Escalate an email thread that got no reply in 24 hours
Starts a 24-hour clock on every inbound email, then re-reads the thread from Gmail when it expires.
A Gmail Trigger picks up inbound mail, excluding anything you sent and anything labelled no-escalate. A Set node captures the thread id, subject, sender and open time, and Remove Duplicates guarantees one timer per conversation rather than one per message. The Wait node then suspends the execution for 24 hours — n8n persists it, so no cron job or state table is involved. On resume, the Gmail node re-reads the thread and a Code node walks its messages asking whether any came from your support address, falling back to a name heuristic when the address is not configured. An IF escalates only the still-unanswered threads to a Microsoft Teams channel, quoting the original open time so the message states how long the breach has run. Failures on either external call route to an error rail that logs to Google Sheets.
Key benefits
- ✓A reply-time breach is caught while it still matters, not in next month's report
- ✓One timer per conversation, so a customer who sends three chasers is escalated once
- ✓The answer to 'did we reply?' is fetched from Gmail after the wait rather than assumed
- ✓No cron job and no state table — the Wait node persists the execution for you
- ✓Works unconfigured thanks to a fallback heuristic, and gets accurate the moment SUPPORT_ADDRESS is set
Use cases
- →Support or legal teams with a stated first-reply commitment
- →Agencies whose client contracts specify a response window
- →Sales inboxes where an unanswered inbound enquiry is lost revenue
- →Any shared mailbox where a thread has quietly gone unanswered for a week
Integrations
Workflow preview (10 nodes)
The template's actual node layout and connections. Node parameters and credential slots unlock with the download.
What's inside (10 nodes)
A look at the node types this workflow uses. No purchase required — full parameters and credentials are yours after you buy.
From download to running in 3 steps
- 1Import. In n8n, open Workflows → menu → “Import from File” and pick the downloaded JSON.
- 2Connect. Add your own credentials on the app nodes - n8n highlights exactly which ones need them.
- 3Activate. Run it once to test, then toggle Active. The automation is live.
What you'll learn
Production levelProduction-grade: idempotency, dead-letter handling, and reconciliation included.
- •Moving data between Gmail, Microsoft Teams and Google Sheets in a single run
- •Adding retries and an explicit error path to external calls
- •Testing against pinned sample data before connecting anything real
Every node carries its own documentation on the canvas, plus notes explaining why the architecture was built this way, a credential setup guide, troubleshooting, and three practice exercises. Sample data comes pinned to the trigger, so you can hit Execute and watch data flow before connecting a single account.
Common questions
What exactly do I get?
The complete, ready-to-import n8n workflow as a JSON file, delivered instantly after payment. Import it into your own n8n (cloud or self-hosted), add your credentials, and it runs.
How do I import it into n8n?
In n8n, open Workflows, click the three-dot menu, choose “Import from File”, and select the downloaded JSON. Then connect your own app credentials on the highlighted nodes.
Do I need anything else for it to work?
You need your own n8n instance and accounts/credentials for the apps this workflow connects to (Gmail, Microsoft Teams, Google Sheets). No coding is required.
What if it doesn't work for me?
If the file is faulty, won't import, or isn't as described, contact us within 7 days and we'll fix it or refund you - see our refund policy.
Can I modify or resell it?
You can freely adapt and use it in your own or your clients' projects. Reselling or redistributing the template file itself is not permitted.
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