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Send SMS alerts based on database queries (Twilio and Postgres)

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Send SMS alerts based on database queries (Twilio and Postgres) preview
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Important notice

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

1. Workflow Overview

This workflow automatically queries a Postgres database to find outlier readings for which SMS notifications have not been sent. This is Workflow 2 in the blog tutorial [Database activity monitorin...

Best for

  • DevOps automation workflows
  • intermediate n8n builders looking for reusable templates

Tools used

n8n-nodes-base.cron, n8n-nodes-base.postgres, n8n-nodes-base.twilio, n8n-nodes-base.set

Source and attribution

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

Original n8n.io source

1.1 Workflow description

Title
Send SMS alerts based on database queries (Twilio and Postgres)
Workflow name
Send SMS alerts based on database queries (Twilio and Postgres)

This workflow automatically queries a Postgres database to find outlier readings for which SMS notifications have not been sent. This is Workflow 2 in the blog tutorial Database activity monitoring and alerting.

Prerequisites

Nodes

  • Cron node triggers the workflow every minute, so the database is queried at regular intervals.
  • Postgres nodes extract values from, and update values in the database.
  • Twilio node sends an alert SMS about the outlier reading to a specified phone number.
  • Set node sets the notification value to true.

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 - Cron

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

Block 2 - Postgres

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

Block 3 - Twilio

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

Block 4 - Set

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

Block 5 - Postgres1

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

3. Summary Table

Workflow Send SMS alerts based on database queries (Twilio and Postgres)
Complexity intermediate
Nodes 5
Categories DevOps
Author tanaypant
Published 05 May 2020

4. Reproducing the Workflow from Scratch

  1. 1. Download the workflow JSON

    Use the JSON export at /data/workflows/357/357.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 Send SMS alerts based on database queries (Twilio and Postgres) do?

This workflow automatically queries a Postgres database to find outlier readings for which SMS notifications have not been sent. This is Workflow 2 in the blog tutorial [Database activity monitorin...

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 DevOps use case.