Streamline your email tasks with Gemini x Gmail integration!
Hello, this is the official note editorial team for Google's AI, "Gemini".
In our previous article, we explained the overview and plans for "Google Workspace," which has been further enhanced with the integration of Gemini. One of the major advantages of Gemini is its integration with Google Workspace apps, including Gmail, Docs, Sheets, and Drive, and we have received high praise from users who say it has "changed the way they work."
In this note, as part of a series, we will introduce practical usage methods and prompts that can be used in business and private settings, one Google Workspace app at a time. If you use Google Workspace regularly, or if you want to make the most of your data in Docs, Sheets, and more by utilizing Gemini, be sure to check it out!
The theme for our first installment is "Gmail." Every day, a large number of emails arrive, and sometimes you may not be able to read them all or might overlook something. Furthermore, you might spend time wondering how to write a reply...
By using the familiar "Gemini app" or the "Gemini side panel" available from the Gmail screen, you can get support for everything from checking emails to drafting replies and translating English emails, significantly reducing the time you spend on daily email tasks.
In this note, we have collected ways to use Gmail × Gemini that are useful for improving daily work efficiency. Please make use of them in your daily work.
Master the "Gemini app" and the "Gemini side panel" within Gmail
There are two main ways to use Gemini in Gmail.
One is the "Gemini app," which is available even on the free plan. You can check multiple emails, such as by asking it to "check emails from the past week."
The other is the "Gemini side panel," a new feature that allows you to ask Gemini questions without switching screens while working in the Google Workspace apps you use every day, such as Gmail. This requires a subscription to an eligible Google Workspace, or Google One AI Premium plan.
The "Gemini app," which is free to use and strong in integration with other apps
First, as a prerequisite, to integrate Google Workspace with Gemini, you need to change your Gemini settings. From the "Settings" gear icon at the bottom left of the Gemini app, select "Extensions" and turn on "Google Workspace."
(Note: Smart features that allow for a customized experience must also be turned on in Gmail. For details, see here)
In the "Gemini app," you can attach files from Google Drive, or as shown in the image below, you can specify Gmail by typing "@." (Here, too, you can enable extensions that you haven't turned on yet.)
Also, since you can save Gemini's responses as Gmail drafts, it is very useful for email drafts and the like.
The method is simple. Click the "Share and export" icon, which is the second icon from the right below the response. If you select "Draft in Gmail," the response will be saved as a draft as is. Please note that the method is slightly different between the computer browser version and the smartphone Gemini app.
This method can also be used with the free version of Gemini, and it is very convenient as you don't have to copy and paste every time, so please try using it.
The "Gemini side panel" that allows you to work while asking Gemini questions within Gmail
The second method is to use the "Gemini side panel" located within the Gmail screen.
On the Gmail screen, click the Gemini icon in the top right, and the "Gemini side panel" will appear on the right side of the screen.
The biggest advantage of the Gemini side panel is that you can ask Gemini questions while using Google Workspace services within a single screen. Since you don't have to switch between apps or browser tabs every time, you can work without interrupting your train of thought.
Learn these two ways to use it and let Gemini support your email tasks.
※The explanation regarding the use of generative AI, including Gemini, is for illustrative purposes. Please verify the accuracy of the actual response results yourself.
6 ways to use Gemini to make Gmail more convenient
Now, we will introduce recommended ways to use it that will significantly improve your email work efficiency, along with prompt examples that you can use immediately.
Streamline your daily email checks
1. Have it organize long threads
[Gemini Side Panel]
Gmail has a thread feature that groups emails with the same subject line, but as conversations continue, threads can become long, making it difficult to find the relevant email. By specifying a thread and asking for a summary, you can get a concise overview of the content so far.
Summarize this thread
Additionally, in the Gemini side panel, you can simply click "Summarize this email" or "Summarize this email content" to get a summary without having to type a prompt. This is also a very convenient feature, so please try using it.
2. Check all company-wide emails for the week at once!
[Gemini App][Gemini Side Panel]
You might miss company-wide announcements if you receive several of them. You can specify the sender's email address and have Gemini summarize the emails received from the company.
Summarize the content of company-wide emails from the past week.
Company-wide emails are those sent from the following addresses:
・Email address 1
・Email address 2
・Email address 3
Please organize the content and action items for each sender, and indicate who the sender is in the summary.
3. Have Gemini find the information you need from a large volume of emails
[Gemini App][Gemini Side Panel]
It is difficult to find the information you want from a large number of emails. Ask Gemini to find and summarize the information you need. For example, if you are looking for emails about a "seminar," specify keywords like "seminar," dates, and application deadlines, and it will find the relevant emails and list them as follows:
Pick out emails related to "seminars" from last month and this month, and summarize the following for each email:
・Seminar content
・Date and time
・Location
・Seminar application deadline
Streamline email creation by editing replies and drafting
4. Have your email drafts edited
[Gemini App][Gemini Side Panel]
You always need to be careful when writing business emails.
You can also easily use Gemini to check for typos or unnatural honorifics. If you ask it to specify the corrected parts, it will serve as a reference for your future writing.
I want to send a contact email to a client representative.
Please edit it for any kanji errors, English spelling mistakes, correct use of honorifics, and any parts that are difficult to understand.
※ The email text to be edited is below:
5. Have an email draft created for you
[Gemini Side Panel]
It is also possible to have Gemini create an email draft from scratch. By specifically stating "the position from which you are writing," "what you want done," and "the conditions required for the email," you can create a more accurate email draft.
Create an email draft while paying attention to the following points. Please maintain a professional and polite tone throughout.
1. I have no prior acquaintance with the recipient and am sending this email for the first time, so please include a polite greeting acknowledging that this is an unsolicited email.
2. Include a brief self-introduction.
3. Convey that I would like to request work and that I will send details if they are interested.
6. Rely on Gemini when you are stuck on how to reply
[Gemini Side Panel][Gemini App]
In business, there are times when you have to write an email declining a request, and many people struggle in front of their screens wondering, "How should I decline this?" In such cases, we recommend consulting with Gemini to think about the email content together.
Create a reply to this email with the following content:
・Convey that it is difficult to meet the request immediately because internal resources are depleted.
・Use polite language.
・While acknowledging the requested content, mention alternatives or future responses as much as possible.
When using the Gemini app, it is convenient to copy and paste a screenshot of the email directly to share its content with Gemini. Please note that you should always review the drafts generated by Gemini, and add or adjust any necessary parts before sending.
Accelerate your Gmail efficiency with Gemini
Why not ask Gemini for support to streamline your daily email tasks?
If you would like to try the "Gemini side panel" in Gmail, please consider subscribing to Google Workspace or the paid Google One AI Premium plan. Both offer free trial periods, so please take this opportunity to experience "using Gmail while consulting with Gemini."
Next time, we will introduce the integration between "Google Drive" and Gemini. Stay tuned.