n8n AI Multi-Stop Planner for Circular Logistics with GPT-4o and Open Route API

This n8n workflow automates the process of planning multi-stop circular logistics routes. It leverages a combination of Google Sheets for input, an AI Agent (likely powered by GPT-4o based on the directory name) for intelligent route planning, and an external Open Route API for actual route calculation. The workflow is designed to streamline the creation of optimized routes, potentially for tasks like waste collection, delivery, or resource redistribution in a circular economy model.

What it does

This workflow automates the following steps:

1. Triggers on new emails: It listens for new emails in a specified Gmail account. This acts as the starting point, likely indicating a request for route planning or new data availability.
2. Reads data from Google Sheets: Upon triggering, it reads relevant logistics data (e.g., stop locations, quantities, vehicle capacity) from a Google Sheet.
3. Prepares data for AI Agent: It transforms and formats the data from Google Sheets into a structured input suitable for the AI Agent.
4. Generates route plan using AI Agent: An AI Agent (likely using GPT-4o) processes the input data to generate an optimized multi-stop route plan, considering circular logistics principles.
5. Splits AI output for API calls: The AI Agent's output, which might contain multiple route segments or stop sequences, is split into individual items for further processing.
6. Calculates routes via HTTP Request: For each segment or stop sequence, it makes an HTTP request to an external Open Route API to get detailed route information (e.g., distance, duration).
7. Merges API responses: The individual route calculation responses are merged back together.
8. Finalizes output: The merged route data is processed and potentially formatted.
9. Sends email notification: The final route plan or a summary is sent via Gmail, likely to the requester or a logistics manager.
10. Optional Delay: A "Wait" node is present, which could be used to introduce a delay between operations, potentially to manage API rate limits or allow for manual review.

Prerequisites/Requirements

To use this workflow, you will need:

• n8n Instance: A running n8n instance.
• Google Account: A Google account with access to Gmail and Google Sheets.
  • Google Sheets Credential: Configured n8n credential for Google Sheets.
  • Gmail Credential: Configured n8n credential for Gmail.
• OpenAI API Key (or similar AI service): For the AI Agent node to function. This is inferred from the directory name "gpt-4o".
• Open Route API Key/Endpoint: Access to an Open Route API (e.g., OpenRouteService, HERE, Google Maps API) for route calculations.

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 (OAuth2 recommended) to grant n8n access to your logistics spreadsheet.
   • Set up your Gmail credential (OAuth2 recommended) for sending and receiving emails.
   • Configure the AI Agent node with your OpenAI API key or the API key for your chosen AI service.
   • Configure the HTTP Request node with the endpoint and any necessary authentication for your chosen Open Route API.
3. Customize Nodes:
   • Gmail Trigger: Configure the trigger to listen for specific emails (e.g., subject line, sender) that initiate the route planning process.
   • Google Sheets: Specify the Spreadsheet ID and Sheet Name where your logistics data is stored. Adjust the read operation as needed.
   • Edit Fields (Set): Modify this node to correctly map and transform your Google Sheet data into the format expected by the AI Agent.
   • AI Agent: Define the prompt and any specific parameters for your AI model to generate optimal circular logistics routes.
   • Structured Output Parser: Adjust the schema if the AI Agent's output structure changes.
   • Loop Over Items (Split in Batches) and Split Out: These nodes handle iterating over the AI's output. Ensure they correctly process the route segments.
   • HTTP Request: Update the URL, headers, and body to match the requirements of your chosen Open Route API for calculating routes.
   • Merge: Ensure this node correctly combines the results from multiple HTTP requests.
   • Code: If custom logic is required for data manipulation, update the JavaScript code within this node.
   • Gmail: Configure the recipient, subject, and body of the email that will send the final route plan.
   • Wait: Adjust the delay duration if necessary.
4. Activate the workflow: Once configured, activate the workflow to start automating your circular logistics planning.