Route refund requests for human approval instead of auto-refunding
Takes refund requests through a form, checks the reference against your own payments table, and files genuine ones in Airtable at Awaiting approval with both the claimed and ledger amounts.
An n8n form collects four required fields, so no request arrives missing the order number. A Set node trims and types them, turning the claimed amount into a real number. A parameterised Postgres query then checks the reference against both the payment id and order id columns of your own ledger, and an IF splits on whether it matched. Real payments are filed as an Airtable case at Awaiting approval carrying the claimed amount and the ledger amount side by side — the comparison that settles most refunds — and a Slack message asks a human to decide, stating explicitly that nothing has been refunded. The requester gets an email setting a two-working-day expectation. Unknown references get their own honest email telling the customer exactly what to send instead. Every external call retries into an error rail on Discord, because a dropped refund request becomes a chargeback.
Key benefits
- ✓Intake is fully automated while the irreversible part stays with a person, by design
- ✓The reviewer sees claimed versus ledger amount immediately, which resolves most cases in seconds
- ✓Unknown references get a useful reply instead of sitting in a queue nobody can action
- ✓The customer is told the timeline straight away, which prevents the angry follow-up
- ✓No payment provider key exists in this workflow, so no bug in it can move money
Use cases
- →Teams handling refunds out of a shared inbox with no case record
- →Finance functions that need an audit trail of who approved what
- →Merchants trying to keep refund requests from turning into chargebacks
- →Anyone who considered auto-refunding and correctly thought better of it
Integrations
Workflow preview (10 nodes)
The template's actual node layout and connections. Node parameters and credential slots unlock with the download.
What's inside (10 nodes)
A look at the node types this workflow uses. No purchase required — full parameters and credentials are yours after you buy.
From download to running in 3 steps
- 1Import. In n8n, open Workflows → menu → “Import from File” and pick the downloaded JSON.
- 2Connect. Add your own credentials on the app nodes - n8n highlights exactly which ones need them.
- 3Activate. Run it once to test, then toggle Active. The automation is live.
What you'll learn
Core levelA compact production shape: validation and error handling without extra machinery.
- •Moving data between PostgreSQL, Airtable and Slack in a single run
- •Adding retries and an explicit error path to external calls
- •Testing against pinned sample data before connecting anything real
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 (n8n Form, PostgreSQL, Airtable, Slack, …). 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.
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