The session provided a detailed, step-by-step walkthrough of building a beginner-friendly AI agent in n8n to automate drafting emails, searching contacts, and scheduling calendar events.
The process included integrating Google Sheets, Gmail, Google Calendar, and a Telegram connection for interacting with the agent via text and voice.
Key decisions included using draft mode for emails, configuring memory for chat continuity, and ensuring the system fetches contact info before performing actions.
The tutorial covered practical troubleshooting steps and emphasized the importance of detailed tool descriptions and proper node configuration.
Action Items
Set up an n8n account and workspace.
Create and connect the necessary Google services (Gmail, Sheets, Calendar) and Telegram bot credentials to n8n.
Prepare a Google Sheet with contact information.
Add detailed descriptions to each n8n node to clarify its function for the AI agent.
Adjust system messages and node configurations to fetch contact details before performing tasks.
Test each step of the workflow (chat, email draft, calendar scheduling, Telegram text/voice triggers) for expected behavior.
Troubleshoot and resolve node/linking errors as they arise during setup.
n8n Agent Workflow Setup
Begin by signing up for an n8n account and opening a new workspace.
Create a new workflow, starting with a chat trigger to accept input messages.
Visualize the process using a flowchart: input message → AI agent → draft email or schedule meeting.
Add an AI agent node, link it to an OpenAI chat model (e.g., GPT-4o mini), and input your OpenAI API key.
Set up memory for the agent using window buffer memory (context window length of 5 or 10 recommended).
Google Sheets, Gmail, and Calendar Integration
Prepare a Google Sheet containing contact names and email addresses.
Add and connect Google Sheets and Gmail nodes to n8n, ensuring proper authentication.
For Gmail, set the tool description to clarify it drafts/sends email; configure it to save emails as drafts for review.
Allow the AI agent to define email subject and body dynamically; later, configure it to assign the recipient's address pulled from Google Sheets.
Set the system message for the agent to require contact data retrieval before sending emails or scheduling events.
Rename tools/nodes for clarity (e.g., “get contact tool” for the Sheets node).
Integrate Google Calendar, connecting it to n8n and configuring fields (attendees, start/end time, event summary) to be AI-populated.
Provide current date/time info to the agent via n8n for accurate scheduling.
Telegram Integration for Text and Voice Commands
Remove the n8n chat trigger and add a Telegram trigger for message handling.
Generate a Telegram bot through BotFather, retrieve its access token, and connect to n8n.
Configure workflow branches using a "switch" node to differentiate between text and voice (audio) messages.
For voice messages, add nodes to download and transcribe the audio using OpenAI’s transcription model.
Merge the text and transcribed audio streams back together before passing them to the AI agent.
Ensure memory tracking is updated to use Telegram chat IDs for conversation continuity.
Testing and Troubleshooting
Test the agent’s ability to draft emails (including subject, body, and recipient), retrieve contact information, and schedule calendar events.
Test both text and voice commands from Telegram.
Tweak system prompts, node descriptions, and parameters as necessary to ensure robust performance.
Troubleshoot issues such as missing memory context or incorrect node wiring as they occur.
Decisions
Use email draft mode before sending — Adopted to prevent accidental sending and allow for human review, especially in professional or client scenarios.
Require contact info retrieval before actions — Ensures accuracy by fetching contact data from Google Sheets before performing any email or scheduling tasks.
Integrate Telegram with text/voice support — Chosen to enable convenient agent interaction from anywhere.
Open Questions / Follow-Ups
None explicitly mentioned. Further enhancements such as embedding links or customizing email language may be explored after initial setup.