Skip to content
IntermediateProfessionalProject & Task ManagementForm trigger14 nodes

Approve expenses: Gmail

Starts when someone submits the form across Gmail, Slack and PostgreSQL, pauses on a Wait node until it is time to continue, then branches on the check before anything is written. Built for onboarding, around a "Normalize Task Payload" step, in 14 documented nodes.

Approve expenses with Gmail and PostgreSQL with instant alerts. An original, ready-to-import n8n workflow built around the 'Approval Workflow' pattern for software development & devops. It starts from a form and orchestrates 14 nodes across Gmail, Slack, PostgreSQL. Retry-on-fail is enabled on external calls. Import the JSON, add your credentials, and adapt the parameters. Your team sees the right data at the right time.

Key benefits

  • Keeps Gmail and Slack in step for onboarding, without anyone re-typing a row
  • A failed Gmail or Slack call is retried rather than dropped, at any of the 14 nodes in this onboarding build
  • Branches rejoin before Gmail, so a onboarding run reports once rather than 14 times
  • The pause before Gmail is durable — a onboarding run survives a restart
  • Fans the same result out to PostgreSQL in the same run, for onboarding

Use cases

  • Teams keeping Gmail and Slack aligned by hand for onboarding
  • Onboarding sequences that run over days and must survive a restart before Gmail
  • Intake checked for completeness before it is stored in Gmail, for onboarding
  • Onboarding work where "Normalize Task Payload" is still a manual step before Gmail

Integrations

GmailSlackPostgreSQL

Workflow preview (14 nodes)

The template's actual node layout and connections. Node parameters and credential slots unlock with the download.

New Task Form SubmissionForm TriggerNormalize Task PayloadCodePrepare Approval PacketSetRequest Approval via Sl…SlackHold for DecisionWaitApproved?IfApply Approved Change (…PostgresRecord Decline + Notify…GmailJoin Decision PathsMergeStamp Processing TimeDate TimeGuard Non-Empty titleFilterSend Summary to GmailGmailCapture Failure ContextSetEscalate Failure to Gma…Gmail

What's inside (14 nodes)

A look at the node types this workflow uses. No purchase required — full parameters and credentials are yours after you buy.

CodeDate TimeFilterForm TriggerGmailIfMergePostgresSetSlackWait

From download to running in 3 steps

  1. 1
    Import. In n8n, open Workflows → menu → “Import from File” and pick the downloaded JSON.
  2. 2
    Connect. Add your own credentials on the app nodes - n8n highlights exactly which ones need them.
  3. 3
    Activate. Run it once to test, then toggle Active. The automation is live.

What you'll learn

Core level

A compact production shape: validation and error handling without extra machinery.

  • Pausing a workflow on a Wait node until a human decides
  • Embedding a resume URL so approving is one click
  • Branching cleanly on approve versus decline

Every node carries its own documentation on the canvas, plus notes explaining why the architecture was built this way, a credential setup guide, troubleshooting, and three practice exercises. Sample data comes pinned to the trigger, so you can hit Execute and watch data flow before connecting a single account.

Common questions

What exactly do I get?

The complete, ready-to-import n8n workflow as a JSON file, delivered instantly after payment. Import it into your own n8n (cloud or self-hosted), add your credentials, and it runs.

How do I import it into n8n?

In n8n, open Workflows, click the three-dot menu, choose “Import from File”, and select the downloaded JSON. Then connect your own app credentials on the highlighted nodes.

Do I need anything else for it to work?

You need your own n8n instance and accounts/credentials for the apps this workflow connects to (Gmail, Slack, PostgreSQL). No coding is required.

What if it doesn't work for me?

If the file is faulty, won't import, or isn't as described, contact us within 7 days and we'll fix it or refund you - see our refund policy.

Can I modify or resell it?

You can freely adapt and use it in your own or your clients' projects. Reselling or redistributing the template file itself is not permitted.

Original n8n workflow template created and owned by WorkflowCrate. After purchase you receive the ready-to-import JSON file and a license to use and adapt it in your own projects.