Skip to main content

Extract construction blueprint data with VLM run and Microsoft Office Suite

Workflow preview

Workflow preview
100%
Extract construction blueprint data with VLM run and Microsoft Office Suite preview
Open on n8n.io

Important notice

This workflow is provided as-is. Please review and test before using in production.

1. Workflow Overview

Automatically process Construction Blueprints into structured Excel entries with VLM extraction Disclaimer: This template uses community nodes, including the VLM Run node. It requires a self h...

Best for

  • Document Extraction automation workflows
  • AI Summarization automation workflows
  • intermediate n8n builders looking for reusable templates

Tools used

@vlm-run/n8n-nodes-vlmrun.vlmrun, n8n-nodes-base.stickynote, n8n-nodes-base.microsoftonedrivetrigger, n8n-nodes-base.microsoftonedrive, n8n-nodes-base.microsoftexcel

Source and attribution

This workflow is cataloged by N8N Workflows and links back to its original n8n.io source page by Shahrear.

Original n8n.io source

1.1 Workflow description

Title
Extract construction blueprint data with VLM run and Microsoft Office Suite
Workflow name
Extract construction blueprint data with VLM run and Microsoft Office Suite

Automatically process Construction Blueprints into structured Excel entries with VLM extraction

>Disclaimer: This template uses community nodes, including the VLM Run node. It requires a self-hosted n8n instance and will not run on n8n Cloud.

What this workflow does

  1. Monitors OneDrive for new blueprints in a target folder
  2. Downloads the file inside n8n for processing
  3. Sends the file to VLM Run for VLM analysis
  4. Fetches details from the construction.blueprint domain as JSON
  5. Appends normalized fields to an Excel sheet as a new row

Setup

Prerequisites: Microsoft account, VLM Run API credentials, OneDrive access, Excel Online, n8n. Install the verified VLM Run node by searching for VLM Run in the node list, then click Install. Once installed, you can start using it in your workflows.

Quick Setup:

  1. Create the OneDrive folder you want to watch and copy its Folder ID

    • OneDrive web: open the folder in your browser, then copy the value of the id= URL parameter. It is URL-encoded.
    • Alternative in n8n: use a OneDrive node with the operation set to List to browse folders and copy the id field from the response.
  2. Create an Excel sheet with headers like: timestamp, file_name, file_id, mime_type, size_bytes, uploader_email, document_type, document_number, issue_date, author_name, drawing_title_numbers, revision_history, job_name, address, drawing_number, revision, drawn_by, checked_by, scale_information, agency_name, document_title, blueprint_id, blueprint_status, blueprint_owner, blueprint_url

  3. Configure OneDrive OAuth2 for the trigger and download nodes

    • Use Microsoft OAuth2 in n8n. Approve requested scopes for file access and offline access when prompted.
    • Test the connection by listing a known folder.
  4. Add VLM Run API credentials from https://app.vlm.run/dashboard to the VLM Run node

  5. Configure Excel Online OAuth2 and set Spreadsheet ID and target sheet tab

  6. Test by uploading a sample file to the watched OneDrive folder and activate

Perfect for

  • Converting uploaded construction blueprint documents into clean text
  • Organizing extracted blueprint details into structured sheets
  • Quickly accessing key attributes from technical files
  • Centralized archive of blueprint-to-text conversions

Key Benefits

  • End to end automation from OneDrive upload to structured Excel entry
  • Accurate text extraction of construction blueprint documents
  • Organized attribute mapping for consistent records
  • Searchable archives directly in Excel
  • Hands-free processing after setup

How to customize

Extend by adding:

  • Version control that links revisions of the same drawing and highlights superseded rows
  • Confidence scores per extracted field with threshold-based routing to manual or AI review
  • Auto-generate a human-readable summary column for quick scanning of blueprint details
  • Split large multi-sheet PDFs into per-drawing rows with individual attributes
  • Cross-system sync to Procore, Autodesk Construction Cloud, or BIM 360 for project-wide visibility

1.2 Logical Blocks

This catalog entry is organized from the workflow JSON. The node-level section below shows the executable blocks available for review before importing the template.

2. Block-by-Block Analysis

Block 1 - VLM Run Parsing

Type / Role
@vlm-run/n8n-nodes-vlmrun.vlmRun - vlmRun
Config choices
Version 1

Block 2 - Sticky Note

Type / Role
n8n-nodes-base.stickyNote - stickyNote
Config choices
Version 1

Block 3 - Sticky Note2

Type / Role
n8n-nodes-base.stickyNote - stickyNote
Config choices
Version 1

Block 4 - Sticky Note1

Type / Role
n8n-nodes-base.stickyNote - stickyNote
Config choices
Version 1

Block 5 - Sticky Note3

Type / Role
n8n-nodes-base.stickyNote - stickyNote
Config choices
Version 1

Block 6 - Microsoft OneDrive Trigger

Type / Role
n8n-nodes-base.microsoftOneDriveTrigger - microsoftOneDriveTrigger
Config choices
Version 1

Block 7 - Download a file

Type / Role
n8n-nodes-base.microsoftOneDrive - microsoftOneDrive
Config choices
Version 1

Block 8 - Append data to sheet

Type / Role
n8n-nodes-base.microsoftExcel - microsoftExcel
Config choices
Version 2.1

3. Summary Table

Workflow Extract construction blueprint data with VLM run and Microsoft Office Suite
Complexity intermediate
Nodes 8
Categories Document Extraction, AI Summarization
Author Shahrear
Published 05 Sept 2025

4. Reproducing the Workflow from Scratch

  1. 1. Download the workflow JSON

    Use the JSON export at /data/workflows/8304/8304.json as the source template for this automation.

  2. 2. Import the template into n8n

    Open n8n, import the downloaded JSON, and review each node before activating the workflow.

  3. 3. Configure credentials and variables

    Replace placeholder credentials, API keys, webhook URLs, account IDs, and environment-specific values with your own settings.

  4. 4. Test with sample data

    Run the workflow manually or in a staging workspace, inspect node output, and confirm downstream systems receive the expected data.

  5. 5. Activate and monitor

    Enable the workflow only after testing, then monitor executions, errors, and rate limits during the first production runs.

5. General Notes & Resources

Review imported nodes carefully before activation. This catalog entry is intended to help you inspect the workflow structure, understand required services, and find related templates faster.

Node names, credentials, schedules, webhook paths, and external service limits may need adjustment for your workspace.

Frequently asked questions

What does Extract construction blueprint data with VLM run and Microsoft Office Suite do?

Automatically process Construction Blueprints into structured Excel entries with VLM extraction Disclaimer: This template uses community nodes, including the VLM Run node. It requires a self h...

What do I need before importing this workflow?

Review the workflow JSON, configure any required credentials in n8n, and test the automation in a safe workspace before using it in production.

Can I customize this workflow?

Yes. Use the block-by-block analysis and the downloadable JSON to inspect each node, then adjust credentials, prompts, schedules, filters, or destinations for your Document Extraction, AI Summarization use case.