Sync Qualified Leads from Postgres to Google Sheets

This workflow automates the process of capturing new or updated user records from a PostgreSQL database, filtering out internal test emails, and appending the qualified leads to a Google Sheet for follow-up. It is designed as a reusable template – the trigger can be swapped for any other service (e.g., webhook, Slack, CRM), and the filter can be adjusted to your own criteria. The workflow includes a manual trigger and mock data node for testing before you enable the real database trigger.

Node-by-Node Walkthrough

1. Postgres Trigger (Database Auth) – Listens for UPDATE events on the users table in the configured PostgreSQL database. When a row is updated, it emits the new data. Currently disabled – enable it when you are ready to go live.

2. Filter (No Auth) – Receives data from the trigger and checks if the email field does NOT contain @n8n.io. Only records that pass this condition are passed forward. You can edit the condition to match your own domain or other criteria.

3. Google Sheets (OAuth2) – Uses the appendOrUpdate operation to write the filtered data into a sheet named “Sheet1” in a Google Spreadsheet titled “Qualified leads to contact”. It maps the id, username, and email fields from the input data. The id column is used as a matching key to update existing rows if the same id appears again. Requires a Google Sheets OAuth2 credential.

4. Error Handler (No Auth) – Attached to the Google Sheets node. If the append/update operation fails, the workflow stops and returns the error message “Workflow execution error”. This prevents broken data from being silently ignored.

5. Manual Trigger (No Auth) – A convenience node for testing the workflow without the Postgres trigger. Clicking “Execute Node” in the editor starts the workflow manually.

6. Code (No Auth) – Provides mock data for testing. It returns a single JSON object with sample fields (id, username, email, company_size, role, users). This node can be removed or replaced once the real trigger is enabled.

Setup Instructions

• PostgreSQL: You need a running PostgreSQL instance with a users table that has at least an id, email, and username column. Create a database credential in n8n with the connection details (host, port, database, user, password).
• Google Sheets: Create a Google Spreadsheet named “Qualified leads to contact” with a sheet called “Sheet1”. The sheet should have columns: id, username, email. Set up a Google Sheets OAuth2 credential in n8n (you can use the default Google integration or create your own OAuth app).
• Testing: Duplicate the sample spreadsheet (link in the sticky note), fill in the Google Sheets credential, and run the workflow using the manual trigger + Code node. Once verified, enable the Postgres Trigger and disable the manual trigger and code nodes.

Use Cases and Variations

• CRM Integration: Replace the Google Sheets node with a CRM node (e.g., HubSpot, Pipedrive, Salesforce) to create contacts or leads from your database updates.
• Other Triggers: Swap the Postgres Trigger for a webhook, Slack command, or email trigger to start the workflow from other sources.
• Advanced Filtering: Add more conditions to the Filter node (e.g., only users with a certain role, company size, or signup date).
• Data Transformation: Insert a Code node or Set node after the filter to enrich or transform the data before writing to the sheet.
• Error Notifications: Instead of stopping the workflow, you could connect the error handler to a Slack or Email node to alert you when a write fails.

{
  "nodes": [
    {
      "id": "678e86bc-2755-4c79-97d6-fa4da1ed9ff9",
      "name": "Postgres Trigger",
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.postgresTrigger",
      "disabled": true,
      "position": [
        500,
        480
      ],
      "parameters": {
        "schema": {
          "__rl": true,
          "mode": "list",
          "value": "computed",
          "cachedResultName": "computed"
        },
        "firesOn": "UPDATE",
        "tableName": {
          "__rl": true,
          "mode": "list",
          "value": "users",
          "cachedResultName": "users"
        },
        "additionalFields": {}
      },
      "credentials": {
        "postgres": {
          "id": "{{ $credentials.postgres.id }}",
          "name": "Postgres Product Analytics"
        }
      },
      "typeVersion": 1,
      "notes": "This postgresTrigger node performs automated tasks as part of the workflow."
    },
    {
      "id": "accecdfc-283c-4119-9b23-4cf44bc5e68c",
      "name": "Filter",
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.filter",
      "notes": "Filter out @n8n.io emails",
      "position": [
        980,
        540
      ],
      "parameters": {
        "conditions": {
          "string": [
            {
              "value1": "={{ $json.email }}",
// ... truncated (copy to see full JSON)