How do I install the Processing Inbox skill?

Run npx skillmds@latest add sawyer-middeleer/processing-inbox in your terminal (requires Node.js), paste this page's agent-chat prompt into Claude, Cursor, or any MCP-connected agent, or download the SKILL.md file and copy it into your agent's skills directory.

Is Processing Inbox safe to use?

This skill has not completed SkillMD's automated safety review yet. Capability flags: docs only. SkillMD never runs a skill's scripts for you; review the SKILL.md before installing.

Which AI agents work with Processing Inbox?

This skill is tagged as working with Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex. SKILL.md is an open format, so most agents that read a skills directory can load it too.

Is Processing Inbox free to use?

Yes. Installing skills from SkillMD is free, and the skill stays under its author's original license.

Who published Processing Inbox?

Sawyer-Middeleer (@sawyer-middeleer) published this skill. Their other Agent Skills are listed on their SkillMD profile.

Processing Inbox by sawyer-middeleer

Name: Processing Inbox
Rating: 4.2 (5 reviews)
Author: Sawyer-Middeleer

Processing Inbox

Processes and routes files from a second-brain knowledge base's inbox folder (e.g. _inbox/) into their proper homes per the base's conventions.md. Use when asked to check, clean, process, sort, or organize the knowledge-base inbox. Categorizes by content analysis, moves what's clear, asks about what isn't, never deletes.

File contents

Processing the Inbox

Clear the inbox by routing each file to its canonical home per the knowledge base's conventions.md folder map. Conservative bias: mis-filing costs more than asking.

Workflow

Step 1: Scan

List the inbox folder (_inbox/ or whatever the conventions name). Empty → report "Inbox is empty" and stop.

Step 2: Analyze Each File

Text (.md, .txt): read the first ~2000 characters; judge from filename + content
Binary (.pdf, .docx, images): judge from filename and extension only — don't parse content

For each file determine topic, type (note / reading source / daily capture / project doc / misc), destination per the folder map, and confidence. Files dated YYYY-MM-DD in the name are usually daily captures → the daily-notes structure.

Step 3: Bucket

Clear — confident destination, folder exists → move
Needs a folder — confident destination, folder doesn't exist → propose it
Unclear — low confidence → leave in place, ask

Step 4: Execute and Report

Move all clear files (preserve filenames; on name collision propose a rename, never overwrite), then one consolidated report:

Inbox: 6 files processed

Filed (4):
- ai-agents-article.pdf → notes/reading/
- 2026-06-10-meeting.md → _daily/2026/06/

Proposed new folder (1):
- vendor-comparison.md → notes/procurement/ [NEW] — create and move?

Needs your call (1):
- random-thoughts.txt — couldn't categorize. Where should it go?

Step 5: Resolve and Hand Off

Apply the user's answers; anything they defer stays in the inbox untouched. Then offer the consistency pass: filing is a move (it does not bump modified or touch content), so newly-filed notes still need frontmatter, tags, and links applied — that's /second-brain:organizing-notes. Name the files you filed so it can run on just those.

Rules

Never delete — move or leave, only
One report, not per-file interruptions
Don't edit content during inbox processing — frontmatter and links are the organizing-notes skill's pass, after filing
A file fitting two homes goes to the more specific one, noted in the report
New-folder proposals follow the existing naming pattern of their siblings

---name: processing-inboxdescription: Processes and routes files from a second-brain knowledge base's inbox folder (e.g. _inbox/) into their proper homes per the base's conventions.md. Use when asked to check, clean, process, sort, or organize the knowledge-base inbox. Categorizes by content analysis, moves what's clear, asks about what isn't, never deletes.---# Processing the InboxClear the inbox by routing each file to its canonical home per the knowledge base's `conventions.md` folder map. Conservative bias: mis-filing costs more than asking.## Workflow### Step 1: ScanList the inbox folder (`_inbox/` or whatever the conventions name). Empty → report "Inbox is empty" and stop.### Step 2: Analyze Each File- **Text** (`.md`, `.txt`): read the first ~2000 characters; judge from filename + content- **Binary** (`.pdf`, `.docx`, images): judge from filename and extension only — don't parse contentFor each file determine topic, type (note / reading source / daily capture / project doc / misc), destination per the folder map, and confidence. Files dated `YYYY-MM-DD` in the name are usually daily captures → the daily-notes structure.### Step 3: Bucket- **Clear** — confident destination, folder exists → move- **Needs a folder** — confident destination, folder doesn't exist → propose it- **Unclear** — low confidence → leave in place, ask### Step 4: Execute and ReportMove all clear files (preserve filenames; on name collision propose a rename, never overwrite), then one consolidated report:```Inbox: 6 files processedFiled (4):- ai-agents-article.pdf → notes/reading/- 2026-06-10-meeting.md → _daily/2026/06/Proposed new folder (1):- vendor-comparison.md → notes/procurement/ [NEW] — create and move?Needs your call (1):- random-thoughts.txt — couldn't categorize. Where should it go?```### Step 5: Resolve and Hand OffApply the user's answers; anything they defer stays in the inbox untouched. Then offer the consistency pass: filing is a move (it does **not** bump `modified` or touch content), so newly-filed notes still need frontmatter, tags, and links applied — that's `/second-brain:organizing-notes`. Name the files you filed so it can run on just those.## Rules- **Never delete** — move or leave, only- **One report**, not per-file interruptions- **Don't edit content** during inbox processing — frontmatter and links are the organizing-notes skill's pass, after filing- A file fitting two homes goes to the more specific one, noted in the report- New-folder proposals follow the existing naming pattern of their siblings

Frequently asked questions