# Track food calories with Telegram and OpenAI: n8n workflow

> Started by an incoming Telegram message, and works across Google Sheets and Telegram. 7 steps: small enough to read in one sitting and change without fear.

Source: https://millionrounds.com/workflow/track-food-calories-with-telegram-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)

# Track food calories with Telegram and OpenAI

Started by an incoming Telegram message, and works across Google Sheets and Telegram. 7 steps: small enough to read in one sitting and change without fear.

Small

[Download free](https://millionrounds.com/login?next=%2Fapp%2Fworkflow%2Ftrack-food-calories-with-telegram-and-openai)

**7 steps** Small: readable in one sitting

**0** Branches: places the flow splits

**0** Loops or waits

**2** Services it connects to

## The flow

Starts it 1 Model 1 Logic 1 Service 4

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

- 1 **Telegram Trigger** Telegram trigger *Starts it*
- 2 **Sticky Note: Acknowledge** Telegram *Service*
- 3 **Download Telegram Image** Telegram *Service*
- 4 **Prepare Binary Image** Function *Logic*
- 5 **GPT-4 Vision Analyze** Openai *Model*
- 6 **Log to Google Sheet** Google Sheets *Service*
- 7 **Send GPT Result** Telegram *Service*

## How it's built

- **Starts on:** An incoming Telegram message
- **Steps:** 7
- **Size:** Small: readable in one sitting
- **Connects to:** Google Sheets, Telegram
- **Model:** None. This is plumbing, not judgement

## Questions

What does it need to run?

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

What starts it?

It starts on an incoming Telegram message.

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?

Not long. At 7 steps it can be read in one sitting and changed without fear.

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 7 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%2Ftrack-food-calories-with-telegram-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)[Telegram](https://millionrounds.com/workflows?service=Telegram#library)

## Workflows like it

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

- [**Aggregate marketing spend data with Google Sheets** 7 steps · Google Sheets](https://millionrounds.com/workflow/aggregate-marketing-spend-data-with-google-sheets)
- [**Analyze images & extract text with OpenAI and Telegram** 7 steps · Telegram](https://millionrounds.com/workflow/analyze-images-and-extract-text-with-openai-and-telegram)
- [**Archive Instagram stories to Google Sheets with Apify** 7 steps · Google Sheets](https://millionrounds.com/workflow/archive-instagram-stories-to-google-sheets-with-apify)
- [**Automate Glassdoor job search with Bright Data** 7 steps · Google Sheets](https://millionrounds.com/workflow/automate-glassdoor-job-search-with-bright-data)
- [**Automate JotForm submissions to Google Sheets** 7 steps · Google Sheets](https://millionrounds.com/workflow/automate-jotform-submissions-to-google-sheets)
- [**Automate QuickBooks customer & estimate creation** 7 steps · Google Sheets](https://millionrounds.com/workflow/automate-quickbooks-customer-and-estimate-creation)