# Automation Rules


Automation Rules are simple “If this happens → then do that” workflows that keep your Gemini Notebook workspace organized and up-to-date.

## The Basic Idea

Each rule has two parts:

- **Trigger** — the thing you do (add a tag, move a notebook into a collection, finish an episode, etc.)
- **Action** — what Kortex does for you (move a notebook, create notes, generate audio, add to a podcast feed, etc.)

## Why Use Automation Rules

- **Less busywork** — stop doing the same organizing steps over and over
- **Consistent structure** — every project starts the same way
- **Faster workflows** — tagging once can trigger multiple steps

## Common Examples

- **Tag → Collection**: Tag a notebook `#work` and it automatically gets filed into _Office Projects_
- **Tag → More Tags**: Tag `#final` and it automatically adds `#reviewed` + `#archive`
- **Collection → Audio**: Move a notebook into _Daily Read_ and it starts generating an Audio Overview
- **Tag → Podcast**: Tag `#listenlater` and its audio gets added to your podcast feed

## Automation Types

- [Smart Sort](#) — tag → collection (auto-filing)
- [The Escalator](#) — tag → more tags (tag macros)
- [Domain Router](#) — URL match → notebook (auto-routing)
- [Template Engine](#) — tag/collection → create notes (instant structure)
- [The Cleaner](#) — episode finished → remove from feed (auto-cleanup)
- [The Pipeline](#) — collection → podcast (playlist by folder)
- [Podcast Curator](#) — tag → podcast (playlist by tag)
- [The Generator](#) — collection → generate audio (auto-produce)
- [Auto-Researcher](#) — tag/collection → generate artifacts (AI analyst)

## Smart Pipelines (Multi-Rule Recipes)

Most people get the best results by combining multiple rules into a single pipeline. Think of it like building a conveyor belt:

- **Route** content to the right place ([Domain Router](#))
- **Organize** with tags/collections ([Smart Sort](#), [The Escalator](#))
- **Bootstrap** structure ([Template Engine](#))
- **Produce** outputs ([The Generator](#), [Auto-Researcher](#))
- **Distribute** audio ([The Pipeline](#), [Podcast Curator](#))
- **Keep it clean** ([The Cleaner](#))

### Pipeline 1: “Inbox → Processed → Archived” (the universal workflow)

**Goal**: Every new notebook starts in an inbox, gets processed, and ends up archived with consistent tags.

1. **Create Collections**: _Inbox_, _Active_, _Archive_
1. **Smart Sort**: Tag `#active` → move to _Active_
1. **Smart Sort**: Tag `#archive` → move to _Archive_
1. **Escalator**: Tag `#archive` → auto-add `#reviewed` + `#done`
1. **Template Engine**: When moved to _Active_ → create notes: _Goals_, _Key Sources_, _Next Actions_

### Pipeline 2: “Tag once → full project setup” (tag macro + structure)

**Goal**: Apply one tag and the notebook is immediately standardized for your workflow.

1. **Escalator**: Tag `#client` → auto-add `#work` + `#priority`
1. **Smart Sort**: Tag `#work` → move to _Work Projects_
1. **Template Engine**: On tag `#client` (or on entering _Work Projects_) → create notes: _Brief_, _Deliverables_, _Meeting Notes_, _Open Questions_

### Pipeline 3: “Research Links → Correct Notebook automatically” (routing + filing)

**Goal**: Save links from many sites but have them land in the right notebook every time.

1. **Domain Router**: If URL contains `arxiv.org` → notebook _Papers_
1. **Domain Router**: If URL contains `youtube.com` → notebook _Videos to Watch_
1. **Escalator**: When you tag `#paper` → auto-add `#to-summarize` + `#cite`
1. **Auto-Researcher**: On tag `#to-summarize` → generate a _Briefing Doc_ (and/or _Flashcards_ if it’s for studying)

### Pipeline 4: “Daily Reading → Auto Audio Playlist” (collection → audio → podcast)

**Goal**: Turn a folder into a listening queue with minimal effort.

1. **Create Collection**: _Daily Read_
1. **Generator**: When notebook enters _Daily Read_ → generate Audio Overview
1. **Pipeline**: Collection _Daily Read_ → Podcast _Morning Commute_
1. **Cleaner**: When an episode finishes → remove it from the feed

**Best practice**: Use the collection as your “single source of truth” queue. Drag notebooks in/out to control what gets produced and queued.

### Pipeline 5: “Listen Later” without moving notebooks (tag → podcast)

**Goal**: Keep notebooks where they belong, but still queue audio for listening.

1. **Create Tag**: `#listenlater`
1. **Podcast Curator**: Tag `#listenlater` → Podcast _My Playlist_
1. **Cleaner**: Finished episode → remove it

### Pipeline 6: “Course Notes → Study Materials + Audio” (class automation)

**Goal**: Every time you file a notebook into a class folder, you get study outputs automatically.

1. **Create Collection**: _CS224N_ (or any class)
1. **Template Engine**: Entering _CS224N_ → create notes: _Lecture Summary_, _Key Terms_, _Exam Questions_
1. **Auto-Researcher**: Entering _CS224N_ → generate _Study Guide_ + _Flashcards_
1. **Generator**: Entering _CS224N_ → generate Audio Overview
1. **Pipeline**: _CS224N_ → Podcast _CS224N Audio_

### Pipeline 7: “Meeting Notes Standardizer” (tag → notes template)

**Goal**: Any notebook tagged as a meeting automatically gets a consistent structure.

1. **Escalator**: Tag `#meeting` → auto-add `#work` + `#action-items`
1. **Template Engine**: On tag `#meeting` → create notes: _Agenda_, _Decisions_, _Action Items_, _Follow-ups_
1. **Smart Sort**: Tag `#work` → move to _Work Projects_ (optional)

### Pipeline 8: “Deep Work / Focus mode” (tags become modes)

**Goal**: Switch a notebook into a mode that triggers multiple automations.

1. **Escalator**: Tag `#focus` → auto-add `#noisy-sources-off` + `#summarize` (use whatever tags match your process)
1. **Auto-Researcher**: On tag `#summarize` → generate a _Briefing Doc_
1. **Podcast Curator**: Tag `#focus` → Podcast _Focus Queue_ (optional)

### Pipeline 9: “Client Deliverables Assembly Line” (project folder → outputs)

**Goal**: When a notebook enters a delivery folder, the outputs you need are generated automatically.

1. **Create Collection**: _Deliver This Week_
1. **Template Engine**: Entering _Deliver This Week_ → create notes: _Deliverable Outline_, _Risks_, _Client Questions_
1. **Auto-Researcher**: Entering _Deliver This Week_ → generate a _Briefing Doc_ (or other artifact you ship)
1. **Generator**: Entering _Deliver This Week_ → generate Audio Overview (for review while walking/commuting)

### Pipeline 10: “Topic Router + Filing” (URL routing then tag-based filing)

**Goal**: Use URL patterns to get things into the right notebook, then tags to file notebooks into the right collections.

1. **Domain Router**: If URL contains `topic=machine-learning` → notebook _ML Research_
1. **Escalator**: Tag `#ml` → auto-add `#paper` + `#to-summarize`
1. **Smart Sort**: Tag `#ml` → move notebook to collection _Machine Learning_
1. **Auto-Researcher**: Tag `#to-summarize` → generate _Briefing Doc_

### Pipeline 11: “Multi-Playlist System” (one notebook, multiple destinations)

**Goal**: Use tags to send the same notebook’s audio to different podcast feeds depending on what you need.

1. **Podcast Curator**: Tag `#commute` → Podcast _Morning Commute_
1. **Podcast Curator**: Tag `#workout` → Podcast _Workout Queue_
1. **Podcast Curator**: Tag `#sleep` → Podcast _Wind Down_
1. **Escalator** (optional): Tag `#commute` → auto-add `#listenlater`

**Tip**: Keep tags mutually exclusive if you only want one destination at a time, or allow multiple tags if you want cross-posting.

### Pipeline 12: “One Tag to Rule Them All” (master trigger tag)

**Goal**: Apply a single master tag and it triggers a full chain of organization + output creation.

1. **Escalator**: Tag `#ship` → auto-add `#work` + `#priority` + `#listenlater`
1. **Smart Sort**: Tag `#work` → collection _Work Projects_
1. **Template Engine**: On tag `#ship` → create notes: _Scope_, _Checklist_, _QA_
1. **Generator**: On entering _Work Projects_ (or on tag `#ship`) → generate Audio Overview
1. **Podcast Curator**: Tag `#listenlater` → Podcast _Work Review Queue_

### Pipeline 13: “Two-stage review” (draft → final → archive)

**Goal**: Make it hard to accidentally archive something before it’s reviewed.

1. **Create Tags**: `#draft`, `#ready`, `#final`
1. **Escalator**: Tag `#final` → auto-add `#archive` + `#reviewed`
1. **Smart Sort**: Tag `#draft` → collection _In Progress_
1. **Smart Sort**: Tag `#ready` → collection _Review_
1. **Smart Sort**: Tag `#archive` → collection _Archive_

### Pipeline 14: “Podcast-first research loop” (listen → tag → artifacts)

**Goal**: Use listening as the first pass, then automatically generate artifacts for anything worth keeping.

1. **Podcast Curator**: Tag `#listenlater` → Podcast _Inbox Audio_
1. **Escalator**: Tag `#keeper` → auto-add `#to-summarize` + `#cite`
1. **Auto-Researcher**: Tag `#to-summarize` → generate _Briefing Doc_ (or _Study Guide_)

### Pipeline 15: “Personal knowledge base lanes” (topics as collections)

**Goal**: A clean long-term system where adding a topic tag files it and boots up the right templates.

1. **Create Collections**: _Health_, _Finance_, _Career_, _Learning_
1. **Smart Sort**: `#health` → _Health_, `#finance` → _Finance_, etc.
1. **Template Engine**: Entering _Health_ → create notes: _Summary_, _Action Plan_, _Questions_
1. **Auto-Researcher** (optional): Entering _Learning_ → generate _Flashcards_

## Good Rule Design (Quick Tips)

- **Start with 1 pipeline** — build one “lane” (like Daily Read) and run it for a week
- **Name tags like verbs** — `#listenlater`, `#to-summarize`, `#archive`
- **Prefer one main trigger** — choose either a tag or a collection move as the main “start” signal
- **Keep rules predictable** — if a rule surprises you once, make the trigger more specific