n8n tutorial: build your first automation step by step

n8n is a tool for connecting apps and automating tasks: "when this happens, do that". It's an alternative to Zapier or Make, with two important differences: you can install it on your own server (your data never leaves it) and you don't pay per task run if you host it yourself. In this tutorial we install it and build a first real automation.

What you're going to build

A very common workflow at any small business:

1. Someone fills in a form (for example, "Request a quote").
2. The data is saved in a spreadsheet.
3. You get an email alert with the contact's details.

Along the way you'll learn the concepts you'll use in any automation: triggers, nodes, credentials and expressions.

Step 1: choose where to run n8n

You have two options:

• n8n Cloud: you sign up on the n8n website and start using it in minutes. It's paid (with a trial period) and there's nothing to maintain.
• Self-hosted: you install it on your computer or a server. The community edition is free for your company's internal use, under n8n's Sustainable Use License.

To try it on your computer with Docker, one command is enough:

docker volume create n8n_data
docker run -it --rm --name n8n -p 5678:5678 -v n8n_data:/home/node/.n8n docker.n8n.io/n8nio/n8n

Then open http://localhost:5678, create your user and you're in. To use it in production (with a domain, HTTPS and backups) you'll need a server and a bit more configuration.

Step 2: understand the basic concepts

• Workflow: the complete automation.
• Node: each step in the workflow (a form, Google Sheets, Gmail, a condition…).
• Trigger: the node that starts the workflow: a form, an incoming email, a time of day, a webhook…
• Credentials: the permissions to connect to your accounts (Google, your email…). They're stored encrypted and reused across workflows.
• Expressions: the way to use data from one step in the next. For example, {{ $json.email }} is the email the person typed into the form.

Step 3: the form (trigger)

1. Create a new workflow and click Add first step.
2. Search for n8n Form (On form submission).
3. Give it a title ("Request a quote") and add the fields: Name, Email (email type) and Message.
4. Click Test step: n8n gives you a test link. Open it, fill in the form and you'll see the data arrive at the node.

Step 4: save it to a spreadsheet

1. In Google Sheets, create a sheet with the columns Date, Name, Email and Message.
2. In n8n, add the Google Sheets node → Append row in sheet.
3. Create the Google credential (n8n guides you through authorising your account).
4. Choose the document and the sheet, and map each column by dragging the form data into it. For the date you can use the expression {{ $now.toFormat('dd/MM/yyyy HH:mm') }}.

Step 5: the email alert

1. Add the Gmail node (Send a message), or Send Email if you use another provider (SMTP).
2. Recipient: your email.
3. Subject: New contact: {{ $('On form submission').item.json.Name }}
4. Message: include the email and the message from the form with similar expressions.

Step 6: test and activate

1. Click Test workflow, fill in the test form and check that the row appears in the sheet and the email arrives.
2. Save and publish the workflow (in older versions of n8n, the Active toggle).
3. Use the form's production link (not the test one) on your website or share it.

Every run is logged in the Executions tab: if something fails, you'll see there which step failed and why.

Common mistakes when starting out

• Using the test link in production: it only works while the editor is listening. Publish the workflow and use the production link.
• Expressions pointing to a renamed node: if you rename a node, check the expressions that use it.
• Credentials pasted into the workflow: always store them as credentials, never written inside a node.
• Not planning for errors: set up an Error Workflow that emails you if a run fails.

n8n, Zapier or Make: which one to choose?

	n8n	Zapier	Make
Ease of getting started	Medium	Very high	High
Cost at high volume	Low if self-hosted	High	Medium
Your data on your server	Yes (self-hosted)	No	No
Complex logic and AI	Very powerful	Limited	Powerful

For simple workflows with few runs, Zapier is the most convenient. When volume grows, you need complex logic or you work with sensitive data (health or financial data), self-hosted n8n is usually the best option.

What next?

With these pieces you can automate a huge number of tasks: answering forms, moving invoices into a sheet, appointment reminders, alerts about pending payments… If you'd rather we set it up for you (with server, backups and maintenance included), at Onlitions we work with n8n on private servers in the EU:

• For clinics: appointment reminders and reviews.
• For accounting firms: invoices without typing.
• For any other process: tell us what you want to automate.

Screens and button names may vary slightly depending on your n8n version. Updated September 2026.