Automation library · Customer support

Automate FAQ replies and follow-ups in n8n with OpenAI

Started by someone opening a chat with it, and works across Airtable and Pinecone. It puts OpenAI behind a retrieval step, so answers are drawn from documents you supply rather than from the model alone. 10 steps: a working afternoon to understand properly.

MediumCalls a model: OpenAIRetrieval

10 stepsMedium: a working afternoon
0Branches: places the flow splits
0Loops or waits
2Services it connects to

The flow

Starts it 1Model 8Service 1

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

  1. 1When chat message receivedChat triggerStarts it
  2. 2OpenAI Chat ModelLm Chat Open AiModel
  3. 3Window Buffer MemoryMemory Buffer WindowModel
  4. 4OpenAI Chat Model1Lm Chat Open AiModel
  5. 5Embeddings OpenAIEmbeddings Open AiModel
  6. 6AirtableAirtable ToolService
  7. 7Call n8n Workflow ToolTool WorkflowModel
  8. 8Test AgentAgentModel
  9. 9Answer questions with a vector storeTool Vector StoreModel
  10. 10Pinecone Vector StoreVector Store PineconeModel

How it's built

Starts on
Someone opening a chat with it
Steps
10
Size
Medium: a working afternoon
Connects to
Airtable, Pinecone
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 Airtable and Pinecone accounts, 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?

Plan an afternoon. 10 steps is enough that you should read each one before running it.

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 10 steps before you point it at anything that matters.