Automatically Reply to Cold Emails with Gpt-4 & Instantly.ai

The workflow JSON

Copy or download the full n8n JSON below. Paste it into a new n8n workflow, add your credentials, activate. Full import guide →

{
  "id": "GlIrAbfX0bjOfWJp",
  "meta": {
    "templateCredsSetupCompleted": true
  },
  "name": "Instantly Auto Replier",
  "tags": [
    {
      "id": "rOIFigwJWbPW1fP2",
      "name": "MyFlow",
      "createdAt": "2025-06-30T14:14:00.681Z",
      "updatedAt": "2025-06-30T14:14:00.681Z"
    }
  ],
  "nodes": [
    {
      "id": "3539f0c8-32ed-4c01-a239-823471bbf3f1",
      "name": "Webhook",
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.webhook",
      "position": [
        -640,
        -160
      ],
      "parameters": {
        "path": "NewName",
        "options": {},
        "httpMethod": "POST"
      },
      "typeVersion": 2
    },
    {
      "id": "ec613343-6c15-4e26-8b7b-341542387836",
      "name": "Edit Fields",
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.set",
      "position": [
        -440,
        -160
      ],
      "parameters": {
        "options": {},
        "assignments": {
          "assignments": [
            {
              "id": "b3960f99-51bb-4cfb-9bec-0fafebee435e",
              "name": "targetEmail",
              "type": "string",
              "value": "={{ $('Webhook').item.json.body.lead_email }}"
            }
          ]
        }
      },
      "typeVersion": 3.4
    },
    {
      "id": "6a8c8c70-2635-43a3-b2d2-be64245007d6",
      "name": "Get_ALL_Data",
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.httpRequest",
      "position": [
        -240,
        -160
      ],
      "parameters": {
        "url": "https://api.instantly.ai/api/v2/emails",
        "options": {},
        "jsonHeaders": "{\n  \"Authorization\": \"Bearer YOUR_TOKEN_HERE\",\n  \"Content-Type\": \"application/json\"\n}",
        "sendHeaders": true,
        "specifyHeaders": "json"
      },
      "typeVersion": 4.2
    },
    {
      "id": "251808c4-23f2-4370-a15b-8350aac578d4",
      "name": "HTTP Request2",
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.httpRequest",
      "position": [
        -20,
        240
      ],
      "parameters": {
        "url": "https://api.instantly.ai/api/v2/emails/reply",
        "method": "POST",
        "options": {},
        "sendBody": true,
        "sendHeaders": true,
        "bodyParameters": {
          "parameters": [
            {
              "name": "eaccount",
              "value": "={{ $json.eaccount }}"
            },
            {
              "name": "reply_to_uuid",
              "value": "={{ $json.reply_to_uuid }}"
            },
            {
              "name": "subject",
              "value": "={{ $json.subject }}"
            },
            {
              "name": "body",
              "value": "={{ $json.body }}"
            }
          ]
        },
        "headerParameters": {
          "parameters": [
            {
              "name": "Authorization",
              "value": "Bearer YOUR_TOKEN_HERE"
            },
            {
              "name": "Content-Type\t",
              "value": "application/json"
            }
          ]
        }
      },
      "typeVersion": 4.2,
      "alwaysOutputData": true
    },
    {
      "id": "0d973fe7-ef31-48a6-9c2e-500836c5ee5f",
      "name": "Write_message",
      "type": "@n8n/n8n-nodes-langchain.openAi",
      "position": [
        -660,
        240
      ],
      "parameters": {
        "modelId": {
          "__rl": true,
          "mode": "list",
          "value": "gpt-4.1",
          "cachedResultName": "GPT-4.1"
        },
        "options": {},
        "messages": {
          "values": [
            {
              "role": "system",
              "content": "=You are helpful sales assitant, Your job is to reply to emails that you recive\nWrite the reply naturally and professionally without using any h******************* clear language.\n\nAlways return the message content in plain HTMl format like this  \n\"Hey Name<br><br>Thanks for showing your interest<br><br>....\""
            },
            {
              "content": "=Write a******************showing your interest<br><br>....\""
            },
            {
              "content": "=First Name: \"{{ $('Webhook').item.json.body.firstName }}\"\n\nLead's message:\n\"{{ $('Webhook').item.json.body.reply_text }}\""
            }
          ]
        }
      },
      "credentials": {
        "openAiApi": {
          "name": "<your credential>"
        }
      },
      "typeVersion": 1.8
    },
    {
      "id": "c5c7ec1f-ec9a-4f14-858b-772fb158d37f",
      "name": "Match_values",
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.code",
      "position": [
        -40,
        -160
      ],
      "parameters": {
        "jsCode": "// Get target email from Webhook or Edit Fields node\nconst targetEmail = $node['Webhook']?.json.lead_email || $node['Edit Fields']?.json.targetEmail;\n\nif (!targetEmail) {\n  console.log('Missing target email from Webhook or Edit Fields node');\n  return [];\n}\n\n// Get all email items array from Get_ALL_Data node\nconst allEmails = $node['Get_ALL_Data']?.json.items;\n\nif (!allEmails || allEmails.length === 0) {\n  console.log('No emails found in Get_ALL_Data node');\n  return [];\n}\n\n// Log for debugging\nconsole.log('Target Email:', targetEmail);\nconsole.log('All leads:', allEmails.map(e => e.lead));\n\n// Find item where lead matches target email (case insensitive, trimmed)\nconst match = allEmails.find(item => \n  item.lead?.toLowerCase().trim() === targetEmail.toLowerCase().trim()\n);\n\nif (!match) {\n  console.log(`No match found for ${targetEmail}`);\n  return [];\n}\n\n// Return matched item as output\nreturn [{ json: match }];\n"
      },
      "typeVersion": 2,
      "alwaysOutputData": false
    },
    {
      "id": "9465f0d1-d95d-4f83-9880-56f056cf43cc",
      "name": "Code1",
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.code",
      "position": [
        -360,
        240
      ],
      "parameters": {
        "jsCode": "return [{\n  json: {\n    eaccount: $node[\"Match_values\"].json.eaccount,\n    reply_to_uuid: $node[\"Match_values\"].json.id,\n    subject: $node[\"Webhook\"].json.body.reply_subject,\n    body: {\n      text: $node[\"Write_message\"].json.message.content\n    }\n  }\n}];\n"
      },
      "typeVersion": 2
    },
    {
      "id": "cd7d1390-00b4-49a0-8cbf-5ae9c47e496b",
      "name": "Sticky Note",
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.stickyNote",
      "position": [
        -700,
        -340
      ],
      "parameters": {
        "width": 920,
        "height": 360,
        "content": "# Step-1\n\n## Get Positive Replies from Instantly"
      },
      "typeVersion": 1
    },
    {
      "id": "ab7e207f-eb70-4492-a445-a6ee3d18d260",
      "name": "Sticky Note1",
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.stickyNote",
      "position": [
        -700,
        60
      ],
      "parameters": {
        "color": 5,
        "width": 500,
        "height": 400,
        "content": "# Step-2\n\n## Generate Email Replies to book meetings"
      },
      "typeVersion": 1
    },
    {
      "id": "1e9030ce-3463-4b05-bdce-523ec12b79a9",
      "name": "Sticky Note2",
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.stickyNote",
      "position": [
        -160,
        60
      ],
      "parameters": {
        "color": 7,
        "width": 380,
        "height": 400,
        "content": "# Step-3\n\n## Send Replies Automatically"
      },
      "typeVersion": 1
    }
  ],
  "active": false,
  "settings": {
    "executionOrder": "v1"
  },
  "versionId": "6681d841-821b-43ef-91b8-2dd3426fc410",
  "connections": {
    "Code1": {
      "main": [
        [
          {
            "node": "HTTP Request2",
            "type": "main",
            "index": 0
          }
        ]
      ]
    },
    "Webhook": {
      "main": [
        [
          {
            "node": "Edit Fields",
            "type": "main",
            "index": 0
          }
        ]
      ]
    },
    "Edit Fields": {
      "main": [
        [
          {
            "node": "Get_ALL_Data",
            "type": "main",
            "index": 0
          }
        ]
      ]
    },
    "Get_ALL_Data": {
      "main": [
        [
          {
            "node": "Match_values",
            "type": "main",
            "index": 0
          }
        ]
      ]
    },
    "Match_values": {
      "main": [
        [
          {
            "node": "Write_message",
            "type": "main",
            "index": 0
          }
        ]
      ]
    },
    "Write_message": {
      "main": [
        [
          {
            "node": "Code1",
            "type": "main",
            "index": 0
          }
        ]
      ]
    }
  }
}

Credentials you'll need

Each integration node will prompt for credentials when you import. We strip credential IDs before publishing — you'll add your own.

• openAiApi

About this workflow

This workflow is designed for agencies, freelancers, and sales teams who want to turn positive cold email replies into booked meetings automatically—without hiring VAs or spending hours on manual responses.

Source: https://n8n.io/workflows/5700/ — original creator credit. Request a take-down →

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