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Parse CVs from emails with OCR & GPT for Notion database

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Parse CVs from emails with OCR & GPT for Notion database preview
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Important notice

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

1. Workflow Overview

It allows you to automate candidate retrieval and onboarding in your HR processes. How it works It monitors a Gmail address for new emails with a PDF attachment It expects the PDF to be a candidate...

Best for

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

Tools used

@n8n/n8n-nodes-langchain.openai, n8n-nodes-base.httprequest, n8n-nodes-base.if, n8n-nodes-base.gmailtrigger, n8n-nodes-base.code, n8n-nodes-base.stickynote, n8n-nodes-base.set, n8n-nodes-base.notion

Source and attribution

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

Original n8n.io source

1.1 Workflow description

Title
Parse CVs from emails with OCR & GPT for Notion database
Workflow name
Parse CVs from emails with OCR & GPT for Notion database

It allows you to automate candidate retrieval and onboarding in your HR processes.

How it works

  • It monitors a Gmail address for new emails with a PDF attachment

  • It expects the PDF to be a candidate’s CV, extracts the text using OCR, and then structures the data using ChatGPT

  • Once the data is processed, it connects to Notion and adds (or updates) an entry in the specified database

How to use

  • Configure your Gmail account and provide your ChatGPT API key

  • Provide an API key for the OCR service in a variable named OCR_SPACE_API_KEY

  • Connect your Notion account

  • Once everything is configured, the workflow will monitor your inbox for new emails. Just send an email with a PDF attachment to the configured address

Requirements

  • In addition to Gmail, ChatGPT, and Notion, the system uses a third-party OCR API (OCR SPACE). You’ll need to create an account and obtain an API key

  • You must map the fields returned by ChatGPT to the Notion database, or use the same field names we are using

Customising

It should be easy to replace Notion with PostgreSQL or another database if needed

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 - Message a model

Type / Role
@n8n/n8n-nodes-langchain.openAi - openAi
Config choices
Version 1.8

Block 2 - HTTP Request

Type / Role
n8n-nodes-base.httpRequest - httpRequest
Config choices
Version 4.2

Block 3 - If1

Type / Role
n8n-nodes-base.if - if
Config choices
Version 2.2

Block 4 - If2

Type / Role
n8n-nodes-base.if - if
Config choices
Version 2.2

Block 5 - Gmail Trigger

Type / Role
n8n-nodes-base.gmailTrigger - gmailTrigger
Config choices
Version 1.2

Block 6 - Code

Type / Role
n8n-nodes-base.code - code
Config choices
Version 2

Block 7 - If

Type / Role
n8n-nodes-base.if - if
Config choices
Version 2.2

Block 8 - Sticky Note

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

Block 9 - Sticky Note1

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

Block 10 - Sticky Note2

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

Block 11 - Map Fields

Type / Role
n8n-nodes-base.set - set
Config choices
Version 3.4

Block 12 - Create entry

Type / Role
n8n-nodes-base.notion - notion
Config choices
Version 2.2

Block 13 - Get many entries

Type / Role
n8n-nodes-base.notion - notion
Config choices
Version 2.2

3. Summary Table

Workflow Parse CVs from emails with OCR & GPT for Notion database
Complexity intermediate
Nodes 13
Categories HR, AI Summarization
Author Blue Code
Published 23 Jul 2025

4. Reproducing the Workflow from Scratch

  1. 1. Download the workflow JSON

    Use the JSON export at /data/workflows/6326/6326.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 Parse CVs from emails with OCR & GPT for Notion database do?

It allows you to automate candidate retrieval and onboarding in your HR processes. How it works It monitors a Gmail address for new emails with a PDF attachment It expects the PDF to be a candidate...

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 HR, AI Summarization use case.