# Use Gmail for a customer reply attachment question

Example: A customer tells the owner a signed form is attached. The supplied reply contains no attachment, and work cannot start without the form.

By Righthand Team · 2026-10-18

Source: https://www.righthand.ai/blog/use-gmail-for-a-customer-reply-attachment-question

Keep Gmail as the source for its records. A Righthand can use available information for the decision below.

This article is from Righthand. The example and result are illustrative. This guide has no executed integration test.

## The customer task

A customer tells the owner a signed form is attached. The supplied reply contains no attachment, and work cannot start without the form.

[Provider documentation](https://developers.google.com/workspace/gmail/api/guides/drafts). The documentation gives information about draft creation, replacement, and sending. A draft is an unsent message, and sending produces a sent message.

## Make account access explicit

If Gmail is available in [Connections](https://docs.righthand.ai/guides/adding-your-first-connection), connect the intended account. Give the Righthand access to that connection.

Provider documentation does not establish installed Righthand operations. Examine the connection’s available tools before assigning direct account work.

For direct account work, the connection must have the necessary read or write operation and permission. If that operation is unavailable, supply the information in a message. The owner must make any account change in that case.

[Connection Permissions](https://docs.righthand.ai/guides/add-a-connection) gives information about account access and tool permissions. Give only the access necessary for the identified task.

## The request to the Righthand

> Read the identified customer reply.
>
> Send the attachment status to the owner.
>
> Prepare a specific request for the missing form.
>
> Get approval before you contact the customer.
>
> Send the owner the result before 3 PM Friday.
>
> Use Pacific time.

## Use the provider records for the result

Use the exact mailbox and recipient list for the task. Examine subject, body, and attachments before sending. Draft creation does not establish customer receipt.

The text of a message does not prove attachment delivery.

For a permitted write, examine the resulting account record. A proposal does not establish a completed change.

For an external message, identify the recipient and permitted task. **Ask** uses an explicit instruction or approval. Connection tool permissions are another required control. [Communications Policy](https://docs.righthand.ai/security/external-communications).

## An illustrative result and next step

> The customer’s message has an attachment statement, but the required attachment is absent.

The owner permits a request for the form before giving a decision about the work start.

## Try one account task

1. Give the Righthand one identified source record.
2. Compare its result with that source.
3. Examine the account record after a permitted write.
4. Examine the work in [Activity](https://docs.righthand.ai/guides/working-with-your-righthand).

If a direct operation is unavailable, give the source information in a message. This does not establish a direct integration.

## When the account tools are sufficient

Use Gmail directly when its existing view gives the complete answer and no other conversation is necessary. A person can make the decision from that view.

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