# Guide students with RAG and OpenAI: n8n workflow template

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

Source: https://millionrounds.com/workflow/guide-students-with-rag-and-openai (Millionrounds; every figure on the page links to its filing or article)

[Automation library](https://millionrounds.com/workflows) · [Data collection](https://millionrounds.com/workflows?category=Data+collection#library)

# Guide students with RAG and OpenAI

Started by someone opening a chat with it, and works across Google Sheets and Pinecone. It puts DeepSeek and OpenAI behind a retrieval step, so answers are drawn from documents you supply rather than from the model alone. 14 steps: a working afternoon to understand properly.

Medium Calls a model: DeepSeek, OpenAI Retrieval

[Download free](https://millionrounds.com/login?next=%2Fapp%2Fworkflow%2Fguide-students-with-rag-and-openai)

**14 steps** Medium: a working afternoon

**0** Branches: places the flow splits

**0** Loops or waits

**2** Services it connects to

## The flow

Starts it 1 Model 8 Logic 3 Service 2

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

- 1 **DeepSeek LLM** Lm Chat Deep Seek *Model*
- 2 **OpenAI Embeddings** Embeddings Open Ai *Model*
- 3 **GPT-4o-mini LLM** Lm Chat Open Ai *Model*
- 4 **Teacher Session Memory** Memory Buffer Window *Model*
- 5 **Chat Trigger** Chat trigger *Starts it*
- 6 **Classifier Memory** Memory Buffer Window *Model*
- 7 **Intent Classifier** Agent *Model*
- 8 **Book Knowledge Base** Vector Store Pinecone *Model*
- 9 **AI Teacher Agent** Agent *Model*
- 10 **Merge Input and Prompt** Merge *Logic*
- 11 **Fetch System Prompt** Google Sheets *Service*
- 12 **Log Q&A to Sheets** Google Sheets *Service*
- 13 **Aggregate Fields** Aggregate *Logic*
- 14 **Format Response Output** Set *Logic*

## How it's built

- **Starts on:** Someone opening a chat with it
- **Steps:** 14
- **Size:** Medium: a working afternoon
- **Connects to:** Google Sheets, Pinecone
- **Model:** DeepSeek, 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 Sheets and Pinecone accounts, and a key for DeepSeek and 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 DeepSeek and 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. 14 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 14 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%2Fguide-students-with-rag-and-openai)
- **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 Sheets](https://millionrounds.com/workflows?service=Google+Sheets#library)[Pinecone](https://millionrounds.com/workflows?service=Pinecone#library)

## Workflows like it

Also data collection, with the same services where possible, closest in size first.

- [**& analyze n8n workflows from GitHub with OpenAI** 14 steps · calls a model · Google Sheets, Notion](https://millionrounds.com/workflow/and-analyze-n8n-workflows-from-github-with-openai)
- [**AI agent with Google Sheets** 14 steps · calls a model · Google Sheets](https://millionrounds.com/workflow/ai-agent-with-google-sheets)
- [**Anonymize & reformat CVs with Gemini and Google Sheets** 14 steps · calls a model · Google Drive, Google Sheets](https://millionrounds.com/workflow/anonymize-and-reformat-cvs-with-gemini-and-google-sheets)
- [**Automate GPT-4o fine-tuning with Google Sheets and Airtable** 14 steps · calls a model · Airtable, Google Sheets](https://millionrounds.com/workflow/automate-gpt-4o-fine-tuning-with-google-sheets-and-airtable)
- [**Automate Instagram carousel creation with OpenAI** 14 steps · calls a model · Google Sheets](https://millionrounds.com/workflow/automate-instagram-carousel-creation-with-openai)
- [**Automate Twitter and LinkdIn with Gemini and Google Sheets** 14 steps · calls a model · Google Sheets, LinkedIn](https://millionrounds.com/workflow/automate-twitter-and-linkdin-with-gemini-and-google-sheets)