What this workflow does
This workflow gets new WordPress posts, checks if they have AI summaries, then creates bullet-point summaries using OpenAI GPT-4o-mini. It adds these summaries on top of posts without changing excerpts. Finally, it logs summaries in Google Sheets and sends alerts to Slack. This saves time by stopping manual summary writing and helps readers quickly understand posts.
Who should use this workflow
This is for content managers or small teams who publish WordPress posts regularly but want to avoid spending hours writing summaries. It is useful when manual summary updates cause delays or errors. Also, it helps when site’s speed matters and you prefer not to add slow WordPress plugins for summaries.
Tools and services used
- n8n: Automates the entire process.
- WordPress REST API: Reads and updates posts.
- OpenAI API: Generates AI summaries with GPT-4o-mini.
- Google Sheets API: Logs processed posts.
- Slack API: Sends team notifications.
How the workflow works: Inputs, processing, and outputs
Inputs
- New or selected WordPress posts in editing mode.
- Google Sheets data for checking past summarized posts.
- Slack channel information for notifications.
- OpenAI API key and model for summary generation.
Processing steps
- Fetch posts using WordPress API with “context=edit” to get raw content.
- Convert post content from HTML to Markdown for clear AI input.
- Check Google Sheets if a summary for the post exists.
- Classify content with a text classifier to detect if summarized.
- If not summarized, generate a bullet point summary using OpenAI GPT-4o-mini with a custom prompt for electric mobility.
- Update the WordPress post by adding summary HTML block at the top, preserving excerpts.
- Log post ID, summary, and links to Google Sheets.
- Send Slack message with summary info and post links.
Outputs
- Updated WordPress posts containing AI summaries.
- Google Sheets records of summarized posts.
- Slack notifications to inform the team.
Beginner step-by-step: How to build this in n8n
1. Download and import workflow
- Download the workflow file using the Download button on this page.
- Inside the n8n editor, use “Import from File” to load the workflow.
2. Add credentials and configure settings
- Enter your WordPress API credentials in the WordPress nodes.
- Add your OpenAI API key in the OpenAI node.
- Provide Google Sheets credentials and update sheet ID and table info.
- Set your Slack channel ID and OAuth2 credentials for notifications.
- Update any IDs, emails, or URLs in nodes if your environment differs.
3. Test the workflow
- Run the workflow manually via the Webhook node Test button to check summary creation and updates.
- Look in WordPress posts, Google Sheets, and Slack messages to confirm everything works.
4. Activate for production
- Disable the manual trigger.
- Enable either the Schedule Trigger or the Webhook node depending on how posts should be processed.
- If using webhooks, set up the webhook URL and authentication in WordPress.
- Monitor workflow runs in n8n dashboard to catch errors early.
- Consider hosting n8n yourself using self-host n8n for full control and security.
Edge cases and common failures
- WordPress updates failing with 401 error means API credentials are wrong or limited. Fix by verifying keys and user permissions.
- Duplicate or missing summaries happen if Google Sheets columns do not match exactly or text classifier inputs are off.
- Slack messages not sent if OAuth2 lacks proper scopes or wrong channel ID is set. Re-authenticate and test simple messages.
- Not using “context=edit” when fetching posts prevents getting content for summary generation.
Customization ideas
- Change AI system prompt inside the OpenAI node to match your blog topic for better summaries.
- Modify summary HTML styles in the prompt to fit WordPress theme colors and fonts.
- Add more fields like author or categories in the nodes that update Google Sheets and Slack messages.
- Switch between manual, webhook, or scheduled triggers based on content workflow needs.
- Send Slack notifications to multiple channels or with extra post stats.
Summary of results
✓ Saves several hours weekly by automating summaries.
✓ Avoids manual errors and inconsistent post summaries.
✓ Keeps WordPress site fast by skipping extra summary plugins.
✓ Provides clear, bullet-point summaries at top of posts.
✓ Tracks summarized posts in Google Sheets for workflow control.
✓ Notifies marketing teams instantly via Slack.