This article provides a complete, practical walkthrough of the Manual Http Create Webhook n8n agent. It connects HTTP Request, Webhook across approximately 1 node(s). Expect a Intermediate setup in 15-45 minutes. One‑time purchase: €29.

What This Agent Does

This agent orchestrates a reliable automation between HTTP Request, Webhook, handling triggers, data enrichment, and delivery with guardrails for errors and rate limits.

It streamlines multi‑step processes that would otherwise require manual exports, spreadsheet cleanup, and repeated API requests. By centralizing logic in n8n, it reduces context switching, lowers error rates, and ensures consistent results across teams.

Typical outcomes include faster lead handoffs, automated notifications, accurate data synchronization, and better visibility via execution logs and optional Slack/Email alerts.

How It Works

The workflow uses standard n8n building blocks like Webhook or Schedule triggers, HTTP Request for API calls, and control nodes (IF, Merge, Set) to validate inputs, branch on conditions, and format outputs. Retries and timeouts improve resilience, while credentials keep secrets safe.

Third‑Party Integrations

• HTTP Request
• Webhook

Import and Use in n8n

1. Open n8n and create a new workflow or collection.
2. Choose Import from File or Paste JSON.
3. Paste the JSON below, then click Import.
4. Show n8n JSON

   Title:
   Automating Salesforce Account and Contact Creation from Excel using n8n
   
   Meta Description:
   Learn how to automate importing companies and contacts from an Excel file to Salesforce using n8n. Streamline CRM data entry with this low-code, intelligent workflow.
   
   Keywords:
   n8n workflow, Salesforce automation, Excel to Salesforce, CRM integration, no-code automation, import contacts to Salesforce, Salesforce API, n8n Salesforce tutorial
   
   Third-Party APIs Used:
   - Salesforce API
   - HTTP (used to download the Excel file from a public URL)
   
   Article:
   
   Automating Salesforce Account and Contact Creation from Excel using n8n
   
   Data entry into Salesforce can be one of the most repetitive and time-consuming tasks for sales and marketing teams. Manually importing spreadsheets of company and contact information eats into valuable time and increases the potential for errors. With automation tools like n8n, businesses can streamline this process significantly—eliminating duplication and minimizing manual labor.
   
   This article walks you through a powerful yet easy-to-use n8n workflow that imports company and contact data from an Excel file into Salesforce, automatically checking for existing records to avoid duplicates.
   
   Use Case Overview
   
   The workflow is designed for any organization that regularly receives Excel spreadsheets containing company and contact data that need to be integrated into Salesforce. It begins by downloading an Excel file from a predefined URL, extracts the contents, de-duplicates company records, identifies existing Salesforce accounts, and creates or updates contacts accordingly.
   
   Let’s break down the workflow by step.
   
   Step 1: Trigger the Workflow
   
   The process starts with a manual trigger node (On clicking 'execute'), allowing you to control when the integration runs. This is helpful when you want to test the workflow or run it on-demand, such as during a daily or weekly data review.
   
   Step 2: Download Excel File
   
   The Download File node retrieves the spreadsheet from a public URL:
   https://static.thomasmartens.eu/n8n/Excel-File-to-Salesforce.xlsx. In your scenario, you can easily replace this with a file from cloud storage, an FTP server, or even an email attachment.
   
   Step 3: Parse Spreadsheet
   
   Next, the Spreadsheet File node reads and parses the Excel contents into JSON. It processes the rows into structured data, making them usable in the subsequent logic steps within n8n.
   
   Step 4: Check for Existing Accounts in Salesforce
   
   For each entry in the file, the Search Salesforce Accounts node runs a SOQL (Salesforce Object Query Language) query to find matching companies based on the “Company Name” field while escaping apostrophes to avoid errors.
   
   Step 5: Separate New and Existing Companies
   
   Using the Merge and Item Lists nodes, the workflow compares the file’s companies with existing Salesforce accounts:
   - Keep New Companies filters out companies not found in the Salesforce query results.
   - Remove Duplicate Companies ensures no duplicates exist in the import list based on “Company Name”.
   - Merge Existing Account Data maps existing company records with Excel entries using a shared key.
   
   Step 6: Create New Accounts in Salesforce
   
   For new companies, the workflow sends them to the Create Salesforce Account node. It maps the “Company Name” from the Excel row and creates a new Salesforce “Account” entry.
   
   Step 7: Prepare Data for Contacts
   
   The workflow uses another Merge node—Retrieve New Company Contacts—to join either new or existing account data with contact details from the spreadsheet.
   
   Step 8: Create or Update Contacts in Salesforce
   
   Lastly, the Create Salesforce Contact node acts intelligently using the Salesforce "upsert" operation:
   - If a contact with the given email already exists (based on the unique "Email" external ID), it updates the contact.
   - If not found, it creates a new one using fields like First Name, Last Name, Email, and links the contact to the corresponding Account via Account ID.
   
   Intelligent Error Prevention and Deduplication
   
   A standout feature of this workflow is its robust error prevention mechanism. By checking account names before creation and using Salesforce’s upsert capability for contacts, the workflow avoids overwriting or duplicating data.
   
   Modifications for Real-World Use
   
   This workflow is flexible and can be adapted to other file sources (e.g., Google Drive, FTP, or email attachments) by replacing the Download File node. Additionally, conditional checks and validation logic can be added to handle incomplete or incorrect data before syncing to Salesforce.
   
   Conclusion
   
   With this n8n workflow, you save hours of manual work importing data into Salesforce. By leveraging Salesforce APIs, smart de-duplication features, and low-code logic from n8n, the entry point for Salesforce automation becomes more accessible than ever—even for non-developers.
   
   This solution exemplifies the power of no-code automation tools and makes CRM data management not only faster but smarter. Whether you're in sales, IT, or operations, integrating Excel data into Salesforce can now be done with a few clicks—accurately, reliably, and intelligently.
   
   Ready to give it a try? You can download the Excel file used in this demo at:
   https://static.thomasmartens.eu/n8n/Excel-File-to-Salesforce.xlsx
   
   Get started with n8n and Salesforce today to supercharge your automation journey.
   
   —  
   Written by your AI automation assistant.

5. Set credentials for each API node (keys, OAuth) in Credentials.
6. Run a test via Execute Workflow. Inspect Run Data, then adjust parameters.
7. Enable the workflow to run on schedule, webhook, or triggers as configured.

Tips: keep secrets in credentials, add retries and timeouts on HTTP nodes, implement error notifications, and paginate large API fetches.

Validation: use IF/Code nodes to sanitize inputs and guard against empty payloads.

Why Automate This with AI Agents

AI‑assisted automations offload repetitive, error‑prone tasks to a predictable workflow. Instead of manual copy‑paste and ad‑hoc scripts, your team gets a governed pipeline with versioned state, auditability, and observable runs.

n8n’s node graph makes data flow transparent while AI‑powered enrichment (classification, extraction, summarization) boosts throughput and consistency. Teams reclaim time, reduce operational costs, and standardize best practices without sacrificing flexibility.

Compared to one‑off integrations, an AI agent is easier to extend: swap APIs, add filters, or bolt on notifications without rewriting everything. You get reliability, control, and a faster path from idea to production.

Best Practices

• Credentials: restrict scopes and rotate tokens regularly.
• Resilience: configure retries, timeouts, and backoff for API nodes.
• Data Quality: validate inputs; normalize fields early to reduce downstream branching.
• Performance: batch records and paginate for large datasets.
• Observability: add failure alerts (Email/Slack) and persistent logs for auditing.
• Security: avoid sensitive data in logs; use environment variables and n8n credentials.

FAQs

Can I swap integrations later? Yes. Replace or add nodes and re‑map fields without rebuilding the whole flow.

How do I monitor failures? Use Execution logs and add notifications on the Error Trigger path.

Does it scale? Use queues, batching, and sub‑workflows to split responsibilities and control load.

Is my data safe? Keep secrets in Credentials, restrict token scopes, and review access logs.