Automation for clients cheat sheet (n8n)

1. 1How automation worksThe ideas every automation tool is built on: triggers and actions, JSON, data mapping, HTTP, REST APIs, webhooks, authentication and rate limits.10 concepts

   1. 1TriggerThe event that starts a workflow: a form submitted, an email received, a record created or a schedule reached.
   2. 2ActionA step that does something after the trigger: create a CRM contact, send a message, add a row, call an API.
   3. 3JSONThe text format apps use to exchange data: objects in curly braces with named fields, arrays in square brackets, and values that are strings, numbers, booleans…
   4. 4Data mappingChoosing which output of an earlier step fills each input of a later step, often with a small transformation such as trimming, lowercasing or a fallback value.
   5. 5HTTP requestA call to an API with a method (GET reads, POST creates, PUT or PATCH updates, DELETE removes), a URL, headers and often a JSON body.
   6. 6REST APIAn API that exposes data as resources at URLs, such as /contacts/123, and uses HTTP methods to act on them.
   7. 7WebhookAn HTTP request an app sends to your URL when an event happens, carrying the event data as JSON.
   8. 8API keyA long secret string that identifies the caller to an API, usually sent in a header.
   9. 9OAuth 2.0A flow where the account owner approves limited permissions, called scopes, and the tool receives a token that can be refreshed or revoked without sharing a…
   10. 10Rate limitA cap on how many requests an API accepts in a time window, such as 100 per minute.

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2. 2n8n in depthHow n8n workflows are built and billed: nodes and items, triggers, expressions, credentials, the Code node, self-hosting, the fair-code licence and executions.8 concepts

   1. 1Workflow and nodesAn n8n workflow is a canvas of nodes: one trigger node starts it and each following node does one job.
   2. 2ItemsData flows between n8n nodes as a list of items, each holding a json object.
   3. 3ExpressionsJavaScript snippets inside double curly braces that fill a node field.
   4. 4CredentialsStored API keys, OAuth connections and passwords that nodes reference by name. n8n encrypts them in its database with an encryption key.
   5. 5Code nodeA node that runs your own JavaScript or Python.
   6. 6Self-hosting and n8n Cloudn8n Cloud is hosted by n8n on a paid plan.
   7. 7Sustainable Use LicenseThe fair-code licence n8n is published under: free to use, modify and self-host for internal business and personal use, with commercial limits set by n8n.
   8. 8ExecutionsOne execution is one full run of a workflow, however many nodes or items it has. n8n Cloud plans are priced by executions per month.

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3. Shaping data and logicHandling real data: lists, merges, dates and time zones, messy text, lookups, duplicates, pagination and reusable pieces.8 conceptsOpens with credits
4. Errors, retries and monitoringFailing safely: sorting errors, retrying with backoff, never duplicating side effects, alerting, logging, testing and versioning.8 conceptsOpens with credits
5. AI steps in workflowsUsing language models where they help: choosing tasks and models, prompts for workflows, structured output, agents, human review, cost and the main risks.9 conceptsOpens with credits
6. Common client workflowsThe builds small businesses pay for repeatedly, and what makes each one reliable.9 conceptsOpens with credits
7. Data privacy and securityProtecting client businesses and their customers: least privilege, client-owned accounts, secrets, personal data, retention, webhook security and offboarding.9 conceptsOpens with credits
8. Finding clients and selling the workTurning skill into paid work: a clear offer, finding clients, discovery, scope, value pricing, retainers, handover, payment and referrals.11 conceptsOpens with credits
9. 9Glossary, A to ZEvery concept in the sheet and the smaller terms it uses, in one list.156 terms

Workflows with n8n, Make or Zapier.