How to Build Your First AI Automation Workflow with n8n

n8n is one of the most powerful open-source workflow automation platforms available today. Whether you're automating lead capture, syncing data between tools, or triggering AI workflows, n8n gives you the flexibility to build exactly what you need — without writing mountains of code.

What You'll Build

In this guide, we'll build a workflow that listens for new form submissions, enriches the lead data using an OpenAI call, and then routes the lead to either your CRM or a Slack notification channel based on lead score — all automatically.

Step 1: Set Up Your Trigger

Start by creating a new workflow in n8n and adding a Webhook trigger node. This will give you a unique URL that your form (Typeform, Webflow, or custom) can POST to. Copy the webhook URL and configure your form to send submissions there.

Step 2: Enrich with OpenAI

Add an OpenAI node after the webhook. Use a prompt like: 'Given this lead data: {{$json.name}}, {{$json.company}}, {{$json.message}} — score this lead from 1-10 and explain why.' Map the response to a score field for the next step.

Step 3: Route Based on Score

Use an IF node to branch: if score >= 7, add to HubSpot CRM as a hot lead and ping your #sales Slack channel. If score < 7, add to a nurture sequence in Mailchimp. This simple routing logic can save your sales team hours every week.

Step 4: Add Error Handling

Always add an error workflow in n8n settings. A simple fallback that sends a Slack message with the failed execution ID means you'll never miss a lead due to a silent automation failure.