This workflow follows the Google Drive Trigger → Google Sheets 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 →
{
"name": "Smart expense manager with AI receipt scanning",
"nodes": [
{
"parameters": {
"content": "## \ud83e\uddfe Smart Expense Manager\n\nStreamline your expense reporting. This workflow processes receipts (via **Drive** or **Email**), uses **Gemini** to extract details (Vendor, Amount, Date), and auto-approves small expenses while flagging large ones for review in **Slack**.\n\n## How it works\n1. **Ingest:** Detects new receipt files in Google Drive.\n - *Includes a **Test Mode** to simulate receipt data without real files.*\n2. **Extract:** Gemini scans the text to identify the Vendor, Total Amount, and Category.\n3. **Decide:**\n - **< $100:** Auto-approves and logs to Google Sheets.\n - **> $100:** Sends an approval request to Slack.\n\n## Setup steps\n1. **Connect:** Google Drive, Gemini, Google Sheets, Slack.\n2. **Config:** Open the **\"Config\"** node to set `SHEET_ID`, `SLACK_CHANNEL`, and `APPROVAL_LIMIT`.\n3. **Test:** Set `TEST_MODE` to `true` to verify logic instantly.",
"height": 340,
"width": 500,
"color": 3
},
"id": "sticky-main",
"name": "Sticky Note - Main",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.stickyNote",
"typeVersion": 1,
"position": [
-380,
240
]
},
{
"parameters": {
"content": "## \u2699\ufe0f Configuration\nSet Limit & Mode.",
"height": 140,
"width": 240,
"color": 6
},
"id": "sticky-config",
"name": "Sticky Note - Config",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.stickyNote",
"typeVersion": 1,
"position": [
-380,
620
]
},
{
"parameters": {
"content": "## \ud83d\udce5 Receipt Ingestion\nHandles files or mock data.",
"height": 140,
"width": 840,
"color": 6
},
"id": "sticky-ingest",
"name": "Sticky Note - Ingest",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.stickyNote",
"typeVersion": 1,
"position": [
180,
240
]
},
{
"parameters": {
"content": "## \ud83e\udde0 AI Extraction\nParses receipt details.",
"height": 140,
"width": 440,
"color": 6
},
"id": "sticky-ai",
"name": "Sticky Note - AI",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.stickyNote",
"typeVersion": 1,
"position": [
1060,
240
]
},
{
"parameters": {
"content": "## \u2696\ufe0f Approval Logic\nRoutes based on amount.",
"height": 140,
"width": 660,
"color": 6
},
"id": "sticky-logic",
"name": "Sticky Note - Logic",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.stickyNote",
"typeVersion": 1,
"position": [
1540,
240
]
},
{
"parameters": {
"assignments": {
"assignments": [
{
"id": "conf_1",
"name": "APPROVAL_LIMIT",
"value": "100",
"type": "number"
},
{
"id": "conf_2",
"name": "SHEET_ID",
"value": "",
"type": "string"
},
{
"id": "conf_3",
"name": "SLACK_CHANNEL",
"value": "expenses",
"type": "string"
},
{
"id": "conf_4",
"name": "TEST_MODE",
"value": "true",
"type": "string"
}
]
},
"options": {}
},
"id": "config-node",
"name": "Config",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.set",
"typeVersion": 3.4,
"position": [
-360,
680
]
},
{
"parameters": {
"pollTimes": {
"item": [
{
"mode": "everyMinute"
}
]
},
"triggerOn": "fileCreated",
"options": {}
},
"id": "drive-trigger",
"name": "Drive Trigger",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.googleDriveTrigger",
"typeVersion": 1,
"position": [
-600,
500
],
"credentials": {
"googleDriveOAuth2Api": {
"name": "<your credential>"
}
}
},
{
"parameters": {
"options": {}
},
"id": "manual-trigger",
"name": "Manual Trigger",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.manualTrigger",
"typeVersion": 1,
"position": [
-600,
700
]
},
{
"parameters": {
"conditions": {
"options": {
"caseSensitive": true,
"leftValue": "",
"typeValidation": "strict"
},
"conditions": [
{
"id": "is_test",
"leftValue": "={{ $('Config').first().json.TEST_MODE }}",
"rightValue": "true",
"operator": {
"type": "string",
"operation": "equals"
}
}
],
"combinator": "and"
},
"options": {}
},
"id": "check-mode",
"name": "Test Mode?",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.switch",
"typeVersion": 3.2,
"position": [
380,
300
]
},
{
"parameters": {
"jsCode": "// Generate Mock Receipt Text\nreturn [{\n json: {\n text: \"RECEIPT\\nVendor: Uber Rides\\nDate: 2023-10-28\\nAmount: $125.50\\nCategory: Travel\"\n }\n}];"
},
"id": "mock-receipt",
"name": "Mock Receipt",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.code",
"typeVersion": 2,
"position": [
620,
420
]
},
{
"parameters": {
"modelId": {
"__rl": true,
"value": "models/gemini-1.5-flash",
"mode": "list",
"cachedResultName": "models/gemini-1.5-flash"
},
"messages": {
"values": [
{
"content": "=Extract data from this receipt text:\n\"{{ $json.text }}\"\n\nReturn JSON ONLY:\n{ \"vendor\": \"string\", \"date\": \"YYYY-MM-DD\", \"amount\": number, \"category\": \"string\" }"
}
]
},
"options": {}
},
"type": "@n8n/n8n-nodes-langchain.googleGemini",
"typeVersion": 1,
"position": [
1100,
300
],
"id": "gemini-extract",
"name": "Gemini: Extract",
"credentials": {
"googlePalmApi": {
"name": "<your credential>"
}
}
},
{
"parameters": {
"jsCode": "// Parse Gemini JSON\nconst text = $input.first().json.content.parts[0].text;\nlet data = {};\ntry {\n const jsonMatch = text.match(/\\{[\\s\\S]*\\}/);\n if (jsonMatch) data = JSON.parse(jsonMatch[0]);\n else data = { vendor: \"Unknown\", amount: 0 };\n} catch (e) {\n data = { vendor: \"Error\", amount: 0 };\n}\n\nreturn { json: data };"
},
"id": "parse-json",
"name": "Parse JSON",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.code",
"typeVersion": 2,
"position": [
1320,
300
]
},
{
"parameters": {
"conditions": {
"options": {
"caseSensitive": true,
"leftValue": "",
"typeValidation": "strict"
},
"conditions": [
{
"id": "high_value",
"leftValue": "={{ $json.amount }}",
"rightValue": "={{ $('Config').first().json.APPROVAL_LIMIT }}",
"operator": {
"type": "number",
"operation": "gt"
}
}
],
"combinator": "and"
},
"options": {}
},
"id": "approval-check",
"name": "Amount > Limit?",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.if",
"typeVersion": 2.2,
"position": [
1580,
300
]
},
{
"parameters": {
"authentication": "webhook",
"channelId": "={{ $('Config').first().json.SLACK_CHANNEL }}",
"text": "=\ud83d\udcb0 **Expense Approval Needed**\n\n**Vendor:** {{ $json.vendor }}\n**Amount:** ${{ $json.amount }}\n**Category:** {{ $json.category }}\n\n*Amount exceeds ${{ $('Config').first().json.APPROVAL_LIMIT }} limit.*",
"otherOptions": {}
},
"id": "notify-slack",
"name": "Request Approval",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.slackweb",
"typeVersion": 1.1,
"position": [
1860,
200
],
"credentials": {
"slackIncomingWebhookApi": {
"name": "<your credential>"
}
}
},
{
"parameters": {
"operation": "appendOrUpdate",
"documentId": {
"__rl": true,
"mode": "id",
"value": "={{ $('Config').first().json.SHEET_ID }}"
},
"sheetName": {
"__rl": true,
"mode": "name",
"value": "Expenses"
},
"columns": {
"mappingMode": "defineBelow",
"value": {
"Date": "={{ $json.date }}",
"Vendor": "={{ $json.vendor }}",
"Amount": "={{ $json.amount }}",
"Status": "Auto-Approved"
}
},
"options": {}
},
"id": "log-sheet",
"name": "Log (Auto-Approve)",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.googleSheets",
"typeVersion": 4.7,
"position": [
1860,
440
],
"credentials": {
"googleSheetsOAuth2Api": {
"name": "<your credential>"
}
}
}
],
"connections": {
"Config": {
"main": [
[
{
"node": "Test Mode?",
"type": "main",
"index": 0
}
]
]
},
"Drive Trigger": {
"main": [
[
{
"node": "Config",
"type": "main",
"index": 0
}
]
]
},
"Manual Trigger": {
"main": [
[
{
"node": "Config",
"type": "main",
"index": 0
}
]
]
},
"Test Mode?": {
"main": [
[
{
"node": "Mock Receipt",
"type": "main",
"index": 0
}
],
[
{
"node": "Gemini: Extract",
"type": "main",
"index": 0
}
]
]
},
"Mock Receipt": {
"main": [
[
{
"node": "Gemini: Extract",
"type": "main",
"index": 0
}
]
]
},
"Gemini: Extract": {
"main": [
[
{
"node": "Parse JSON",
"type": "main",
"index": 0
}
]
]
},
"Parse JSON": {
"main": [
[
{
"node": "Amount > Limit?",
"type": "main",
"index": 0
}
]
]
},
"Amount > Limit?": {
"main": [
[
{
"node": "Request Approval",
"type": "main",
"index": 0
}
],
[
{
"node": "Log (Auto-Approve)",
"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.
googleDriveOAuth2ApigooglePalmApigoogleSheetsOAuth2ApislackIncomingWebhookApi
Pro
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About this workflow
Smart expense manager with AI receipt scanning. Uses googleDriveTrigger, googleGemini, slackweb, googleSheets. Event-driven trigger; 15 nodes.
Source: https://github.com/alternativescom/n8n-automation-workflows/blob/main/03-smart-expense-manager/workflow.json — original creator credit. Request a take-down →
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