Automation library · Money admin

Automate invoice data extraction with OCR.Space and OpenAI

Started by a clock, and works across Google Drive and Google Sheets. It hands the judgement calls to OpenAI. 10 steps: a working afternoon to understand properly.

MediumCalls a model: OpenAI

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

The flow

Starts it 1Model 1Logic 2Service 6

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

  1. 1Schedule Trigger (Weekly Scan)Schedule triggerStarts it
  2. 2Get Parent FolderGoogle DriveService
  3. 3Get Monthly SubfolderGoogle DriveService
  4. 4List FilesGoogle DriveService
  5. 5Download File (Binary from Drive)Google DriveService
  6. 6OCR (OCR.Space Parsing)Http RequestService
  7. 7Clean OCR Text (Noise Removal)CodeLogic
  8. 8AI Extraction (Generate Structured JSON)Open AiModel
  9. 9Parse AI Output to JSONCodeLogic
  10. 10Append to Google SheetsGoogle SheetsService

How it's built

Starts on
A clock
Steps
10
Size
Medium: a working afternoon
Connects to
Google Drive, Google Sheets
Model
OpenAI

Questions

What does it need to run?

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

What starts it?

It starts on a clock.

Does it use AI?

Yes. It calls OpenAI. 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.