Automation library · Data collection

Generate and email course certificates from Google Sheets

Started by a change in a Google Sheet, and works across Gmail and Google Sheets. 9 steps, 1 branch: a working afternoon to understand properly.

Medium

9 stepsMedium: a working afternoon
1Branch: places the flow splits
0Loops or waits
2Services it connects to

The flow

Starts it 1Logic 2Service 6

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

  1. 1On Sheet row updateGoogle Sheets triggerStarts it
  2. 2Row marked ready?IfLogic
  3. 3Workflow configurationSetLogic
  4. 4Create certificate from brand templateCanvaService
  5. 5Export certificate as PDFCanvaService
  6. 6Mark row as erroredGoogle SheetsService
  7. 7Download the PDFHttp RequestService
  8. 8Email certificate to recipientGmailService
  9. 9Mark row as completedGoogle SheetsService

How it's built

Starts on
A change in a Google Sheet
Steps
9, with 1 branch
Size
Medium: a working afternoon
Connects to
Gmail, Google Sheets
Model
None. This is plumbing, not judgement

Questions

What does it need to run?

An n8n account, plus your own Gmail and Google Sheets accounts. You connect your own accounts after importing it; none are included.

What starts it?

It starts on a change in a Google Sheet.

Does it use AI?

No. Every step is fixed logic or a call to a service, so it does the same thing every time.

How long does it take to set up?

Plan an afternoon. 9 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 9 steps before you point it at anything that matters.