# Build a RAG system for PDF documents with Google Drive: n8n workflow

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

Source: https://millionrounds.com/workflow/build-a-rag-system-for-pdf-documents-with-google-drive (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)

# Build a RAG system for PDF documents with Google Drive

Started by someone opening a chat with it, and works across Google Drive and Pinecone. It puts OpenAI behind a retrieval step, so answers are drawn from documents you supply rather than from the model alone. 15 steps: a working afternoon to understand properly.

Medium Calls a model: OpenAI Retrieval

[Download free](https://millionrounds.com/login?next=%2Fapp%2Fworkflow%2Fbuild-a-rag-system-for-pdf-documents-with-google-drive)

**15 steps** Medium: a working afternoon

**0** Branches: places the flow splits

**0** Loops or waits

**2** Services it connects to

## The flow

Starts it 2 Model 5 Logic 4 Service 4

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 **Simple Memory** Memory Buffer Window *Model*
- 5 **Google Drive Trigger** Google Drive trigger *Starts it*
- 6 **Question & Answer** Agent *Model*
- 7 **Pinecone Vector Store** Vector Store Pinecone *Model*
- 8 **Google Drive Download** Google Drive *Service*
- 9 **Unstructured Extract** Http Request *Service*
- 10 **Map Data** Code *Logic*
- 11 **Pack** Code *Logic*
- 12 **HTTP OpenAI Embeddings** Http Request *Service*
- 13 **Re-expand** Code *Logic*
- 14 **Prepare Data for Upsert** Set *Logic*
- 15 **Pinecone Upsert** Http Request *Service*

## How it's built

- **Starts on:** Someone opening a chat with it
- **Steps:** 15
- **Size:** Medium: a working afternoon
- **Connects to:** Google Drive, 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 Google Drive 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. 15 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 15 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%2Fbuild-a-rag-system-for-pdf-documents-with-google-drive)
- **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.

[Google Drive](https://millionrounds.com/workflows?service=Google+Drive#library)[Pinecone](https://millionrounds.com/workflows?service=Pinecone#library)

## Workflows like it

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

- [**AI-powered auto-translate Google Slides presentation** 15 steps · calls a model · Google Drive, Google Slides](https://millionrounds.com/workflow/ai-powered-auto-translate-google-slides-presentation)
- [**Benchmark LLM performance on legal documents** 15 steps · calls a model · Google Drive, Google Sheets](https://millionrounds.com/workflow/benchmark-llm-performance-on-legal-documents)
- [**Build enterprise RAG system with Gemini** 15 steps · calls a model · Google Drive, Google Sheets](https://millionrounds.com/workflow/build-enterprise-rag-system-with-gemini)
- [**Process YouTube transcripts with Apify and OpenAI** 15 steps · calls a model · Airtable, Pinecone](https://millionrounds.com/workflow/process-youtube-transcripts-with-apify-and-openai)
- [**RAG chatbot for company documents with Google Drive and Gemini** 15 steps · calls a model · Google Drive, Pinecone](https://millionrounds.com/workflow/rag-chatbot-for-company-documents-with-google-drive-and-gemi)
- [**RAG chatbot for company documents with Google Drive and Gemini** 15 steps · calls a model · Google Drive, Pinecone](https://millionrounds.com/workflow/rag-chatbot-for-company-documents-with-google-drive-and-gemi-2)