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Detect AWS Orphaned Resources & Send Cost Reports to Slack, Email, and Sheets

Chad M. CrowellChad M. Crowell
94 views
2/3/2026
AirtableOrdersShopifyE-commerceData Sync
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How it works

This workflow automatically scans AWS accounts for orphaned resources (unattached EBS volumes, old snapshots >90 days, unassociated Elastic IPs) that waste money. It calculates cost impact, validates compliance tags, and sends multi-channel alerts via Slack, Email, and Google Sheets audit logs.

Key Features:

  • 🔍 Multi-region scanning with parallel execution
  • 💰 Monthly/annual cost calculation with risk scoring
  • 📊 Professional HTML reports with charts and tables
  • 🏷️ Tag compliance validation (SOC2/ISO27001/HIPAA)
  • ✅ Conditional alerting (only alerts when resources found)
  • 📈 Google Sheets audit trail for trend analysis

What gets detected:

  • Unattached EBS volumes ($0.10/GB/month waste)
  • Snapshots older than 90 days ($0.05/GB/month)
  • Unassociated Elastic IPs ($3.60/month each)

Typical savings: $50-10K/month depending on account size

Set up steps

Prerequisites

AWS Configuration:

  1. Create IAM user n8n-resource-scanner with these permissions:
    • ec2:DescribeVolumes
    • ec2:DescribeSnapshots
    • ec2:DescribeAddresses
    • ec2:DescribeInstances
    • lambda:InvokeFunction
  2. Deploy Lambda function aws-orphaned-resource-scanner (Node.js 18+)
  3. Add EC2 read-only permissions to Lambda execution role
  4. Generate AWS Access Key + Secret Key

Lambda Function Code: See sticky notes in workflow for complete implementation using @aws-sdk/client-ec2

Credentials Required:

  • AWS IAM (Access Key + Secret)
  • Slack (OAuth2 or Webhook)
  • Gmail (OAuth2)
  • Google Sheets (OAuth2)

Configuration

  1. Initialize Config Node: Update these settings:

    • awsRegions: Your AWS regions (default: us-east-1)
    • emailRecipients: FinOps team emails
    • slackChannel: Alert channel (e.g., #cloud-ops)
    • requiredTags: Compliance tags to validate
    • snapshotAgeDays: Age threshold (default: 90)

  2. Set Region Variables: Choose regions to scan

  3. Lambda Function: Deploy function with provided code (see workflow sticky notes)

  4. Google Sheet: Create spreadsheet with headers:

    • Scan Date | Region | Resource Type | Resource ID | Monthly Cost | Compliance | etc.

  5. Credentials: Connect all four credential types in n8n

  6. Schedule: Enable "Weekly Scan Trigger" (default: Mondays 8 AM UTC)

Testing

  1. Click "Execute Workflow" to run manual test
  2. Verify Lambda invokes successfully
  3. Check Slack alert appears
  4. Confirm email with HTML report received
  5. Validate Google Sheets logging works

Customization Options

  • Multi-region: Add regions in "Initialize Config"
  • Alert thresholds: Modify cost/age thresholds
  • Additional resource types: Extend Lambda function
  • Custom tags: Update required tags list
  • Schedule frequency: Adjust cron trigger

Use Cases

  • FinOps Teams: Automated cloud waste detection and cost reporting
  • Cloud Operations: Weekly compliance and governance audits
  • DevOps: Resource cleanup automation and alerting
  • Security/Compliance: Tag validation for SOC2/ISO27001/HIPAA
  • Executive Reporting: Monthly cost optimization metrics

Resources

n8n Workflow: AWS Orphaned Resources & Cost Report Generator

This n8n workflow is designed to identify and report on potential AWS orphaned resources, then compile and distribute cost reports via Slack, email, and Google Sheets. It helps organizations maintain a cleaner AWS environment and gain better visibility into their cloud spending.

What it does

This workflow automates the following steps:

  1. Triggers on a Schedule: The workflow starts at predefined intervals (e.g., daily, weekly) to perform its checks.
  2. Invokes AWS Lambda Function: It calls an AWS Lambda function, likely responsible for scanning AWS accounts to detect orphaned resources (resources that are no longer actively used or associated with a running service).
  3. Processes Lambda Output: The results from the Lambda function are then processed.
  4. Transforms Data: The Edit Fields (Set) node is used to transform or reformat the data received from AWS Lambda, preparing it for reporting.
  5. Aggregates Data: The Aggregate node combines the processed data, potentially grouping similar orphaned resources or cost metrics.
  6. Conditional Reporting: An If node checks for a specific condition.
    • If True: If the condition is met (e.g., orphaned resources are found, or a cost threshold is exceeded), the workflow proceeds to send detailed reports.
      • Sends Slack Notification: A summary or detailed report is posted to a designated Slack channel.
      • Sends Email Report: A comprehensive report is sent via Gmail to specified recipients.
      • Updates Google Sheet: The data is written to a Google Sheet, providing a centralized and historical record of orphaned resources and cost reports.
    • If False: If the condition is not met (e.g., no orphaned resources found, or costs are within limits), the workflow might take a different path or simply end without further action.
  7. Custom Logic (Optional): A Code node is included, allowing for custom JavaScript logic to be executed at a specific point in the workflow, potentially for advanced data manipulation or decision-making.
  8. Documentation Note: A Sticky Note is present, likely for internal documentation or comments within the workflow itself.

Prerequisites/Requirements

To use this workflow, you will need:

  • n8n Instance: A running n8n instance.
  • AWS Account: Configured with an AWS Lambda function that can detect orphaned resources and potentially gather cost data.
  • AWS Credentials: Configured in n8n to allow the AWS Lambda node to invoke your function.
  • Slack Account: With a channel for receiving notifications and an n8n Slack credential.
  • Gmail Account: For sending email reports, configured with an n8n Gmail credential.
  • Google Sheets Account: With a target spreadsheet for logging data and an n8n Google Sheets credential.

Setup/Usage

  1. Import the Workflow: Download the provided JSON and import it into your n8n instance.
  2. Configure Credentials:
    • Set up your AWS Credentials for the AWS Lambda node.
    • Configure your Slack Credentials for the Slack node.
    • Set up your Gmail Credentials for the Gmail node.
    • Configure your Google Sheets Credentials for the Google Sheets node.
  3. Customize Nodes:
    • Schedule Trigger (Node 839): Adjust the schedule as needed (e.g., daily, weekly, monthly).
    • AWS Lambda (Node 52): Specify the region and the name of your AWS Lambda function responsible for detecting orphaned resources and/or generating cost data.
    • Edit Fields (Set) (Node 38): Modify the fields to match the structure of the data you expect from your Lambda function and how you want to present it in reports.
    • Aggregate (Node 1236): Configure how you want to combine or group the data items.
    • If (Node 20): Define the condition(s) that determine whether reports are sent. For example, check if the orphaned_resources_count is greater than 0 or if total_cost exceeds a certain threshold.
    • Slack (Node 40): Customize the message content and target Slack channel.
    • Gmail (Node 356): Configure the recipient email addresses, subject line, and email body for the report.
    • Google Sheets (Node 18): Specify the Spreadsheet ID, Sheet Name, and how the data should be appended or updated.
    • Code (Node 834): If needed, add custom JavaScript logic for advanced data processing or conditional routing.
  4. Activate the Workflow: Once configured, activate the workflow to enable it to run on its defined schedule.

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