N8N Workflow Automation: Build Your First Integration

N8N is an open-source workflow automation tool that lets you connect different apps and services without writing code. It's like Zapier, but with more flexibility and control.

What Makes N8N Special?

Unlike many automation platforms, N8N is self-hosted (though they offer a cloud version too). This means complete control over your data and unlimited workflows.

Your First Workflow: Lead Capture to CRM

Let's build a simple workflow that captures leads from a form and adds them to your CRM:

Step 1: Webhook Trigger

Set up a webhook that receives data when someone submits your form.

Step 2: Data Transformation

Use N8N's built-in functions to clean and format the data.

Step 3: CRM Integration

Send the formatted data to your CRM using N8N's pre-built integrations.

Advanced Use Cases

Once you're comfortable with the basics, explore conditional logic, error handling, and multi-step workflows.

N8N has a learning curve, but the flexibility and power it offers make it worth the investment.