Module 1: Building Your First Workflows

Learning Objectives:

• Build functional workflows using n8n's visual interface and node connections
• Configure different trigger types to initiate workflows automatically
• Transform and manipulate data as it flows between nodes
• Create practical automation solutions that solve real-world problems

Your first n8n workflows will focus on fundamental data operations: collecting, transforming, and routing information between different services. These building blocks form the foundation for all automation scenarios.

Understanding Data Flow Patterns

Data flow in n8n follows a predictable pattern from left to right across your workflow canvas. Each node receives data from its predecessor, processes that information, and passes results to subsequent nodes. This creates a clear visual representation of your automation logic.

Start with a simple data fetching workflow:

1. Manual Trigger Node: Begin every learning workflow with a Manual Trigger for testing purposes
2. HTTP Request Node: Fetch data from any REST API
3. Set Node: Transform and clean the received data
4. Google Sheets Node: Store the processed data

This pattern establishes the fundamental concept: Input → Process → Output.

Practical Example: Weather Data Collection

Build your first functional workflow by creating an automated weather monitoring system:

Manual Trigger → HTTP Request (OpenWeatherMap API) → Set (Clean Data) → Google Sheets (Log Results)

The OpenWeatherMap API provides free weather data perfect for learning. Configure the HTTP Request node with:

• URL: https://api.openweathermap.org/data/2.5/weather?q=YourCity&appid=YourAPIKey
• Method: GET
• Authentication: API key in query parameters

Use the Set node to extract specific weather information:

• Temperature (convert from Kelvin to Celsius)
• Weather description
• Humidity percentage
• Timestamp for logging

This exercise demonstrates real-world API integration while teaching fundamental n8n concepts.

Data Transformation Techniques

The Set node becomes your primary tool for data manipulation. Master these essential transformations:

• Field Selection: Extract specific properties from complex API responses
• Data Type Conversion: Convert strings to numbers, format dates, handle boolean values
• String Manipulation: Clean text, combine fields, apply formatting
• Conditional Logic: Apply business rules using expressions and conditions

n8n's expression editor supports JavaScript-like syntax for complex transformations. Learn essential expression patterns:

// Convert temperature from Kelvin to Celsius
{{ Math.round($json.main.temp - 273.15) }}

// Format timestamps
{{ DateTime.fromSeconds($json.dt).toFormat('yyyy-MM-dd HH:mm:ss') }}

// Conditional formatting
{{ $json.main.temp > 293 ? 'Hot' : 'Cool' }}

Triggers transform static workflows into dynamic automation systems that respond to events or run on schedules. Understanding trigger configuration is crucial for building practical automation solutions.

Manual Triggers for Development

Always start workflow development with Manual Triggers. This approach provides:

• Controlled Testing: Execute workflows on demand during development
• Debugging Capability: Step through workflow execution to identify issues
• Data Inspection: Examine node outputs before committing to automation
• Safe Development: Prevent unintended executions during workflow construction

Schedule Triggers for Automation

Schedule triggers enable time-based automation using familiar cron expressions or simple intervals. Common scheduling patterns include:

• Hourly Reports: 0 * * * * (Every hour at minute 0)
• Daily Summaries: 0 9 * * * (Every day at 9:00 AM)
• Weekly Processing: 0 9 * * 1 (Every Monday at 9:00 AM)
• Monthly Analytics: 0 9 1 * * (First day of each month at 9:00 AM)

Configure schedule triggers with appropriate timezone settings to ensure workflows execute at expected local times. The cron expression generator helps create complex scheduling patterns.

Webhook Triggers for Real-time Integration

Webhook triggers enable real-time workflow execution when external systems send HTTP requests. This powerful capability supports:

• Form Submissions: Process contact forms, surveys, and user registrations
• Payment Processing: Handle successful payments, refunds, and subscription changes
• Chat Integrations: Respond to Slack messages, Discord events, or Teams notifications
• Development Workflows: Trigger deployments, run tests, or update documentation

Each webhook trigger provides a unique URL that external systems can call. Configure webhook security using:

• Authentication headers for verified requests
• IP whitelisting to restrict access sources
• Signature verification for tamper-proof communications

Polling Triggers for Service Monitoring

Polling triggers regularly check external services for new data or changes. While less efficient than webhooks, polling triggers work with any service providing an API:

• Email Monitoring: Check for new messages in Gmail, Outlook, or IMAP accounts
• File System Changes: Monitor FTP servers, cloud storage, or shared directories
• Database Updates: Detect new records, status changes, or threshold violations

Configure polling intervals based on your requirements:

• High-frequency monitoring (1-5 minutes) for critical systems
• Standard monitoring (15-30 minutes) for regular business processes
• Low-frequency monitoring (1-6 hours) for non-urgent updates

Effective workflow design requires understanding how data moves between nodes and transforms throughout the automation process. Master these concepts to build robust, maintainable workflows.

Data Structure and Schema Understanding

n8n passes data between nodes as JSON objects containing the processed information. Each node execution creates an output object with this structure:

{
  "json": {
    // Your actual data
    "id": 123,
    "name": "Example Record",
    "timestamp": "2025-01-17T10:30:00Z"
  },
  "binary": {
    // File attachments (if any)
  }
}

Understanding this structure helps you:

• Reference previous node outputs using expressions like $json.field_name
• Navigate nested objects with dot notation: $json.user.profile.email
• Handle arrays using bracket notation: $json.items[0].title
• Access metadata from previous executions or workflow context

Advanced Data Transformation Patterns

Beyond basic field mapping, learn sophisticated transformation techniques:

Array Processing: Use the Item Lists node to split arrays into individual items for processing, then aggregate results:

API Response (Array) → Item Lists → Process Each Item → Aggregate Results

Conditional Processing: Implement business logic using the IF node to route data based on conditions:

Data Input → IF (Condition Check) → Path A (True) / Path B (False) → Merge Results

Data Enrichment: Combine information from multiple sources using Merge nodes:

Primary Data → Lookup Additional Info → Merge Combined Data → Final Output

Error Handling in Data Flow

Implement robust error handling to ensure workflow reliability:

• Try-Catch Patterns: Use error handling nodes to gracefully manage failures
• Default Values: Provide fallback data when sources are unavailable
• Data Validation: Verify data quality before processing
• Retry Logic: Automatically retry failed operations with backoff strategies

1. Build the Weather Workflow: Create the weather monitoring workflow described above using the OpenWeatherMap API. Practice manual testing, then convert to a scheduled execution every hour.

2. Experiment with Triggers: Create three versions of the same workflow using different triggers:

   • Manual trigger for testing
   • Schedule trigger for automated execution
   • Webhook trigger for on-demand execution from external systems

3. Master Data Transformation: Build a workflow that fetches data from any public API, then practice these transformations:

   • Extract specific fields using the Set node
   • Convert data types (strings to numbers, timestamps to readable dates)
   • Apply conditional logic to categorize data
   • Handle missing or null values gracefully

4. Create Error Handling: Modify your workflows to handle common failure scenarios:

   • API unavailability (network errors)
   • Invalid API responses (malformed JSON)
   • Missing required fields in data
   • Rate limiting from external services

This module established your practical workflow building skills through hands-on experience with n8n's core concepts. You've mastered data flow patterns, trigger configuration, and data transformation techniques that form the foundation of all automation scenarios.

The progression from manual testing to automated execution demonstrates the development workflow for reliable automation solutions. Understanding different trigger types enables you to choose the right approach for each use case, while data transformation skills ensure your workflows handle real-world data complexity.

Your weather monitoring workflow provides a template for API integration patterns you'll use throughout your n8n journey. The error handling techniques ensure your automation solutions remain robust in production environments.

Next, we'll explore n8n's extensive integration library and advanced node configuration, enabling you to connect with virtually any service or application in sophisticated automation scenarios.