# Monitor SSL certificate expiry with Google Sheets and SMTP: n8n workflow

> Started by a clock, and works across Email and Google Sheets. 12 steps, 1 branch: a working afternoon to understand properly.

Source: https://millionrounds.com/workflow/monitor-ssl-certificate-expiry-with-google-sheets-and-smtp (Millionrounds; every figure on the page links to its filing or article)

[Automation library](https://millionrounds.com/workflows) · [Alerts and monitoring](https://millionrounds.com/workflows?category=Alerts+and+monitoring#library)

# Monitor SSL certificate expiry with Google Sheets and SMTP

Started by a clock, and works across Email and Google Sheets. 12 steps, 1 branch: a working afternoon to understand properly.

Medium

[Download free](https://millionrounds.com/login?next=%2Fapp%2Fworkflow%2Fmonitor-ssl-certificate-expiry-with-google-sheets-and-smtp)

**12 steps** Medium: a working afternoon

**1** Branch: places the flow splits

**0** Loops or waits

**2** Services it connects to

## The flow

Starts it 1 Logic 7 Service 4

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

- 1 **Schedule Trigger (Every 3 Days at 10AM)** Schedule trigger *Starts it*
- 2 **Read Domain List from Google Sheets** Google Sheets *Service*
- 3 **Prepare Domain List and Set Threshold** Code *Logic*
- 4 **Split Into Individual Domains** Code *Logic*
- 5 **Check SSL Certificate via OpenSSL** Execute Command *Service*
- 6 **Parse SSL Results and Identify Expiring Certs** Code *Logic*
- 7 **Has Expiring Certificates** If *Logic*
- 8 **Split Results for Sheet Update** Code *Logic*
- 9 **Build HTML Email Alert** Code *Logic*
- 10 **No Alerts Needed (All Certs OK)** No Op *Logic*
- 11 **Update Google Sheet with Results** Google Sheets *Service*
- 12 **Send Alert Email via SMTP** Email Send *Service*

## How it's built

- **Starts on:** A clock
- **Steps:** 12, with 1 branch
- **Size:** Medium: a working afternoon
- **Connects to:** Email, Google Sheets
- **Model:** None. This is plumbing, not judgement

## Questions

What does it need to run?

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

What starts it?

It starts on a clock.

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. 12 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 12 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%2Fmonitor-ssl-certificate-expiry-with-google-sheets-and-smtp)
- **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.

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

## Workflows like it

Also alerts and monitoring, with the same services where possible, closest in size first.

- [**Archive Discord audit logs to Google Sheets** 12 steps · Google Sheets, Slack](https://millionrounds.com/workflow/archive-discord-audit-logs-to-google-sheets)
- [**Assess technical documentation compliance with OpenAI** 12 steps · Google Sheets](https://millionrounds.com/workflow/assess-technical-documentation-compliance-with-openai)
- [**Automate change request approvals with Monday.com and Jira** 12 steps · Gmail, Google Sheets](https://millionrounds.com/workflow/automate-change-request-approvals-with-monday-com-and-jira)
- [**Automate change request workflow: Monday.com to Jira** 12 steps · Gmail, Google Sheets](https://millionrounds.com/workflow/automate-change-request-workflow-monday-com-to-jira)
- [**Automate email bounce & invalid detection with Gmail** 12 steps · Gmail, Google Sheets](https://millionrounds.com/workflow/automate-email-bounce-and-invalid-detection-with-gmail)
- [**Automate incident response with Jira and Slack** 12 steps · Google Drive, Google Sheets](https://millionrounds.com/workflow/automate-incident-response-with-jira-and-slack)