Workflow automation is no longer a luxury reserved for large corporations. Tools like n8n have democratized the ability to connect apps and automate processes, saving countless hours and reducing human error. In this guide, we'll walk you through the absolute basics of getting started with n8n.
What is n8n?
n8n is an extendable workflow automation tool. With a fair-code license, it allows you to connect any app with an API to any other, creating powerful, automated workflows. Think of it as digital plumbing for your business data.
n8n's visual, node-based editor makes it incredibly intuitive to build complex workflows without writing a single line of code.
Your First Workflow: A Simple Example
Let's create a simple workflow: Every time you receive a new email with the subject "Invoice", save the attachment to a specific Google Drive folder.
- Start Node: This is the beginning of every workflow.
- Email Trigger Node: Connect your email account and set it to trigger on new emails matching the filter "Invoice".
- Google Drive Node: Authenticate your Google account and configure the node to "Upload a file". Map the attachment from the email node to the file input of the Google Drive node.
That's it! Activate your workflow, and you've just saved yourself a manual task forever. This is just the tip of the iceberg. The real power comes when you start chaining more nodes to create sophisticated business logic.