Automate Blog Content Creation with OpenAI, Google Sheets & Email Approval Flow

This n8n workflow automates the process of generating blog post ideas and content outlines using OpenAI, storing them in Google Sheets, and initiating an email approval process. It streamlines content creation, ensuring human oversight before content is finalized.

What it does

This workflow performs the following steps:

1. Triggers on Schedule: The workflow runs at a scheduled interval (e.g., daily, weekly) to check for new content generation requests.
2. Reads Blog Post Topics from Google Sheets: It fetches a list of blog post topics from a specified Google Sheet.
3. Prepares Data: It processes the retrieved data, likely extracting relevant fields for the AI agent.
4. Generates Blog Content with AI Agent: An OpenAI-powered AI agent generates blog post ideas and outlines based on the topics.
   • It utilizes a Simple Memory to maintain context during the AI generation process.
   • It uses an OpenAI Chat Model for generating the content.
   • A Structured Output Parser ensures the AI's output is formatted correctly (e.g., as JSON) for further processing.
5. Sends Content for Email Approval: The generated blog post ideas and outlines are sent via Gmail to a designated approver.
6. Waits for Approval: The workflow pauses, awaiting a response (approval or rejection) from the email.
7. Conditionally Processes Approval:
   • If Approved: The workflow proceeds to a "true" path (not fully defined in the provided JSON, but implied by the Switch node).
   • If Rejected: The workflow proceeds to a "false" path (not fully defined in the provided JSON, but implied by the Switch node).

Prerequisites/Requirements

To use this workflow, you will need:

• n8n Instance: A running n8n instance.
• Google Sheets Account: With a spreadsheet containing blog post topics.
• Google Account (for Gmail): To send and receive approval emails.
• OpenAI API Key: For the OpenAI Chat Model and AI Agent.
• n8n Credentials: Configured for Google Sheets, Gmail, and OpenAI.

Setup/Usage

1. Import the Workflow: Download the provided JSON and import it into your n8n instance.
2. Configure Credentials:
   • Set up your Google Sheets credential to access your spreadsheet.
   • Set up your Gmail credential for sending and receiving emails.
   • Set up your OpenAI credential with your API key.
3. Configure Google Sheets Node (ID: 18):
   • Specify the Spreadsheet ID and Sheet Name where your blog post topics are located.
   • Ensure the sheet has a column for blog topics that the AI agent can use.
4. Configure AI Agent Node (ID: 1119):
   • Review and adjust the prompt to guide the AI agent in generating the desired blog content (e.g., "Generate 3 blog post ideas and a brief outline for each based on the topic: {{ $json.topic }}").
   • Ensure the OpenAI Chat Model and Structured Output Parser are correctly linked.
5. Configure Gmail Node (ID: 356):
   • Set the To email address for the content approver.
   • Customize the Subject and Body of the approval email to include the generated content and clear instructions for approval/rejection.
6. Configure Schedule Trigger Node (ID: 839):
   • Adjust the Interval to define how often the workflow should run (e.g., every day, once a week).
7. Activate the Workflow: Once configured, activate the workflow in n8n.

The workflow will now automatically generate blog content based on your schedule and await email approval.