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Getting Started

Quick Start Guide
Get started with N8NForge in 5 minutes. Create your first workflow and import it into n8n.
Writing Effective Workflow Descriptions
Learn how to describe workflows for best results. Tips for complex automations.
Importing Workflows into n8n
Step-by-step guide to import generated workflows into n8n Cloud or self-hosted instances.

Workflow Generation

Standard vs Consultant Mode
Understand the differences and choose the right generation mode for your needs.
Configuring Workflow Credentials
How to add API keys, database credentials, and authentication after importing.
Troubleshooting Common Issues
Fix common problems like missing nodes, authentication errors, and execution failures.

Account & Billing

Understanding Your Quota
Learn about generation limits, quota resets, and how to track your usage.
Upgrading Your Plan
How to upgrade, downgrade, or cancel your subscription. Billing FAQs.

Advanced

Exporting & Downloading Workflows
Save your workflows, organize your library, and export for backup.

Quick Start Guide

1. Create Your Account

Sign up for a free N8NForge account - no credit card required. You get 5 free workflow generations to test the platform.

2. Describe Your Workflow

Go to the Generate page and describe your automation in plain English. Be specific about:

  • Trigger: What starts the workflow? (webhook, schedule, manual)
  • Actions: What should happen? (send email, update database, call API)
  • Conditions: Any if/then logic or filters
  • Data: What information flows through the workflow?

Example Description:

"When a new customer signs up via webhook, send them a welcome email with their account details, add them to our CRM with their email and name, and post a notification to our #sales Slack channel. If the signup fails for any reason, send an error alert to #tech-alerts."

3. Generate & Download

Click "Generate Workflow" and wait 12-30 seconds. Once complete, download the JSON file.

4. Import into n8n

In your n8n instance:

  1. Click "+" to create a new workflow
  2. Click the menu (⋮) → "Import from File"
  3. Select your downloaded JSON file
  4. Configure credentials for any nodes that need them (API keys, database connections)
  5. Test the workflow with sample data
  6. Activate when ready!

5. Configure Credentials

Most workflows need credentials (API keys, OAuth, database passwords). N8NForge doesn't include these for security. You'll add them in n8n's credential manager.

Writing Effective Workflow Descriptions

The quality of your generated workflow depends on how clearly you describe it. Follow these tips:

✅ Do's

  • Be specific: "Send to Slack channel #sales" instead of "notify team"
  • Include data fields: "Extract name, email, and company from the form"
  • Mention error cases: "If API fails, retry 3 times then alert support"
  • Specify formats: "Format date as YYYY-MM-DD" or "Convert to JSON"
  • Name integrations: Use actual service names (Airtable, HubSpot, etc.)

❌ Don'ts

  • Vague descriptions: "Process some data" → What data? How?
  • Missing triggers: Always specify what starts the workflow
  • Assuming context: N8NForge doesn't know your internal tools - be explicit
  • Credentials in description: Never include API keys or passwords!

Importing Workflows into n8n

n8n Cloud

  1. Log into your n8n Cloud account
  2. Click "New Workflow" or the "+" button
  3. Click the menu icon (⋮) in the top right
  4. Select "Import from File"
  5. Choose the JSON file you downloaded from N8NForge
  6. Your workflow will appear in the canvas ready for configuration

Self-Hosted n8n

  1. Access your n8n instance (typically on port 5678)
  2. Navigate to Workflows → New
  3. Use Import from File or paste the JSON directly
  4. Save and configure credentials

Using the CLI

For automation or CI/CD pipelines:

n8n import:workflow --input=workflow.json

Standard vs Consultant Mode

Standard Mode

Best for quick prototypes and simple automations. Generates working workflows with basic structure and node configuration.

  • Average quality score: 58/100
  • Basic error handling
  • Standard node configuration
  • Good for learning and experimentation

Consultant Mode

Production-ready workflows with enterprise-grade patterns. Includes comprehensive error handling, retry logic, logging, and alerting.

  • Average quality score: 79/100 (+35% improvement)
  • Comprehensive error handling with try/catch patterns
  • Automatic retry logic with exponential backoff
  • Full execution logging for debugging
  • Failure alerting (Slack, email, webhook)
  • Data validation and sanitization

When to Use Each

  • Standard: Personal projects, testing ideas, learning n8n
  • Consultant: Client work, production systems, business-critical automations

Configuring Workflow Credentials

N8NForge generates workflow structure but never includes credentials for security. You'll add these in n8n after importing.

Adding Credentials in n8n

  1. Open your imported workflow
  2. Click on any node with a warning icon (missing credentials)
  3. In the node settings, find "Credential to connect with"
  4. Click "Create New" or select existing credentials
  5. Enter your API key, OAuth tokens, or other authentication
  6. Test the connection before saving

Common Credential Types

  • API Key: Simple token (Slack, SendGrid, many APIs)
  • OAuth2: Google, Microsoft, Salesforce, etc.
  • Basic Auth: Username/password combinations
  • Database: Host, port, user, password, database name

Security Best Practices

  • Use environment variables for sensitive values in self-hosted n8n
  • Rotate API keys periodically
  • Use OAuth when available (more secure than API keys)
  • Never share workflow exports that might contain hardcoded values

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Workflow Won't Import

  • Invalid JSON: Ensure the file wasn't corrupted during download
  • Version mismatch: Update n8n to the latest version
  • Missing nodes: Some community nodes may need to be installed first

Nodes Show Errors

  • Missing credentials: Add authentication in node settings
  • Invalid configuration: Check node parameters match your setup
  • API changes: The target service may have updated their API

Workflow Doesn't Trigger

  • Not activated: Toggle the workflow to "Active" (top right)
  • Webhook URL: Use the correct production URL, not test URL
  • Schedule issues: Check timezone and cron expression

Execution Fails Midway

  • Data format: Check if data structure matches expected format
  • Rate limits: Add delays between API calls if needed
  • Timeout: Long operations may need increased timeout settings

Still stuck? Contact support with your workflow ID and error message.

Understanding Your Quota

How Quota Works

Each plan includes a number of workflow generations per month. One generation = one complete workflow created from your description.

What Counts as a Generation

  • Each successful workflow generation uses 1 quota
  • Failed generations (errors) do NOT count against quota
  • Downloading the same workflow multiple times is free
  • Viewing templates does not use quota

Checking Your Usage

View your current usage in the Dashboard. You'll see remaining generations and reset date.

Quota Reset

Your quota resets on your billing date each month. Unused generations do not roll over.

Need More Generations?

Upgrade your plan for more monthly generations, or contact us about enterprise options.

Upgrading Your Plan

Upgrading

  1. Go to Dashboard → Subscription
  2. Click "Upgrade Plan"
  3. Select your new plan
  4. Complete payment - upgrade is instant
  5. New quota is available immediately

Downgrading

To downgrade, contact support. Downgrades take effect at your next billing cycle. You'll keep your current plan's features until then.

Cancellation

  • Cancel anytime from Dashboard → Subscription
  • Access continues until end of billing period
  • No cancellation fees
  • Data retained for 30 days after cancellation

Billing FAQ

  • Payment methods: Credit card, debit card (via Stripe)
  • Invoices: Automatically emailed after each payment
  • Refunds: 30-day money-back guarantee on first purchase
  • Failed payments: 3 retry attempts over 7 days before suspension

Exporting & Downloading Workflows

Downloading Generated Workflows

  1. After generation completes, click "Download JSON"
  2. The file saves to your downloads folder
  3. You can re-download from your Workflow History

Workflow History

All your generated workflows are saved in your account. Access them anytime from the Dashboard to re-download or review the original description.

Backup Recommendations

  • Keep local copies of important workflows
  • Version control workflow JSON in Git for team projects
  • Export from n8n after adding credentials (n8n settings → Export)

Sharing Workflows

You can share workflow JSON files with team members. Remember:

  • JSON files from N8NForge never contain credentials (safe to share)
  • Exports from n8n may contain credentials - remove before sharing
  • Consider submitting popular patterns to our template library

Can't find what you're looking for?

Our support team is here to help

Contact SupportBrowse FAQ

Email us directly at [email protected]
Average response time: < 24 hours