copy and paste is all you need. Nothing has to be connected for this skill to work.
If you’d rather your AI tool worked with your mailbox directly in future, Claude, ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot can connect to your email, depending on your plan and your organisation’s settings. We can help you set that up.
Using this skill safely
- Follow your organisation’s AI policy. Only paste content you’re allowed to share with your AI tool. If you’re not sure which tools are approved for work content, ask your IT team.
- Check the output. The skill is written to stick to what you give it, flag gaps and avoid inventing names, dates or numbers. But you’re still the editor. Read before you send.
- Check commitments and details. Confirm names, dates, deadlines, prices, attachments and deliverables before sending your reply.
- Be careful with sensitive information. Remove personal, confidential or commercially sensitive information if it isn’t necessary for the task.
- Watch for suspicious emails. The skill is designed to flag signs of phishing or scams. If an email includes unexpected payment changes, credential requests or suspicious sender details, verify it through another trusted channel before responding.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a paid AI plan to use this skill?
Copy and paste works on any plan that accepts the amount of text being provided. Saving the skill permanently as a Copilot agent, Claude skill or custom GPT may require a paid or work plan, depending on the tool.
Does this connect to my email, calendar or files?
Not on its own. The skill works with whatever you paste in, so there’s nothing to set up.
If you’d like it to, Claude, ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot can also connect to your email, calendar or files, depending on your plan and your organisation’s settings. If you’d like help setting that up safely, talk to us about AI Enablement.
Does the skill send the reply for me?
No, not on its own. It prepares reply options for you to review. You choose the most suitable option, check the details and send it yourself.
If you’d like to integrate your mailbox so you can send the email directly from your AI chat, chat to us about setting up connectors.
What should I paste into it?
Paste the complete email thread, including earlier messages. If it isn’t obvious who you are in the conversation, explain which person you are. You can also explain what you want the reply to communicate.
Can I change the skill?
Yes. The skill is plain text, so you can adjust it to suit your team. For example, you could add your preferred reply style, standard sign-off, response length or communication guidelines.
Yes. Please do. The skill is part of the Sope Skills Starter Pack and is covered by the licence available in the GitHub repository.
Will there be more skills?
Yes. Sope will continue sharing practical AI skills for common pieces of everyday work.
Can I use it with Microsoft Copilot, Claude or ChatGPT?
Yes. Copy the skill into Microsoft Copilot, Claude or ChatGPT, then add your email thread and any relevant context.
Want AI to handle more repetitive tasks?
These skills are just a generic starting point. The bigger gains come when AI is applied to your actual day-to-day work.
We work 1:1 with your team members to apply AI to their actual tasks, using tools they already use every day, like ChatGPT, Copilot or Claude. It’s all part of our newest service, AI Enablement.
We’re available to support you anytime.
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