Enable Auto-Advance in the Settings

I have my Gmail set to filter Google Classroom Private Comments. Interacting with students is my top priority. I set up Priority inbox so there is a section in my email with the Private Comments. My work flow is to open the email, hold down the Control key, click on the Reply button within the email, delete the email. Click on the next email and repeat about 7 times to load up 7 student’s Private Comments. Then I go to the last tab and start responding. Control W closes the tab to take me to the next Private Comment to reply to.

Auto-Advance

This is a good workflow for me but Gmail just added a new advanced feature that makes this even better. When I delete the email from Gmail it will automatically go to the next email. Since my messages are filtered for Private Comments it goes automatically to the next Private Comments email. It takes out a couple of clicks from the previous workflow.

Setting Up Auto-Advance

In Gmail, go to the Settings cog and choose “Settings.”

Advanced Settings

Look along the top at the different tabs and choose “Advanced.” Enable the option to “Auto-advance.”

Save Button

No joke there is a save button… at the bottom where you can not see it. Scroll down to the bottom of the Advanced settings and click on save.

Open an Email

Go back to your inbox and open an email. When you click on the trash can to delete the email or you archive the email it will go to the next email without you having to manually select and click on the next email.