# Document Q&A system with OpenAI and Pinecone Vector DB: 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/document-q-and-a-system-with-openai-and-pinecone-vector-db (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)

# Document Q&A system with OpenAI and Pinecone Vector DB

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. 24 steps: large, and worth reading before you trust it with anything live.

Large Calls a model: OpenAI Retrieval

[Download free](https://millionrounds.com/login?next=%2Fapp%2Fworkflow%2Fdocument-q-and-a-system-with-openai-and-pinecone-vector-db)

**24 steps** Large: read it before trusting it with anything live

**0** Branches: places the flow splits

**0** Loops or waits

**2** Services it connects to

## The flow

Starts it 4 Model 18 Service 2

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

- 1 **When clicking ‘Execute workflow’** Manual trigger *Starts it*
- 2 **Embeddings OpenAI** Embeddings Open Ai *Model*
- 3 **Recursive Character Text Splitter** Text Splitter Recursive Character Text Splitter *Model*
- 4 **When chat message received** Chat trigger *Starts it*
- 5 **OpenAI Chat Model** Lm Chat Open Ai *Model*
- 6 **Simple Memory** Memory Buffer Window *Model*
- 7 **Embeddings OpenAI1** Embeddings Open Ai *Model*
- 8 **OpenAI Chat Model1** Lm Chat Open Ai *Model*
- 9 **Webhook** Webhook *Starts it*
- 10 **OpenAI Chat Model2** Lm Chat Open Ai *Model*
- 11 **Simple Memory1** Memory Buffer Window *Model*
- 12 **Embeddings OpenAI2** Embeddings Open Ai *Model*
- 13 **OpenAI Chat Model3** Lm Chat Open Ai *Model*
- 14 **Google Drive** Google Drive *Service*
- 15 **Pinecone Vector Store** Vector Store Pinecone *Model*
- 16 **Default Data Loader** Document Default Data Loader *Model*
- 17 **AI Agent** Agent *Model*
- 18 **Pinecone Vector Store1** Vector Store Pinecone *Model*
- 19 **Answer questions with a vector store** Tool Vector Store *Model*
- 20 **AI Agent1** Agent *Model*
- 21 **Pinecone Vector Store2** Vector Store Pinecone *Model*
- 22 **Answer questions with a vector store1** Tool Vector Store *Model*
- 23 **Google Drive1** Google Drive *Service*
- 24 **Respond to Webhook** Respond To Webhook *Starts it*

## How it's built

- **Starts on:** Someone opening a chat with it
- **Steps:** 24
- **Size:** Large: read it before trusting it with anything live
- **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?

Take your time. At 24 steps it is large: read it before trusting it with anything live.

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 24 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%2Fdocument-q-and-a-system-with-openai-and-pinecone-vector-db)
- **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.

- [**Automate document ingestion & RAG system with Google Drive** 24 steps · calls a model · Google Drive, Google Sheets](https://millionrounds.com/workflow/automate-document-ingestion-and-rag-system-with-google-drive)
- [**Review contract clauses against your playbook** 24 steps · calls a model · Google Drive, Google Sheets](https://millionrounds.com/workflow/review-contract-clauses-against-your-playbook)
- [**Telegram AI chatbot with OpenAI and PGVector RAG** 24 steps · calls a model · Google Drive, Postgres](https://millionrounds.com/workflow/telegram-ai-chatbot-with-openai-and-pgvector-rag)
- [**Chat with Supabase** 23 steps · calls a model · Gmail, Google Drive](https://millionrounds.com/workflow/chat-with-supabase)
- [**Document RAG & chat agent: Google Drive to Qdrant with Mistral** 25 steps · calls a model · Google Drive, Qdrant](https://millionrounds.com/workflow/document-rag-and-chat-agent-google-drive-to-qdrant-with-mist)
- [**Extract timesheet data with Mistral and Gmail** 23 steps · calls a model · Gmail, Google Drive](https://millionrounds.com/workflow/extract-timesheet-data-with-mistral-and-gmail)