A research-to-action workflow with an AI assistant and n8n

This guide is a first outline. The steps will be filled in after a hands-on run, with screenshots and a dated configuration.

The job

Take a recurring research task (for example, watching a set of changelogs or issue trackers) and turn it into a short, actionable briefing—without starting from a blank prompt every time.

Draft steps

1. Pick a single source of truth. Decide what should trigger the workflow: an RSS feed, a GitHub release, a form, or a scheduled search.
2. Collect the raw input in n8n. Use a webhook, schedule, or app node so the same path runs every time. Keep credentials in n8n (or your self-hosted secret store), not in a chat history.
3. Ask an assistant for a structured brief. Send only the new material, and ask for a fixed output shape: what changed, why it matters, and the next action.
4. Write the result somewhere you will see it. A task in your tracker, a draft email, or a note in your knowledge base. The workflow is unfinished if the output dies in a log.
5. Review the first ten runs by hand. Adjust the prompt and filters before you trust it.

Related tools currently in the directory: Claude, n8n, and Perplexity. For a product comparison of automation platforms, see Zapier vs Make vs n8n.