AI-generated LinkedIn posts with OpenAI, Google Sheets & email approval workflow

How it works

This workflow automates the process of creating, approving, and optionally posting LinkedIn content from a Google Sheet. Here's a high-level overview:

1. Scheduled Trigger: Runs automatically based on your defined time interval (daily, weekly, etc.).
2. Fetch Data from Google Sheets: Pulls the first row from your sheet where Status is marked as Pending.
3. Generate LinkedIn Post Content: Uses OpenAI to create a professional LinkedIn post using the Post Description and Instructions from the sheet.
4. Format & Prepare Data: Formats the generated content along with the original instruction and post description for email.
5. Send for Approval: Sends an email to a predefined user (e.g., marketing team) with a custom form for approval, including a dropdown to accept/reject and an optional field for edits.
6. (Optional) Image Fetch: Downloads an image from a URL (if provided in the sheet) for future use in post visuals.

Set up steps

You’ll need the following before you start:

• A Google Sheet with the following columns: Post Description, Instructions, Image (URL), Status
• Access to an OpenAI API key
• A connected Gmail account for sending approval emails
• Your own Google Sheets and Gmail credentials added in n8n

Steps:

1. Google Sheet Preparation: Create a new Google Sheet with the mentioned columns (Post Description, Instructions, Image, Status, Output, Post Link). Add a row with test data and set Status to Pending.

2. Credentials: In n8n, create OAuth2 credentials for: a. Google Sheets b. Gmail c. OpenAI (API Key) Assign these credentials to the respective nodes in the JSON.

3. OpenAI Model: Choose a model like gpt-4o-mini (used here) or any other available in your plan. Adjust the prompt in the "Generate Post Content" node if needed.

4. Email Configuration: In the Gmail node, set the recipient email to your own or your team’s address. Customize the email message template if necessary.

5. Schedule the Workflow: Set the trigger interval (e.g., every morning at 9 AM).

6. Testing: Run the workflow manually first to confirm everything works. Check Gmail for the approval form, respond, and verify the results.