Automation library · Money admin

Automate WhatsApp invoice processing with OCR and OpenAI

Started by an incoming WhatsApp message, and works across Google Drive, Google Sheets and WhatsApp. It hands the judgement calls to OpenAI. 11 steps: a working afternoon to understand properly.

MediumCalls a model: OpenAI

11 stepsMedium: a working afternoon
0Branches: places the flow splits
0Loops or waits
3Services it connects to

The flow

Starts it 1Model 2Logic 1Service 7

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

  1. 1WhatsApp TriggerWhats App triggerStarts it
  2. 2OpenAI Chat ModelLm Chat Open AiModel
  3. 3Get Download URLWhats AppService
  4. 4Invoice AgentAgentModel
  5. 5Download FileHttp RequestService
  6. 6ReplyWhats AppService
  7. 7Analyze ImageHttp RequestService
  8. 8Parse TextCodeLogic
  9. 9Update DataBaseGoogle SheetsService
  10. 10Original Invoice RetrievalHttp RequestService
  11. 11Add Invoice To DriveGoogle DriveService

How it's built

Starts on
An incoming WhatsApp message
Steps
11
Size
Medium: a working afternoon
Connects to
Google Drive, Google Sheets, WhatsApp
Model
OpenAI

Questions

What does it need to run?

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

What starts it?

It starts on an incoming WhatsApp message.

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. 11 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 11 steps before you point it at anything that matters.