Many book ideas are rejected on the phone or by e-mail before the author even sends in a proposal or manuscript. Sensible authors call or e-mail the publisher before submitting to ask if their idea for a book is something the publisher would like to look at. If the idea is entirely inappropriate then the author can be told immediately.
Nothing is read or considered in these cases. The genre of the book is enough for the publisher to say no.
What automatic rejection looks like
A novel to a house that does not want fiction
The list is the list. A beautifully written novel sent to a non-fiction house is not a near miss. It is the wrong address.
Poems, almost anywhere
Poems offered to virtually any publisher other than the handful of specialists who actually handle that kind of work.
Trade books to a science publisher
A change of publishing policy can also mean a company that looks promising from their backlist is no longer interested in your type of book.
Usually this will be due to the book’s genre. These are all examples of automatic rejection. Nothing is read or considered in these cases. The genre of the book is enough for the publisher to say no. This shouldn’t really happen in the first place because the author should research potential publishers more carefully before calling, but sometimes a change of publishing policy will mean a company that seems promising from examination of their backlist will not be interested in your type of book after all.