This workflow follows the Google Drive → Google Drive Trigger recipe pattern — see all workflows that pair these two integrations.
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": "bhWsUxipJ9wuTA5K",
"meta": {
"templateCredsSetupCompleted": true
},
"name": "n8n workflow deployer",
"tags": [],
"nodes": [
{
"id": "8db6d045-5ef8-444a-ae3e-0f0611946008",
"name": "Get Existing Workflow Tags",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.httpRequest",
"position": [
-580,
-580
],
"parameters": {
"url": "={{ $json.N8N_Instance_URL }}api/v1/tags",
"options": {},
"sendHeaders": true,
"authentication": "predefinedCredentialType",
"headerParameters": {
"parameters": [
{
"name": "accept",
"value": "application/json"
}
]
},
"nodeCredentialType": "n8nApi"
},
"credentials": {
"n8nApi": {
"name": "<your credential>"
}
},
"retryOnFail": true,
"typeVersion": 4.2,
"waitBetweenTries": 5000
},
{
"id": "da4aeef3-05a4-48c9-ae5c-9038f07e3693",
"name": "Sticky Note",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.stickyNote",
"position": [
-300,
-1040
],
"parameters": {
"color": 3,
"width": 1460,
"height": 760,
"content": "## Setup Instructions\n\n**1.** In Google Drive create a **ToDeploy** folder and a **Deployed** folder\n+ Update \"**Google Drive Trigger -ToDeploy folder**\" to your ToDeploy folder\n+ Update \"**Move JSON file to Deployed folder**\" to you Deployed folder\n\n\n**2.** Create a **n8n API key**:\n+Go to Settings > n8n API\n+Select Create an API key\n+Copy API Key\n\n**3.** In \"**Get Existing Workflow Tags**\" node: \nCreate n8n API Authentication\n**Authentication:** Predefined Credential Type\n**Credential Type:** n8n API\n\nCreate new credential:\n+Paste in API key\n+Baseurl: https://SUB.DOMAINNAME.com/api/v1/\n\n**4.** Add n8n API authentication to: \n+ \"**Create n8n Workflow**\" node\n+ \"**Set Workflow Tag**\" node\n\n\n**5.** Add your N8N instance URL to the **N8N_Instance_URL** variable in \"**Set n8n URL variable**\" node.\n\n**6.** Run **\"Get Workflow Tags\"** node and copy the ID of your chosen tag.\n\n**7.** In \"**Set n8n API URL & Tag ID variables**\" node:\n+ Add the Workflow Tag ID to the **N8N_Instance_Tag** variable\n+ Add your N8N instance URL to the **N8N_Instance_URL** variable\n\n\n**9.** Set workflow to Active\n\n**10.** Add n8n json files to Google Drive folder \n\n"
},
"typeVersion": 1
},
{
"id": "520aa22e-0456-4383-ba6d-fd89fd77f193",
"name": "Sticky Note1",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.stickyNote",
"position": [
-680,
-140
],
"parameters": {
"color": 4,
"width": 260,
"height": 280,
"content": "### Set variables:\n**N8N_Instance_Tag** **N8N_Instance_URL** "
},
"typeVersion": 1
},
{
"id": "2e0794eb-0213-48fd-a974-26301bfdfc8a",
"name": "Sticky Note2",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.stickyNote",
"position": [
300,
-120
],
"parameters": {
"color": 4,
"width": 440,
"height": 260,
"content": "### Configure n8n API authentication"
},
"typeVersion": 1
},
{
"id": "f77ad2ef-32e3-4d24-b79b-9898152cbbac",
"name": "Sticky Note3",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.stickyNote",
"position": [
-1100,
-780
],
"parameters": {
"color": 5,
"width": 740,
"height": 420,
"content": "## 1. Get Workflow Tags"
},
"typeVersion": 1
},
{
"id": "cf10c998-44fc-4f1a-8d61-9187a9eae82a",
"name": "When clicking \u2018Test workflow\u2019",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.manualTrigger",
"position": [
-1040,
-580
],
"parameters": {},
"typeVersion": 1
},
{
"id": "206fffc1-d7ee-41eb-b6ad-55be8ae60526",
"name": "Sticky Note4",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.stickyNote",
"position": [
-880,
-700
],
"parameters": {
"color": 4,
"width": 220,
"height": 280,
"content": "### Set variable:\n**N8N_Instance_URL** "
},
"typeVersion": 1
},
{
"id": "2bbe9b3e-c302-497f-a724-e8c51ce673ef",
"name": "Extract JSON object from File",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.extractFromFile",
"position": [
-80,
-40
],
"parameters": {
"options": {},
"operation": "fromJson"
},
"typeVersion": 1
},
{
"id": "2f0acb18-86c4-4f94-8f76-b72174809643",
"name": "Clean JSON file ready for import",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.code",
"position": [
140,
-40
],
"parameters": {
"mode": "runOnceForEachItem",
"jsCode": "const fullWorkflow = $json.data || $json;\n\n// Build settings with only allowed fields\nconst cleanSettings = {};\nif (fullWorkflow.settings?.executionOrder) {\n cleanSettings.executionOrder = fullWorkflow.settings.executionOrder;\n}\nif (fullWorkflow.settings?.timezone) {\n cleanSettings.timezone = fullWorkflow.settings.timezone;\n}\n\n// Construct clean workflow object\nconst cleanWorkflow = {\n name: fullWorkflow.name,\n nodes: fullWorkflow.nodes,\n connections: fullWorkflow.connections,\n settings: cleanSettings,\n};\n\nreturn { json: cleanWorkflow };\n"
},
"typeVersion": 2
},
{
"id": "f0428a03-2194-4390-b14b-5149ea3a220b",
"name": "Set n8n API URL & Tag ID variables",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.set",
"position": [
-600,
-40
],
"parameters": {
"options": {},
"assignments": {
"assignments": [
{
"id": "41afa23f-bacf-4c2b-9630-68483acc9fe6",
"name": "N8N_Instance_URL",
"type": "string",
"value": "https://SUB.DOMAINNAME.com/"
},
{
"id": "c27f2d9d-ee1f-4ada-90cc-20177017b342",
"name": "N8N_Instance_Tag",
"type": "string",
"value": "mIzqUB1qBwewiiX3"
}
]
}
},
"typeVersion": 3.4
},
{
"id": "9f59cba9-9452-4e05-9d95-3e405ec195cf",
"name": "Sticky Note5",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.stickyNote",
"position": [
-980,
-140
],
"parameters": {
"color": 4,
"width": 260,
"height": 280,
"content": "### Change Google Drive Folder"
},
"typeVersion": 1
},
{
"id": "87ce4868-407c-461f-92e2-6b3bf1dd616e",
"name": "Sticky Note6",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.stickyNote",
"position": [
-640,
-760
],
"parameters": {
"color": 4,
"height": 340,
"content": "### Configure n8n API authentication.\n\n### Tag ID\nCopy your chosen Tag ID to **N8N_Instance_Tag** "
},
"typeVersion": 1
},
{
"id": "b1c3f693-a587-4928-a90a-8288eb84a879",
"name": "Create n8n Workflow",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.httpRequest",
"onError": "continueErrorOutput",
"position": [
360,
-40
],
"parameters": {
"url": "={{ $('Set n8n API URL & Tag ID variables').item.json.N8N_Instance_URL }}api/v1/workflows",
"body": "={{ $json }}",
"method": "POST",
"options": {},
"sendBody": true,
"contentType": "raw",
"sendHeaders": true,
"authentication": "predefinedCredentialType",
"rawContentType": "application/json",
"headerParameters": {
"parameters": [
{
"name": "accept",
"value": "application/json"
},
{
"name": "Content-Type",
"value": "application/json"
}
]
},
"nodeCredentialType": "n8nApi"
},
"credentials": {
"n8nApi": {
"name": "<your credential>"
}
},
"typeVersion": 4.2
},
{
"id": "70ff3b11-3664-4fec-a220-72696a6083c5",
"name": "Set Workflow Tag",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.httpRequest",
"onError": "continueRegularOutput",
"position": [
600,
-40
],
"parameters": {
"url": "={{ $('Set n8n API URL & Tag ID variables').item.json.N8N_Instance_URL }}api/v1/workflows/{{ $json.id }}/tags",
"method": "PUT",
"options": {},
"jsonBody": "=[\n {\n \"id\": \"{{ $('Set n8n API URL & Tag ID variables').item.json.N8N_Instance_Tag }}\"\n }\n]",
"sendBody": true,
"specifyBody": "json",
"authentication": "predefinedCredentialType",
"nodeCredentialType": "n8nApi"
},
"credentials": {
"n8nApi": {
"name": "<your credential>"
}
},
"retryOnFail": true,
"typeVersion": 4.2,
"waitBetweenTries": 5000
},
{
"id": "55671121-7027-476b-8eff-9d9a16385cce",
"name": "Sticky Note7",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.stickyNote",
"position": [
800,
-120
],
"parameters": {
"color": 4,
"width": 260,
"height": 260,
"content": "### Change Google Drive Deployed Folder"
},
"typeVersion": 1
},
{
"id": "e8a9bbd8-a41d-4b82-931c-5570651d8583",
"name": "Capture Name If Fails To Create Workflow",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.code",
"position": [
600,
160
],
"parameters": {
"jsCode": "return [{\n json: {\n workflowName: $json.name,\n errorMessage: $json.error.message,\n }\n}];\n"
},
"typeVersion": 2
},
{
"id": "0fee0939-f3bd-4fd1-b444-40509f4b0f50",
"name": "Move JSON file to Deployed folder",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.googleDrive",
"position": [
880,
-40
],
"parameters": {
"fileId": {
"__rl": true,
"mode": "id",
"value": "={{ $('Google Drive Trigger -ToDeploy folder').item.json.id }}"
},
"driveId": {
"__rl": true,
"mode": "list",
"value": "My Drive"
},
"folderId": {
"__rl": true,
"mode": "list",
"value": "1nQb17Xf7ZTF75E-aettkFtBVKI_nOrsW",
"cachedResultUrl": "https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1nQb17Xf7ZTF75E-aettkFtBVKI_nOrsW",
"cachedResultName": "Deployed"
},
"operation": "move"
},
"credentials": {
"googleDriveOAuth2Api": {
"name": "<your credential>"
}
},
"typeVersion": 3
},
{
"id": "59567f07-4d69-4d30-a5ef-934198ff101d",
"name": "Download n8n JSON File",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.googleDrive",
"position": [
-320,
-40
],
"parameters": {
"fileId": {
"__rl": true,
"mode": "id",
"value": "={{ $('Google Drive Trigger -ToDeploy folder').item.json.id }}"
},
"options": {
"binaryPropertyName": "data"
},
"operation": "download"
},
"credentials": {
"googleDriveOAuth2Api": {
"name": "<your credential>"
}
},
"typeVersion": 3
},
{
"id": "a5837765-9787-43a5-bbfe-44e5f3728aee",
"name": "Sticky Note8",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.stickyNote",
"position": [
-1100,
-260
],
"parameters": {
"color": 5,
"width": 2260,
"height": 620,
"content": "## 2. Import JSON Workflow Into n8n Instance"
},
"typeVersion": 1
},
{
"id": "bcb77b34-36c8-4839-b3e2-72f8e60871ba",
"name": "Set n8n URL variable",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.set",
"position": [
-820,
-580
],
"parameters": {
"options": {},
"assignments": {
"assignments": [
{
"id": "41afa23f-bacf-4c2b-9630-68483acc9fe6",
"name": "N8N_Instance_URL",
"type": "string",
"value": "https://SUB.DOMAINNAME.com/"
}
]
}
},
"typeVersion": 3.4
},
{
"id": "7281ab81-d1e8-4a78-8e2f-e1049633d6e6",
"name": "Google Drive Trigger -ToDeploy folder",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.googleDriveTrigger",
"position": [
-880,
-40
],
"parameters": {
"event": "fileCreated",
"options": {},
"pollTimes": {
"item": [
{
"mode": "everyMinute"
}
]
},
"triggerOn": "specificFolder",
"folderToWatch": {
"__rl": true,
"mode": "list",
"value": "1EPGHT5fBn0Hx_EVDixJiJMJgRbNNdB0I",
"cachedResultUrl": "https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1EPGHT5fBn0Hx_EVDixJiJMJgRbNNdB0I",
"cachedResultName": "toDeploy"
}
},
"credentials": {
"googleDriveOAuth2Api": {
"name": "<your credential>"
}
},
"typeVersion": 1
}
],
"active": true,
"settings": {
"executionOrder": "v1"
},
"versionId": "77325a25-51f0-441a-8750-fe6d1d5a266f",
"connections": {
"Set Workflow Tag": {
"main": [
[
{
"node": "Move JSON file to Deployed folder",
"type": "main",
"index": 0
}
]
]
},
"Create n8n Workflow": {
"main": [
[
{
"node": "Set Workflow Tag",
"type": "main",
"index": 0
}
],
[
{
"node": "Capture Name If Fails To Create Workflow",
"type": "main",
"index": 0
}
]
]
},
"Set n8n URL variable": {
"main": [
[
{
"node": "Get Existing Workflow Tags",
"type": "main",
"index": 0
}
]
]
},
"Download n8n JSON File": {
"main": [
[
{
"node": "Extract JSON object from File",
"type": "main",
"index": 0
}
]
]
},
"Extract JSON object from File": {
"main": [
[
{
"node": "Clean JSON file ready for import",
"type": "main",
"index": 0
}
]
]
},
"Clean JSON file ready for import": {
"main": [
[
{
"node": "Create n8n Workflow",
"type": "main",
"index": 0
}
]
]
},
"When clicking \u2018Test workflow\u2019": {
"main": [
[
{
"node": "Set n8n URL variable",
"type": "main",
"index": 0
}
]
]
},
"Set n8n API URL & Tag ID variables": {
"main": [
[
{
"node": "Download n8n JSON File",
"type": "main",
"index": 0
}
]
]
},
"Google Drive Trigger -ToDeploy folder": {
"main": [
[
{
"node": "Set n8n API URL & Tag ID variables",
"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.
googleDriveOAuth2Apin8nApi
Pro
For the full experience including quality scoring and batch install features for each workflow upgrade to Pro
How this works
This workflow streamlines the deployment of n8n workflows by automating the extraction and processing of JSON configurations from files stored in Google Drive, ensuring seamless updates without manual reconfiguration. It suits teams managing multiple automations who need reliable, event-driven deployments to maintain efficiency and reduce errors in production environments. The key step involves using the extractFromFile node to pull and validate workflow data, followed by httpRequest nodes to fetch and apply tags, integrating smoothly with Google Drive for file handling.
Use this workflow when scaling n8n setups with frequent updates from shared drives, such as in collaborative development pipelines, to trigger deployments on file changes via Google Drive Trigger. Avoid it for simple, one-off tasks lacking file-based inputs or when real-time processing demands exceed event-driven capabilities. Common variations include adding validation nodes for error handling or extending to other cloud storage like Dropbox for broader file source support.
About this workflow
n8n workflow deployer. Uses httpRequest, stickyNote, manualTrigger, extractFromFile. Event-driven trigger; 21 nodes.
Source: https://github.com/Zie619/n8n-workflows — original creator credit. Request a take-down →
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