Track archive requests by reading the actual email conversations
At a glance
A genealogist uses ChatGPT with Gmail to maintain a spreadsheet of record requests, replies, and follow-up work. This workflow is listed under Genealogy, Email, Research Tracking.
- Agents / tools
- ChatGPT, Gmail, Spreadsheets
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What they did
1) Connect Gmail in ChatGPT settings, review Google's permissions, and open a genealogy Project. Use the account containing your sent record requests and incoming replies. 2) Identify the ancestors and records, then ask ChatGPT to find matching sent messages and responses. 3) Request a spreadsheet with repository, email address, date sent, records requested, response, status, and next action. Distinguish pending, completed, unsuccessful, and follow-up requests. 4) Verify rows against original threads. When replies arrive, ask the Project to review recent correspondence, update statuses, and flag follow-ups. 5) Review suggested follow-up wording and send correspondence yourself.
How it went
The author describes using this for a six-generation documentation project and another tracker involving more than 50 email conversations.
Worth knowing
A search that finds no reply does not prove nobody replied. The author checks source messages and uses the connection for reading and organization.
