# AI assistant – smart document Q&A with OpenAI and Supabase: n8n workflow

> Started by someone opening a chat with it, and works across Supabase vectors. It puts OpenAI behind a retrieval step, so answers are drawn from documents...

Source: https://millionrounds.com/workflow/ai-assistant-smart-document-q-and-a-with-openai-and-supabase (Millionrounds; every figure on the page links to its filing or article)

[Automation library](https://millionrounds.com/workflows) · [Documents and files](https://millionrounds.com/workflows?category=Documents+and+files#library)

# AI assistant – smart document Q&A with OpenAI and Supabase

Started by someone opening a chat with it, and works across Supabase vectors. It puts OpenAI behind a retrieval step, so answers are drawn from documents you supply rather than from the model alone. 7 steps: small enough to read in one sitting and change without fear.

Small Calls a model: OpenAI Retrieval

[Download free](https://millionrounds.com/login?next=%2Fapp%2Fworkflow%2Fai-assistant-smart-document-q-and-a-with-openai-and-supabase)

**7 steps** Small: readable in one sitting

**0** Branches: places the flow splits

**0** Loops or waits

**1** Service it connects to

## The flow

Starts it 1 Model 5 Logic 1

The steps in the order they run, from what starts it.

- 1 **When chat message received** Chat trigger *Starts it*
- 2 **OpenAI Chat Model** Lm Chat Open Ai *Model*
- 3 **Embeddings OpenAI** Embeddings Open Ai *Model*
- 4 **Question and Answer Chain** Chain Retrieval Qa *Model*
- 5 **Supabase Vector Store** Vector Store Supabase *Model*
- 6 **Code in JavaScript** Code *Logic*
- 7 **Vector Store Retriever** Retriever Vector Store *Model*

## How it's built

- **Starts on:** Someone opening a chat with it
- **Steps:** 7
- **Size:** Small: readable in one sitting
- **Connects to:** Supabase vectors
- **Model:** OpenAI
- **Retrieval:** Answers are drawn from documents you supply, not from the model alone

## Questions

What does it need to run?

An n8n account, plus your own Supabase vectors account, and a key for OpenAI. You connect your own accounts after importing it; none are included.

What starts it?

It starts on someone opening a chat with it.

Does it use AI?

Yes. It calls OpenAI. Its answers draw on documents you give it, not on the model alone. Model calls are billed by the provider, not by n8n.

How long does it take to set up?

Not long. At 7 steps it can be read in one sitting and changed without fear.

How do I import it?

Copy the workflow, open a new workflow in n8n and paste. The steps appear on the canvas, ready for your own accounts.

**Before you run it**

Nothing here has been tested by us. It is somebody's working automation, read and described from its own steps. Treat the connections it wants as a list of accounts it will touch, and read the 7 steps before you point it at anything that matters.

## Run it in n8n

- **Create your n8n account** Free to start. n8n is where the workflow runs. [Create an n8n account ↗](https://millionrounds.com/n8n)
- **Download the workflow** Free with a Millionrounds account. [Download free](https://millionrounds.com/login?next=%2Fapp%2Fworkflow%2Fai-assistant-smart-document-q-and-a-with-openai-and-supabase)
- **Paste it into n8n** Open a new workflow in n8n and paste. Then connect your own accounts.

Stored with the author's traces removed: canvas notes, instance identifiers, saved credential names and any live document they had left behind.

## Connects to

Each opens the other workflows that use it.

[Supabase vectors](https://millionrounds.com/workflows?service=Supabase+vectors#library)

## Workflows like it

Also documents and files, with the same services where possible, closest in size first.

- [**Index Google Drive documents with OpenAI** 8 steps · calls a model · Google Drive, Supabase vectors](https://millionrounds.com/workflow/index-google-drive-documents-with-openai)
- [**Store Notion's Pages as Vector Documents into Supabase** 8 steps · calls a model · Notion, Supabase vectors](https://millionrounds.com/workflow/store-notion-s-pages-as-vector-documents-into-supabase)
- [**Create RAG vector database from Google Drive documents** 9 steps · calls a model · Google Drive, Postgres](https://millionrounds.com/workflow/create-rag-vector-database-from-google-drive-documents)
- [**Build a RAG document chatbot with Supabase and OpenRouter** 10 steps · calls a model · Google Drive, Supabase vectors](https://millionrounds.com/workflow/build-a-rag-document-chatbot-with-supabase-and-openrouter)
- [**PDF to SQL Server with OpenAI and Google Drive** 10 steps · calls a model · Google Drive, Supabase vectors](https://millionrounds.com/workflow/pdf-to-sql-server-with-openai-and-google-drive)
- [**AI process document uploader with OpenAI and Supabase** 11 steps · calls a model · Supabase vectors](https://millionrounds.com/workflow/ai-process-document-uploader-with-openai-and-supabase)