Master n8n in 2 Hours: Complete Beginner’s Guide for 2025

By Jono Catliff

TechnologyAIBusiness
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Key Concepts

  • n8n: An automation platform that connects different applications to automate tasks.
  • Workflows: Automated sequences of actions triggered by specific events.
  • Nodes: Individual steps within a workflow, including triggers and actions.
  • Triggers: The starting point of a workflow, initiating the automation.
  • Actions: Tasks performed within a workflow after the trigger.
  • Webhooks: A way to receive real-time data from external applications into n8n.
  • HTTP Requests: A way to send data from n8n to external applications.
  • AI Agents: Automated systems powered by AI models to perform tasks.
  • RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation): An AI architecture that combines information retrieval with text generation.
  • Vector Store: A database that stores data as numerical vectors for efficient similarity search.
  • Embedding Model: An AI model that converts text into numerical vectors.
  • Data Types: The format of data used in n8n, including text, numbers, booleans, dates, binary, arrays, and collections.
  • Iterators: Nodes that process each item in an array individually.
  • Aggregators: Nodes that combine multiple items into a single array.
  • Expressions: Custom variables that change every time.

1. Introduction to n8n

  • n8n is an automation platform designed to eliminate mundane tasks.
  • Examples of automation include:
    • AI agents for task management and data extraction.
    • Web scraping for lead generation.
    • Document generation with variable data.
    • Real-time analytics for marketing, sales, and fulfillment.
  • n8n is presented as a more economical alternative to platforms like Zapier and Make.com due to its pricing model based on workflow executions rather than individual modules.
  • Users can self-host n8n for free or opt for paid plans.

2. Building Automation Scenarios

  • The video focuses on building five practical automation scenarios.
  • Scenario 1: Lead Generation for Service-Based Businesses
    • When a lead inquires on a website, the system automatically:
      • Adds the lead to a Google Sheet.
      • Sends an email to the lead.
      • Notifies the team to call the lead within 60 seconds.
    • Calling within 60 seconds can increase conversion rates by 391%.
  • Scenario 2: Personal AI Assistant
    • An AI agent provides daily reminders, calendar updates, and task management.
  • Scenario 3: Sub-Agent for Lead Follow-Up
    • A sub-agent sends daily reports of leads that haven't been called.
  • Scenario 4: Webhooks and HTTP Requests
    • Explores advanced functionality for receiving and sending data.
    • Webhooks are used to receive data into n8n.
    • HTTP requests are used to send data outside of n8n.
  • Scenario 5: Advanced AI Agent with RAG System
    • Builds an AI agent with a custom database.

3. Setting Up n8n

  • Sign up for a free trial at nn.io.
  • The user interface (UI) includes:
    • Editor mode for creating workflows.
    • Executions mode for viewing workflow history and debugging errors.
    • Workflow toggle to turn automations on and off.
    • Options to share, save, duplicate, download, import, and delete workflows.
  • Workflows are organized into projects.

4. Creating a New Lead Workflow

  • Trigger: Form submission using n8n's built-in form feature.
    • Create a form with fields like first name, last name, email, budget, and message.
    • The form trigger captures data when a user submits the form.
    • Data can be viewed in table, JSON, or schema format.
  • Action: Appending data to a Google Sheet.
    • Connect n8n to Google Sheets using credentials.
    • Select the target spreadsheet and sheet.
    • Map form fields to corresponding columns in the Google Sheet.
    • Use the "Match Column" feature to update existing rows based on email.
  • Functions:
    • Use expressions to add dynamic data, such as the submission date.
    • Implement conditional logic using the if function to automatically reject leads based on budget.
    • Example: {{ $json.budget == '1000+' ? false : true }}
  • Data Transformations:
    • Use the "Filter" node to remove leads based on specific criteria.
    • Use the "Switch" node to route leads down different paths based on budget.
  • Email Notifications:
    • Send personalized emails to leads based on their budget.
    • Notify the team of new leads via email.

5. Building an AI Agent

  • Trigger: On chat message.
  • Action: Advanced AI agent.
    • Set up a chat model using OpenAI (requires a minimum balance of $5).
    • Configure memory using window buffer memory to remember past messages.
    • Add tools to enable the AI agent to perform tasks.
  • Tool: Google Calendar Integration
    • Use the "Create Event" action to automatically create calendar events based on user input.
    • Use expressions to extract start time, end time, and summary from user messages.
    • Example: {{ $ai.start_time }}
  • Tool: Google Sheets Integration
    • Use the "Append Row" action to add tasks to a Google Sheet.
    • Use expressions to extract task name, description, due date, and priority from user messages.
    • Use the "Get Many Rows" action to search for tasks based on due date.
    • Use the "Update Row" action to update task details.
  • System Prompt:
    • Provide the AI agent with instructions and rules to guide its behavior.
    • Example: "All dates must be structured in this format: MM/DD/YYYY."

6. Creating a Sub-Workflow for Lead Reporting

  • Trigger: Workflow executed by another workflow.
  • Action: Get sheet rows from Google Sheets.
    • Filter rows based on date, rejection status, and call status.
  • Data Transformation:
    • Use an array aggregator to bundle multiple leads into a single array.
  • Code Node:
    • Use JavaScript code to transform the array of leads into a plain text format.
    • Example code:
      let text = "";
      for (const item of $input.all()) {
        const data = item.json;
        text += `Name: ${data["First Name"]} ${data["Last Name"]}\n`;
        text += `Email: ${data.Email}\n`;
        text += `Budget: ${data.Budget}\n`;
        text += `Message: ${data.Message}\n\n`;
      }
      return [{ json: { text } }];
      
  • Email Notification:
    • Send an email with the list of new leads.

7. Webhooks and HTTP Requests

  • Webhook: A way to receive real-time data from external applications.
    • Use Tally Forms to create a simple form and configure a webhook to send data to n8n.
  • HTTP Request: A way to send data from n8n to external applications.
    • Use an HTTP request to send data from n8n to a CRM like GoHighLevel.
    • Use Request Catcher to test HTTP requests.

8. Building an AI RAG System

  • Trigger: On chat message.
  • Action: Download file from Google Drive.
    • Set up Google Drive integration using client ID and client secret.
  • Action: Extract text from PDF.
  • Action: Add document to in-memory vector store.
    • Use a default data loader to convert raw data into a format that the RAG system can understand.
    • Use a recursive character text splitter to break the text down into smaller chunks.
  • Action: Advanced AI agent.
    • Use an embedding model to encode the message in the vector database.
    • Configure the AI agent to use the in-memory vector store as its knowledge base.

9. Data Types in n8n

  • Text: Strings of characters.
  • Numbers: Numerical values.
  • Boolean: True or false values.
  • Date: Date and time values.
  • Binary: Files, such as PDFs or images.
  • Array: A list of items.
  • Collection: A group of labeled information, such as a row in a Google Sheet.

10. Conclusion

  • n8n is a powerful automation platform that can be used to automate a wide range of tasks.
  • The video provides a comprehensive overview of n8n's features and demonstrates how to build practical automation scenarios.
  • By following the steps outlined in the video, users can leverage n8n to streamline their workflows and improve their productivity.

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