📋 Collect project intake requests with a webhook, Google Sheets and Gmail

⚡ 4 views · 📋 Project Management

Description

Quick overview

This workflow receives project intake requests via a webhook, validates and normalizes the submitted fields, logs the request to Google Sheets, and sends an acknowledgement email via Gmail, returning a JSON success or error response to the caller.

How it works

1. Receives a POST request on a webhook endpoint (or runs via a manual test payload).
2. Normalizes the incoming fields, validates required values (including email format), and generates a unique project reference ID.
3. If the payload is invalid, returns a JSON error response listing missing or invalid fields.
4. If the payload is valid, appends the request details to a Google Sheets document in the “Projects” sheet.
5. Sends an acknowledgement email to the client via Gmail containing the project name and generated reference ID.
6. Returns a JSON success response with the generated project ID.

Setup

1. Configure the Webhook URL (path be-free-intake) in your form or source application that submits the intake payload.
2. Add a Google Sheets OAuth credential and replace YOUR_GOOGLE_SHEET_ID, ensuring the “Projects” sheet has columns matching the mapped fields (e.g. project_id, client_name, email, project_name, project_type, deadline, received_at, status).
3. Add a Gmail credential for sending the acknowledgement email and verify the sender account is allowed to email your recipients.
4. (Optional) Use the manual trigger with the provided demo payload to test the workflow end-to-end before activating it.

Requirements

• An active n8n instance with access to Webhook, Google Sheets and Gmail nodes.
• Google Sheets OAuth2 credentials with permission to edit the destination spreadsheet.
• Gmail OAuth2 credentials with permission to send acknowledgement emails.
• A Google Sheets document containing a sheet named Projects.
• The Projects sheet should contain these columns: project_id, client_name, email, project_name, project_type, deadline, received_at and status.
• A form, application or API client capable of sending a POST request to the n8n webhook.

Customization

• Change the webhook path to match your application or naming conventions.
• Replace YOUR_GOOGLE_SHEET_ID with the ID of your destination spreadsheet.
• Modify the required intake fields according to your business process.
• Customize the project reference format generated by the workflow.
• Edit the acknowledgement email subject, sender name and message.
• Add internal notifications through Slack, Microsoft Teams or email.
• Replace the Google Sheets step with another CRM or project management system if required.

Additional info

This template does not include credentials, private spreadsheet identifiers or production data. Configure your own Google Sheets and Gmail credentials after importing it. Test the workflow with the manual trigger and demonstration payload before activating the production webhook. The workflow is designed as a reusable starting point for engineering firms, architectural practices, construction companies and other project-based service businesses.

🔗 Nodes Used

Google Sheets, Webhook, Gmail

📥 Import

Download workflow.json and import into n8n: Workflow menu → Import from File

📖 Importing guide · 🔑 Credential setup