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 XML Data Extraction and Google Sheets Integration with n8n
   
   Meta Description:
   Learn how to automate the process of downloading XML data and transforming it into a structured Google Sheets document using n8n. This workflow extracts breakfast menu items and populates them in a spreadsheet with a defined header row.
   
   Keywords:
   n8n workflow, XML automation, Google Sheets API, breakfast menu automation, parse XML n8n, Google Sheets integration, n8n tutorial, automation tools, n8n expressions, export XML to Sheets
   
   Third-Party APIs Used:
   - W3Schools (Public XML Data Source)
   - Google Sheets API (via OAuth2 through n8n’s Google Sheets node)
   
   Article:
   
   Automating XML Data Extraction and Google Sheets Integration with n8n
   
   Managing and transforming data manually can be time-consuming, especially when working with structured formats such as XML. Fortunately, with low-code automation platforms like n8n, anyone—from technical professionals to non-developers—can quickly build workflows that automate data extraction and integration. In this article, we’ll walk through an n8n workflow that fetches XML data from a public source, parses it, and exports it to a newly created Google Sheet with a neatly structured header row.
   
   Let’s explore how this is achieved using n8n version 0.197.1 or newer and some key nodes that leverage both internal logic and third-party services.
   
   Overview of the Workflow
   
   This workflow performs the following high-level actions:
   
   1. Trigger the workflow manually.
   2. Download an XML file from W3Schools.
   3. Parse the XML content into JSON.
   4. Split the XML data into individual food items.
   5. Create a new Google Sheets file.
   6. Define and write the header row automatically.
   7. Append parsed food items to the sheet.
   
   Read on to see how each step is implemented using n8n’s node-based architecture.
   
   Step 1: Manual Trigger
   
   The workflow begins with a Manual Trigger node named "On clicking 'execute'". This allows you to run the workflow on demand, perfect for testing and updating during development.
   
   Step 2: Download XML File
   
   The “Download XML File” node uses the HTTP Request functionality to fetch data from a public XML source:
   https://www.w3schools.com/xml/simple.xml
   
   This XML contains breakfast menu items such as food name, price, description, and calories—ideal data for testing transformations.
   
   Step 3: Parse XML Content
   
   Next, the “Parse XML Content” node converts the raw XML into JSON format. This conversion is critical for easier access and manipulation of nested data structures in later steps.
   
   Step 4: Split Out Food Items
   
   Using the “Split out food items” node (Item Lists node), the workflow extracts individual breakfast menu entries from the parsed JSON. Each food item has its own record with fields such as name, price, and description.
   
   Step 5: Create New Spreadsheet File
   
   The “Create new spreadsheet file” node interacts with the Google Sheets API and generates a new sheet titled “My XML Data.” This node requires user authentication via the n8n OAuth2 credential system.
   
   Step 6: Define Header Row Dynamically
   
   With the data in a structured JSON format, it’s time to generate a header row. The “Define header row” node (Set node) dynamically pulls field names (keys) from the first food item using the new expression syntax:
   ={{ [ Object.keys($("Split out food items").first().json) ] }}
   
   This ensures any change in the source schema will be reflected automatically.
   
   Step 7: Write Header Row
   
   Once the column headers are identified, the “Write header row” node updates the Google Sheet to include those headers. This step uses the sheetId from the “Create new spreadsheet file” node for seamless integration.
   
   Step 8: Synchronize and Write Data Rows
   
   The “Wait for spreadsheet creation” node (a Merge node in Choose Branch mode) ensures that the header row and sheet creation are completed before writing the data entries.
   
   Finally, the “Write data to sheet” node appends all individual food items extracted earlier to the Google Sheet.
   
   Result: A Fully Populated Google Spreadsheet
   
   By the end of the automated run, you’ll have a fresh Google Sheet containing breakfast menu data complete with dynamically generated headers and corresponding values. It’s a practical and reusable solution for transforming XML data into spreadsheet-compatible formats.
   
   Conclusion
   
   This workflow demonstrates the real power of n8n’s low-code platform. By chaining together standard nodes and third-party services like Google Sheets, you can build a robust automation process with minimal effort. Whether you're ingesting XML data regularly or need a quick way to transform structured data into usable formats, this n8n solution is a great template to build on.
   
   With tools like n8n, automation workflows can evolve from tedious scripts into visual, programmable processes that save time, reduce errors, and streamline data tasks.
   
   Pro Tips:
   
   - Ensure your n8n version is 0.197.1 or later to take advantage of the updated expression syntax and Merge node improvements.
   - Use environment variables for credentials if deploying in production.
   - Expand this workflow to monitor and update Sheets periodically using Cron nodes for full automation.
   
   Start building your automated data pipelines today—without writing a single line of code!

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.