Automate Daily RSS Updates to Slack with n8n

What This Workflow Does

This workflow runs every day at 8 AM. It looks at a chosen RSS feed. It finds posts published just yesterday. Then, it makes a short message with the post titles and descriptions. Finally, it posts this message to a set Slack channel.

The workflow saves time checking news manually each morning. It sends only fresh, relevant updates to the team on Slack. This helps keep everyone updated without missing anything.

Inputs, Processing, and Outputs

Inputs

• RSS Feed URL: URL of the blog or news feed to check.
• Slack Channel: The Slack channel where posts will be sent.
• Slack API Key: Key for sending messages to Slack.

Processing Steps

• The workflow starts with a Cron node set to 8 AM daily.
• A DateTime node calculates yesterday’s date by subtracting one day.
• The RSS Feed Read node fetches all recent posts from the RSS URL.
• The If node checks which posts were published after the date from the DateTime node. Only these posts continue.
• A Function node creates a message listing each post with a clickable title and a short description.
• The Slack node sends this message to the selected Slack channel.

Output

The Slack channel receives a tidy message with yesterday’s posts. Each post title is clickable, linking directly to the full article. Team members get fresh news without extra work.

Who Should Use This Workflow

Anyone who needs to share news from RSS feeds every day. Especially useful for teams that use Slack for chatting. It suits people with little time to check feeds.

The workflow helps avoid forgetting or posting wrong links. It keeps the team on top of important updates.

Tools and Services Used

• n8n: Workflow automation platform.
• Slack API: Sends messages to Slack channels.
• RSS Feed: Source of news or blog posts.

Beginner Step-by-Step: How to Use This Workflow in n8n

Step 1: Download and Import Workflow

1. Click the Download button on this page to get the workflow file.
2. Open your n8n editor.
3. Click on the menu and choose “Import from File”.
4. Select the downloaded workflow file and import it.

Step 2: Setup Credentials and Settings

1. Go to Slack node. Add your Slack API Key or credentials.
2. Check the Slack channel name is correct in the Slack node. Change it if needed.
3. Look at the RSS Feed URL in the RSS Feed Read node. Replace it with the RSS you want to use.

Step 3: Test the Workflow

1. Click the Execute button to run the workflow once.
2. Watch for any errors or problems.
3. Check your Slack channel to see the test message.

Step 4: Activate for Production

1. Once confirmed everything works, switch the workflow status to “Active”.
2. The workflow will now run automatically every day at 8 AM.
3. If using self hosting n8n, make sure the server stays running: self-host n8n.

Expressions and Code Used

The If node uses this expression for filtering by date:

{{ $item(0).$node["Get Yesterdays Date"].json.data }} before {{ $json["pubDate"] }}

This compares each post’s publish date to yesterday’s date from the DateTime node.

The Function node uses this JavaScript to build the Slack message:

// Create our Slack message
// This will output a list of RSS items in the following format
// Title - Description
let message = "*:new: Posts from yesterday :new:*

";

// Loop the input items
for (const item of items) {
  message += `*<${item.json.link}|${item.json.title}>*
${item.json.contentSnippet}

`;
}

// Return our message
return [{json: {message}}];

Customization Ideas

• Change the Cron node time to post at any hour.
• Add more RSS Feed Read nodes for different sources, then merge the results.
• Send the posts to several Slack channels by adding more Slack nodes.
• Edit the Function node code to add images or author names.
• Add more filters in the If node to include keywords or categories.

Troubleshooting Tips

• Problem: No posts show in Slack message.
  Cause: Date filter in If node is incorrect.
  Fix: Use the exact expression {{ $item(0).$node["Get Yesterdays Date"].json.data }} before {{ $json["pubDate"] }}. Test with recent feed items.
• Problem: Slack message does not send.
  Cause: Slack API credentials missing or wrong.
  Fix: Check API credentials in n8n. Make sure the bot can post in the channel.

Pre-Production Checklist

• Confirm Cron node is set to 8 AM and correct timezone.
• Verify RSS Feed URL is working.
• Check DateTime node outputs yesterday’s date correctly.
• Make sure If node filters recent posts properly.
• Run workflow manually to test.
• Ensure Slack API key has permission to send messages.

Deployment Guide

Once setup and tested, turn on the workflow by selecting Active in n8n. It will run every day as planned.

Monitor the execution logs first few days to ensure posts are sent correctly.

If hosting n8n yourself, keep the server running continuously: self-host n8n. This stops missed runs.

Summary

✓ Save about 30 minutes each morning by automating RSS feed checking.

✓ Only share relevant posts from yesterday to Slack.

✓ Reduce mistakes by filtering posts with date checks.

✓ Keep the team updated fast with clickable post links.

→ Workflow triggers daily at 8 AM and runs automatically.

→ You get clean Slack messages with fresh news without manual effort.