# Supabase insertion & upsertion & retrieval with OpenAI: n8n workflow

> Started by someone opening a chat with it, and works across Google Drive, Supabase and Supabase vectors.

Source: https://millionrounds.com/workflow/supabase-insertion-and-upsertion-and-retrieval-with-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)

# Supabase insertion & upsertion & retrieval with OpenAI

Started by someone opening a chat with it, and works across Google Drive, Supabase and Supabase vectors. It puts OpenAI behind a retrieval step, so answers are drawn from documents you supply rather than from the model alone. 16 steps: a working afternoon to understand properly.

Medium Calls a model: OpenAI Retrieval

[Download free](https://millionrounds.com/login?next=%2Fapp%2Fworkflow%2Fsupabase-insertion-and-upsertion-and-retrieval-with-openai)

**16 steps** Medium: a working afternoon

**0** Branches: places the flow splits

**0** Loops or waits

**3** Services it connects to

## The flow

Starts it 1 Model 11 Logic 2 Service 2

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

- 1 **Google Drive** Google Drive *Service*
- 2 **OpenAI Chat Model** Lm Chat Open Ai *Model*
- 3 **Recursive Character Text Splitter1** Text Splitter Recursive Character Text Splitter *Model*
- 4 **When chat message received** Chat trigger *Starts it*
- 5 **Embeddings OpenAI Retrieval** Embeddings Open Ai *Model*
- 6 **Embeddings OpenAI Insertion** Embeddings Open Ai *Model*
- 7 **Placeholder (File/Content to Upsert)** Set *Logic*
- 8 **Embeddings OpenAI Upserting** Embeddings Open Ai *Model*
- 9 **Retrieve Rows from Table** Supabase *Service*
- 10 **Insert Documents** Vector Store Supabase *Model*
- 11 **Question and Answer Chain** Chain Retrieval Qa *Model*
- 12 **Default Data Loader** Document Default Data Loader *Model*
- 13 **Retrieve by Query** Vector Store Supabase *Model*
- 14 **Update Documents** Vector Store Supabase *Model*
- 15 **Customize Response** Set *Logic*
- 16 **Vector Store Retriever** Retriever Vector Store *Model*

## How it's built

- **Starts on:** Someone opening a chat with it
- **Steps:** 16
- **Size:** Medium: a working afternoon
- **Connects to:** Google Drive, Supabase, Supabase vectors
- **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, Supabase and Supabase vectors 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?

Plan an afternoon. 16 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 16 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%2Fsupabase-insertion-and-upsertion-and-retrieval-with-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 Drive](https://millionrounds.com/workflows?service=Google+Drive#library)[Supabase](https://millionrounds.com/workflows?service=Supabase#library)[Supabase vectors](https://millionrounds.com/workflows?service=Supabase+vectors#library)

## Workflows like it

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

- [**AI-powered knowledge assistant with Google Sheets and OpenAI** 16 steps · calls a model · Google Sheets, Supabase vectors](https://millionrounds.com/workflow/ai-powered-knowledge-assistant-with-google-sheets-and-openai)
- [**Build a labeled Reddit opinion dataset with Apify and OpenAI** 16 steps · calls a model · Apify, Supabase](https://millionrounds.com/workflow/build-a-labeled-reddit-opinion-dataset-with-apify-and-openai)
- [**Extract and log data to Airtable with Gemini and ILovePDF** 16 steps · calls a model · Airtable, Google Drive](https://millionrounds.com/workflow/extract-and-log-data-to-airtable-with-gemini-and-ilovepdf)
- [**Route approval requests with OpenAI and Supabase** 16 steps · calls a model · Gmail, Supabase](https://millionrounds.com/workflow/route-approval-requests-with-openai-and-supabase)
- [**VAPI Outbound Calling System [ Human Resource Team]** 16 steps · calls a model · Google Drive, Google Sheets](https://millionrounds.com/workflow/vapi-outbound-calling-system-human-resource-team)
- [**Bulk Voice Generator (ElevenLabs to Google Drive)** 16 steps · Google Drive, Google Sheets](https://millionrounds.com/workflow/bulk-voice-generator-elevenlabs-to-google-drive)