Learn n8n basics in 3 easy steps ✨
New to n8n? This simple tutorial is the perfect way to get started. In just a few minutes, you’ll build your first automation that runs on a schedule, fetches fresh data from the internet and delivers it straight to your inbox. ### What you’ll do 1. **Run the workflow** to grab a random inspirational quote. 2. **See how data flows** through each node as it moves from an API call to processing results. 3. **Connect Gmail** and send the quote directly to your email. ### What you’ll learn * How to trigger workflows manually and on a schedule ⏰ * How to connect to external APIs and fetch data 🌐 * How to use the **Set** node to structure and map data 🔧 * How to connect Gmail to send the data 📩 ### Why it matters This workflow shows you the n8n basics step by step - no code required. By the end, you’ll know how to build, test, and share automations that run on their own, giving you the confidence to explore more advanced use cases. 🚀
Workflow JSON
{"id":"7T7MdxPsatjukMO9","meta":{"instanceId":"a2eaba9e45ad7aab18b25cf863df1e910fb6dd3b85279bde97d9bae4a72f6862","templateCredsSetupCompleted":true},"name":"n8n Basics","tags":[],"nodes":[{"id":"6afe59b0-3831-41b8-9695-6df1a06db357","name":"Sticky Note3","type":"n8n-nodes-base.stickyNote","position":[48,208],"parameters":{"color":7,"width":1072,"height":208,"content":"## ... now let's schedule it ⏰\n\n1. Double-click “Schedule” to set when it runs\n\n2. Connect your Gmail and set the recepient\n\n3. To test, click “Execute workflow” on \nthe \"Schedule\" node"},"typeVersion":1},{"id":"81da8e9a-d788-4eed-8921-793fd151e235","name":"Sticky Note2","type":"n8n-nodes-base.stickyNote","position":[1104,208],"parameters":{"color":3,"width":230,"height":208,"content":""},"typeVersion":1},{"id":"a5896683-74a7-4f3b-98dc-90bb114e030e","name":"Schedule me here","type":"n8n-nodes-base.scheduleTrigger","notes":"Double-click to set!","position":[480,240],"parameters":{"rule":{"interval":[{"triggerAtHour":7}]}},"notesInFlow":true,"typeVersion":1.2},{"id":"d5a71108-ff33-4214-9662-510d9d30adfc","name":"Results","type":"n8n-nodes-base.set","position":[944,240],"parameters":{"options":{},"assignments":{"assignments":[{"id":"fa43a283-e401-46e3-bf3c-9cc7fb7dae2f","name":"quote","type":"string","value":"={{ $json.q }}"},{"id":"c16964d2-b6a6-40d4-a4d2-bef0760d0d26","name":"author","type":"string","value":"={{ $json.a }}"}]}},"notesInFlow":true,"typeVersion":3.4},{"id":"040cbede-4df2-4fed-98c2-b94e21a46e1b","name":"Get quote","type":"n8n-nodes-base.httpRequest","position":[704,240],"parameters":{"url":"https://zenquotes.io/api/random","options":{}},"notesInFlow":true,"typeVersion":4.2},{"id":"41b56311-e6b1-4b57-9178-47ed568550d3","name":"Connect your Gmail","type":"n8n-nodes-base.gmail","notes":"Double-click here to connect!","position":[1168,240],"webhookId":"83a06a0c-4824-44ea-b593-18917e1b3fe4","parameters":{"message":"=Hey,\n\nHere's a quote by {{ $json.author }}:\n\n\"{{ $json.quote }}\"","options":{},"subject":"Daily quote","emailType":"text"},"credentials":{"gmailOAuth2":{"id":"credential-id","name":"gmailOAuth2 Credential"}},"notesInFlow":true,"typeVersion":2.1},{"id":"f420d59b-e48e-4fcc-8d0b-46c3e08691f8","name":"Sticky Note15","type":"n8n-nodes-base.stickyNote","position":[432,208],"parameters":{"color":3,"width":198,"height":208,"content":""},"typeVersion":1},{"id":"bf3a33cd-12b0-49a4-b080-ffc0123b1d86","name":"Sticky Note","type":"n8n-nodes-base.stickyNote","position":[32,-416],"parameters":{"color":7,"width":1088,"height":208,"content":"## 🚀🚀 Start here 🚀🚀\n\n1. Click “Execute workflow” to run it\n\n2. This gets a random quote from the internet\n\n3. Double-click the last node to check what\nquote you got\n"},"typeVersion":1},{"id":"922cbf37-d1ec-47dd-8da5-00a793acb865","name":"1. Click 'Execute workflow’","type":"n8n-nodes-base.manualTrigger","notes":"\n","position":[464,-384],"parameters":{},"notesInFlow":false,"typeVersion":1},{"id":"e0cb3ca0-3b1a-46dd-80f1-820c42253eb1","name":"2. Get inspirational quote from the internet","type":"n8n-nodes-base.httpRequest","position":[688,-384],"parameters":{"url":"https://zenquotes.io/api/random","options":{}},"notesInFlow":true,"typeVersion":4.2},{"id":"834bdbc9-b4fd-4148-ab17-ccd03f0df78f","name":"3. See the resutls","type":"n8n-nodes-base.set","notes":"Double-click to open!","position":[928,-384],"parameters":{"options":{},"assignments":{"assignments":[{"id":"fa43a283-e401-46e3-bf3c-9cc7fb7dae2f","name":"quote","type":"string","value":"={{ $json.q }}"},{"id":"c16964d2-b6a6-40d4-a4d2-bef0760d0d26","name":"author","type":"string","value":"={{ $json.a }}"}]}},"notesInFlow":true,"typeVersion":3.4},{"id":"7103e58c-f0d5-47b2-847d-e1ad4fa2babf","name":"Sticky Note6","type":"n8n-nodes-base.stickyNote","position":[416,-416],"parameters":{"color":3,"width":198,"height":208,"content":""},"typeVersion":1},{"id":"cbf21625-4402-4dc7-aa54-f6f066eec4a1","name":"Sticky Note4","type":"n8n-nodes-base.stickyNote","position":[64,816],"parameters":{"color":7,"width":1520,"height":224,"content":"## ❓ How about a joke...\n\n1. Execute this workflow\n\n2. Check out the new \"Programming Joke\"\n\n3. Try mapping the new results and add them to\nyour email"},"typeVersion":1},{"id":"889994c7-9c3c-4621-ac6b-25e9cc421b3e","name":"Sticky Note5","type":"n8n-nodes-base.stickyNote","position":[1136,816],"parameters":{"color":3,"width":198,"height":224,"content":""},"typeVersion":1},{"id":"462852ad-c8f2-41df-84a7-81312dd164db","name":"Quote","type":"n8n-nodes-base.httpRequest","position":[736,864],"parameters":{"url":"https://zenquotes.io/api/random","options":{}},"notesInFlow":true,"typeVersion":4.2},{"id":"20922230-6081-40c8-874c-f1233197981f","name":"Schedule Trigger","type":"n8n-nodes-base.scheduleTrigger","position":[496,864],"parameters":{"rule":{"interval":[{"field":"months","triggerAtHour":6,"monthsInterval":12}]}},"notesInFlow":true,"typeVersion":1.2},{"id":"fd47d950-393a-4868-bc49-15f9c980b92c","name":"Map the fields","type":"n8n-nodes-base.set","notes":"Double-click to set!","position":[1184,864],"parameters":{"options":{},"assignments":{"assignments":[{"id":"57322775-a00d-47f5-9424-3188ca2e46e6","name":"author","type":"string","value":"="},{"id":"1b141196-bc29-49d9-9e10-78bf17975cee","name":"quote","type":"string","value":"="},{"id":"b33e5122-1419-4bae-bfd5-0d5fb22a95f2","name":"joke","type":"string","value":"="}]}},"notesInFlow":true,"typeVersion":3.4},{"id":"f3a0621c-f38b-44e2-a050-a41b69a6013a","name":"Programming joke","type":"n8n-nodes-base.httpRequest","notes":"Check out after running!","position":[976,864],"parameters":{"url":"=https://v2.jokeapi.dev/joke/Programming?blacklistFlags=nsfw,religious,political,racist,sexist,explicit&type=single","options":{}},"notesInFlow":true,"typeVersion":4.2},{"id":"d13e491a-1b47-4854-a76d-5ee7fe56fc45","name":"Sticky Note1","type":"n8n-nodes-base.stickyNote","position":[-704,-528],"parameters":{"color":7,"width":704,"height":400,"content":"@[youtube](dKTcAfBfFLU)"},"typeVersion":1},{"id":"79aeb8cc-51d9-40e5-a2e2-a51fbce14f1f","name":"Sticky Note8","type":"n8n-nodes-base.stickyNote","position":[-688,720],"parameters":{"color":7,"width":720,"height":400,"content":"@[youtube](LdE0KnhRtsY)"},"typeVersion":1},{"id":"4d2a9d87-5487-4184-ad71-bb17b44df8c4","name":"Sticky Note7","type":"n8n-nodes-base.stickyNote","position":[-704,96],"parameters":{"color":7,"width":720,"height":400,"content":"@[youtube](5CBUXMO_L2Y)"},"typeVersion":1},{"id":"9b757817-0814-4c6a-9eaa-05be267551c5","name":"Sticky Note9","type":"n8n-nodes-base.stickyNote","position":[-752,-624],"parameters":{"color":5,"width":1936,"height":544,"content":"# Step 1"},"typeVersion":1},{"id":"e14ed37d-df25-45dc-82dd-e5c5a1c30bd4","name":"Sticky Note10","type":"n8n-nodes-base.stickyNote","position":[-752,-16],"parameters":{"color":5,"width":2144,"height":560,"content":"# Step 2"},"typeVersion":1},{"id":"c13b3f0b-dfa5-46f0-addf-afad6a258ca0","name":"Sticky Note11","type":"n8n-nodes-base.stickyNote","position":[-752,608],"parameters":{"color":5,"width":2400,"height":560,"content":"# Step 3"},"typeVersion":1},{"id":"f0c94de0-f3ab-4be2-b257-6fa50f400482","name":"Sticky Note13","type":"n8n-nodes-base.stickyNote","position":[1376,816],"parameters":{"color":3,"width":214,"height":224,"content":"\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n### Click + to add Gmail"},"typeVersion":1}],"active":false,"pinData":{},"settings":{"executionOrder":"v1"},"versionId":"e6fe1646-5006-48fb-a644-568dd3529dbb","connections":{"Quote":{"main":[[{"node":"Programming joke","type":"main","index":0}]]},"Results":{"main":[[{"node":"Connect your Gmail","type":"main","index":0}]]},"Get quote":{"main":[[{"node":"Results","type":"main","index":0}]]},"Map the fields":{"main":[[]]},"Programming joke":{"main":[[{"node":"Map the fields","type":"main","index":0}]]},"Schedule Trigger":{"main":[[{"node":"Quote","type":"main","index":0}]]},"Schedule me here":{"main":[[{"node":"Get quote","type":"main","index":0}]]},"1. Click 'Execute workflow’":{"main":[[{"node":"2. Get inspirational quote from the internet","type":"main","index":0}]]},"2. Get inspirational quote from the internet":{"main":[[{"node":"3. See the resutls","type":"main","index":0}]]}}}How to Import This Workflow
- 1Copy the workflow JSON above using the Copy Workflow JSON button.
- 2Open your n8n instance and go to Workflows.
- 3Click Import from JSON and paste the copied workflow.
Don't have an n8n instance? Start your free trial at n8nautomation.cloud
Related Templates
Generate concert ticket PDFs with QR codes using PDF Generator API
Generate personalized concert ticket PDFs with QR codes using PDF Generator API, then email them to attendees, log sales to Google Sheets, and notify organizers via Slack — all triggered from a simple web form. ## Who is this for Event organizers, ticketing teams, and developers who need an automated pipeline to issue branded PDF concert tickets with unique QR codes for venue entry — without building a custom backend. ## How it works 1. An attendee fills out a **web form** with their name, email, event details, seat number, and ticket tier (General / VIP / Backstage). 2. The workflow generates a unique ticket ID and prepares all data for the PDF template. 3. **PDF Generator API** renders a personalized PDF ticket. The QR code is a native template component that encodes the ticket ID automatically. 4. A styled **HTML confirmation email** with a download link is sent to the attendee via Gmail. 5. The ticket details are logged to a **Google Sheets** spreadsheet for tracking and attendance management. 6. A **Slack notification** alerts the event organizer with a summary of the newly issued ticket. ## Set up 1. **PDF Generator API** — Sign up at [pdfgeneratorapi.com](https://pdfgeneratorapi.com), create a ticket template with a QR Code component bound to `{{ ticket_id }}`, and note your template ID. 2. **Template ID** — Open the "Prepare Ticket Data" Code node and replace the `TEMPLATE_ID` value with your own. 3. **Credentials** — Connect your accounts in each node: PDF Generator API, Gmail, Google Sheets, and Slack. 4. **Google Sheets** — Create a spreadsheet with columns: `Ticket ID`, `Attendee`, `Email`, `Event`, `Venue`, `Date`, `Seat`, `Tier`, `PDF URL`, `Issued At`. Set the spreadsheet ID in the "Log Ticket Sale" node. 5. **Slack** — Choose a channel (e.g. `#tickets`) in the "Notify Event Organizer" node. ## Requirements - [PDF Generator API](https://pdfgeneratorapi.com) account (free trial available) - Gmail account (OAuth) - Google Sheets account (OAuth)
AI Agent for project management and meetings with Airtable and Fireflies
Ready-to-use n8n workflow template for productivity. This automation connects Airtable, Gmail, Google Calendar, OpenAI with 18 nodes. Import directly into your n8n instance and customize for your needs.
AI Agent to chat with Airtable and analyze data
Ready-to-use n8n workflow template for productivity. This automation connects Airtable, OpenAI with 41 nodes. Import directly into your n8n instance and customize for your needs.