# Private secret santa assignment & notification system: n8n workflow

> Started by an event in a connected app, and works across Gmail. 9 steps, 1 loop or waits: a working afternoon to understand properly.

Source: https://millionrounds.com/workflow/private-secret-santa-assignment-and-notification-system (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)

# Private secret santa assignment & notification system

Started by an event in a connected app, and works across Gmail. 9 steps, 1 loop or waits: a working afternoon to understand properly.

Medium

[Download free](https://millionrounds.com/login?next=%2Fapp%2Fworkflow%2Fprivate-secret-santa-assignment-and-notification-system)

**9 steps** Medium: a working afternoon

**0** Branches: places the flow splits

**1** Loop or waits

**1** Service it connects to

## The flow

Starts it 1 Logic 5 Service 3

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

- 1 **Run** Manual trigger *Starts it*
- 2 **Emails and name** Set *Logic*
- 3 **Random** Code *Logic*
- 4 **loop mails** Split In Batches *Logic*
- 5 **Name to INT** Code *Logic*
- 6 **Send a message** Gmail *Service*
- 7 **Send a message results** Gmail *Service*
- 8 **Delete a message** Gmail *Service*
- 9 **Who?** Set *Logic*

## How it's built

- **Starts on:** An event in a connected app
- **Steps:** 9, 1 loop or waits
- **Size:** Medium: a working afternoon
- **Connects to:** Gmail
- **Model:** None. This is plumbing, not judgement

## Questions

What does it need to run?

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

What starts it?

It starts on an event in a connected app.

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.

## 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%2Fprivate-secret-santa-assignment-and-notification-system)
- **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.

[Gmail](https://millionrounds.com/workflows?service=Gmail#library)

## Workflows like it

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

- [**Alert on stalled scheduled workflows with Gmail** 9 steps · Gmail](https://millionrounds.com/workflow/alert-on-stalled-scheduled-workflows-with-gmail)
- [**Automated competitor price monitoring with Bright Data** 9 steps · Gmail, Google Sheets](https://millionrounds.com/workflow/automated-competitor-price-monitoring-with-bright-data)
- [**Automated tutoring session report generator** 9 steps · Gmail, Google Docs](https://millionrounds.com/workflow/automated-tutoring-session-report-generator)
- [**Centralized error monitoring & alerts with Telegram and Slack** 9 steps · Discord, Gmail](https://millionrounds.com/workflow/centralized-error-monitoring-and-alerts-with-telegram-and-sl)
- [**Check offboarding credential risks with RelayShield and Slack** 9 steps · Gmail, Notion](https://millionrounds.com/workflow/check-offboarding-credential-risks-with-relayshield-and-slac)
- [**Collect SOC 2 AWS IAM evidence to Google Sheets with Gmail** 9 steps · Gmail, Google Sheets](https://millionrounds.com/workflow/collect-soc-2-aws-iam-evidence-to-google-sheets-with-gmail)