Email automation can significantly enhance productivity by handling repetitive tasks such as sending routine emails, organizing your inbox, or setting up auto-responses. While traditional automation tools like Microsoft Power Automate are not available in the macOS environment, Apple provides robust alternatives through AppleScript and Automator. These tools allow users to create powerful email automation workflows tailored to their needs.

In this article, we will explore how to automate email tasks on macOS using AppleScript and Automator. We will cover practical examples to help you get started with email automation on your Apple devices.

Examples:

1. Sending Automated Emails with AppleScript

AppleScript is a scripting language created by Apple for automating tasks on macOS. Here's a simple example of how to send an email using AppleScript:

tell application "Mail"
    set newMessage to make new outgoing message with properties {subject:"Automated Email", content:"This is an automated email sent via AppleScript.", visible:true}
    tell newMessage
        make new to recipient at end of to recipients with properties {address:"recipient@example.com"}
        send
    end tell
end tell

To run this script:

• Open the "Script Editor" application on your Mac.
• Copy and paste the above code into the editor.
• Click the "Run" button to execute the script.

2. Creating an Email Automation Workflow with Automator

Automator is a macOS application that allows you to create workflows for automating repetitive tasks. Here is how you can create an email automation workflow:

• Open Automator and select "New Document."
• Choose "Workflow" as the document type.
• In the Library pane, select "Mail" and drag the "New Mail Message" action to the workflow area.
• Configure the email details such as recipient, subject, and message content.
• Next, drag the "Send Outgoing Messages" action to the workflow area.
• Save the workflow and run it to send the automated email.

3. Setting Up Auto-Responses with AppleScript and Automator

You can also set up auto-responses for incoming emails using AppleScript and Automator:

• Create an AppleScript to reply to incoming emails:

tell application "Mail"
    set theMessages to messages of inbox whose read status is false
    repeat with eachMessage in theMessages
        set theSender to sender of eachMessage
        set theSubject to subject of eachMessage
        set theReply to make new outgoing message with properties {subject:"Re: " & theSubject, content:"Thank you for your email. I will get back to you shortly.", visible:false}
        tell theReply
            make new to recipient at end of to recipients with properties {address:theSender}
            send
        end tell
        set read status of eachMessage to true
    end repeat
end tell

• Save this script and create an Automator workflow to run it periodically:
  • Open Automator and create a new "Application."
  • Drag the "Run AppleScript" action to the workflow area.
  • Paste the above AppleScript code into the action.
  • Save the workflow as an application.
  • Use "Calendar" to schedule the application to run at specific intervals.