n8n Automation Planning Guide

Plan first, build better automation workflows

Module Overview

Focus

Planning automations before building them in n8n

Process

Asking key questions, diagramming workflows, then building

Purpose

Avoid jumping into building without a clear direction

Importance of Planning

Discovery Process

Delve into the roots of your workflow to determine what's needed for success.

Alignment

Ensure you're aligned with the direction of your agent.

Structured Approach

Have a structured way to create workflows.

Blueprint to Build Document

Example Project: Email Aggregator

Goal

Pull emails from inbox into an Airtable database along with a drafted reply.

Success Measurement

All compatible Airtable fields being filled out after workflow execution.

Trigger

Schedule trigger node running every two hours.

Actions

  • Automating moving emails from inbox to Airtable.
  • Automating drafting replies to emails.

Tool Selection

Gmail, Airtable, OpenAI chat GPT-4 o

Workflow Mapping

Email Aggregator Workflow

Schedule trigger node (every two hours)
Action node to watch for new unread emails
Extract granular email information
Advanced AI agent node to draft responses
Create record in Airtable database
Mark emails as read (Gmail action node)

Diagramming Tools & Tips

Tools

  • Miro
  • Whimsical
  • Paper and pencil

Organization

Keep blueprints organized in a folder for future reference.

Flexibility

Be prepared for plans to change during the building process.

AI Assistance

Consider using AI to convert handwritten diagrams to digital format.

Building the Email Aggregator in n8n

  1. Create a new workflow in n8n.
  2. Add a schedule trigger node set for every two hours.
  3. Add a Gmail node to watch for new unread emails.
  4. Add a Gmail node to extract granular email information.
  5. Add an advanced AI agent node to draft replies using OpenAI chat GPT-4 O.
  6. Create an Airtable database and map the necessary fields.
  7. Add an Airtable node to create records and map data from the workflow.
  8. Add a Gmail node to mark emails as read to prevent duplicates.
  9. Test the workflow and activate it.

Remember

This blueprint to build process can be applied to any automation project.

It's a valuable tool for planning, organizing, and communicating your automation goals.

Coming Soon

An upcoming exercise module will combine everything learned in the past modules to create your own automation.