Automate XML Data Import to Google Sheets with n8n

1. Opening Problem Statement

Meet Tom, a small business analyst who regularly receives food menu data in XML format for his monthly reports. Every time, he spends hours manually copying and pasting data from these XML files into Google Sheets to analyze trends and costs. Inevitably, this tedious task leads to errors and lost time that could be better spent strategizing. Tom needed a solution to automate importing and structuring this XML data into spreadsheets without manual intervention.

Manually handling XML files can cost Tom several hours per report and risks errors with complex XML nesting. With recurring reports, this adds up to wasted time and potential inaccuracies that delay decision-making.

2. What This Automation Does

This n8n workflow automates the complete process of importing XML data directly into Google Sheets. When triggered manually, it:

• Downloads an XML file from a specified URL (using an HTTP Request node).
• Parses the XML content to convert it into JSON format.
• Extracts specific nested data items from the XML structure using the Item Lists node.
• Creates a new Google Sheets spreadsheet titled “My XML Data”.
• Dynamically generates and writes the header row based on the XML data keys.
• Appends all parsed data rows into the spreadsheet in a structured format.

Through this process, Tom can save hours of manual work every month and ensure consistent data accuracy without tedious copying and pasting.

3. Prerequisites ⚙️

• n8n account with access to n8n Editor UI
• Google Sheets account with API access credentials for n8n (OAuth2 setup)
• Internet access to fetch the XML from an external URL using HTTP Request
• Basic familiarity with XML structure (for understanding data extraction)

4. Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1: Trigger the workflow manually

In the n8n Editor, select the Manual Trigger node titled “On clicking ‘execute'”. This node allows you to start the workflow on demand without external trigger setup. Click Execute Workflow to begin.

You should see the workflow start and the “Download XML File” node activate next.

Common mistake: Forgetting to set the trigger node to manual or not starting execution manually will halt the workflow.

Step 2: Download XML File from URL

The HTTP Request node called “Download XML File” downloads XML from https://www.w3schools.com/xml/simple.xml. You can customize this URL in the node parameters.

Ensure the URL returns valid XML content. You should see the raw XML content output in the node’s response.

Common mistake: Incorrect URL or network issues cause fetch failures.

Step 3: Parse the XML Content

The XML node named “Parse XML content” converts the downloaded XML into JSON format for easier data handling downstream.

Once executed, you will see a JSON object output representing the XML structure.

Common mistake: Parsing invalid XML or malformed content can cause errors here.

Step 4: Extract Nested Data Items

The Item Lists node “Split out food items” extracts data nested inside breakfast_menu.food from the JSON. This node breaks down the array of food items into individual items for separate processing.

This structured breakdown is essential to write discrete rows later into Google Sheets.

Configuration:

{
  "fieldToSplitOut": "breakfast_menu.food"
}

Common mistake: Incorrect field path causes empty outputs or errors.

Step 5: Create New Google Sheets Spreadsheet

The Google Sheets node “Create new spreadsheet file” creates a new blank spreadsheet titled “My XML Data”.

This node runs once per execution to ensure fresh files for each import batch.

Common mistake: Missing or misconfigured Google Sheets OAuth2 credentials prevent creating the sheet.

Step 6: Define Header Row Dynamically

The Set node “Define header row” constructs the header row dynamically by extracting keys from the first item of the food list JSON. This dynamic approach makes the workflow adaptable to XML files with different structures.

Expression used:

= {{ [ Object.keys($("Split out food items").first().json) ] }}

Common mistake: Using non-existent node references can cause empty headers.

Step 7: Write Header Row to Google Sheets

The Google Sheets node “Write header row” writes the previously defined header into the new spreadsheet using the ‘update’ operation at the sheet level.

This ensures all data is correctly labeled in the columns.

Common mistake: Not referencing the correct spreadsheet ID results in failed writes.

Step 8: Wait for Spreadsheet Creation to Complete

The Merge node “Wait for spreadsheet creation” synchronizes the flow to ensure the spreadsheet is created before trying to append data rows. It chooses the waiting branch output.

This node prevents race conditions and ensures data integrity.

Common mistake: Misconfigured merge mode can cause workflow to continue prematurely causing errors.

Step 9: Append Data Rows to Google Sheets

The final Google Sheets node “Write data to sheet” appends each extracted food item as a new row in the spreadsheet.

It uses the ‘append’ operation and references the dynamic spreadsheet ID from the creation node.

Common mistake: Data format mismatches or broken connections cause failed append attempts.

5. Customizations ✏️

• Change XML source URL: In “Download XML File” node, update the url parameter to your own XML data source to automate different feeds.
• Adjust data extraction path: Modify “Split out food items” node’s fieldToSplitOut to match your XML structure.
• Rename spreadsheet title: Change the title field in “Create new spreadsheet file” to better describe your dataset.
• Limit data rows: Add a IF or Function node after parsing to filter or limit rows processed.
• Use existing spreadsheet: Alter “Create new spreadsheet file” node to use an existing sheet ID and skip creation if preferred.

6. Troubleshooting 🔧

• Problem: “Failed to authenticate with Google Sheets”
  Cause: Incorrect or expired OAuth2 credentials.
  Solution: Go to Credentials section in n8n, re-authenticate Google Sheets OAuth2 API credentials with the correct Google account.
• Problem: “Empty or missing XML response”
  Cause: Wrong URL or unreachable server.
  Solution: Verify the URL in “Download XML File” node, check internet connectivity and try again.
• Problem: “No data to append in Google Sheets”
  Cause: Incorrect field path in “Split out food items” node or XML structure changed.
  Solution: Inspect the parsed JSON output and update the path accordingly.

7. Pre-Production Checklist ✅

• Verify you have active n8n execution rights and Google Sheets credentials configured.
• Test the XML URL independently in a browser to confirm availability.
• Run the workflow manually and check each node’s output for expected data.
• Ensure the spreadsheet creation node actually creates a new file in your Google Sheets account.
• Validate the header row in the sheet matches the first XML item’s keys.
• Confirm that appended rows appear properly after the run completes.

8. Deployment Guide

Once tested, activate the workflow in n8n by toggling the activation switch. Since this workflow uses a manual trigger, you can run it anytime. For automated runs, you could substitute the manual trigger for a timer node.

Monitor logs in n8n execution panel for any failures. Adjust node parameters as needed based on data changes.

9. FAQs

• Can I use a different XML data source?
  Yes, you can simply update the URL in the HTTP Request node “Download XML File” to point to your own XML feed.
• Does this consume Google API limits?
  Yes, each Google Sheets operation counts towards your API quota. Consider batch data sizes accordingly.
• Is my data secure?
  Data transfers happen via secure OAuth2 connections. Ensure you manage credentials safely.
• Can I schedule this workflow?
  Yes, replace the Manual Trigger node with a Cron node to run on a schedule.

10. Conclusion

In this tutorial, you automated the entire process of importing XML data into Google Sheets using n8n. Tom’s monthly headache of manual copying is eliminated, saving him hours and reducing errors.

This automation ensures consistent, accurate data imports and frees up valuable time for analysis and strategy. Next, you can extend this workflow to other XML data types or automate reports into Slack notifications or emails.

Keep experimenting and enjoy the power of automation ⚙️!