## Introduction
Managing campaign approvals efficiently is a critical challenge for marketing teams, especially in fast-paced startup environments. Traditional methods such as email threads or manual checklists can lead to delays, missed feedback, or unclear accountability. This guide demonstrates how to build an automated campaign approval workflow using Slack, integrated with Google Sheets and n8n, to streamline review processes, improve transparency, and reduce approval time.
This workflow benefits marketing managers, content creators, and approvers by centralizing communication directly in Slack and automating status tracking.
—
## Tools and Services Integrated
– **Slack:** Communication and approval through interactive messages
– **Google Sheets:** Storing campaign details, statuses, and comments
– **n8n:** Automation platform that connects Slack and Google Sheets with custom logic
—
## Workflow Overview
The automation workflow triggers when a new campaign is added to the Google Sheet. Upon detection, n8n posts a Slack message with campaign details and buttons for approvers to “Approve” or “Request Changes.” Approval responses update the Google Sheet accordingly and notify the marketing team in Slack.
Key benefits:
– Instant notifications in Slack
– Clear, auditable campaign status
– Easy to scale with minimal manual management
—
## Detailed Step-by-Step Tutorial
### Prerequisites
– Slack workspace with permission to create apps and send messages
– Google account with access to Google Sheets
– n8n instance (cloud or self-hosted) with Slack and Google integration configured
### Step 1: Prepare the Google Sheet
Create a Google Sheet with the following columns:
– Campaign ID (unique identifier)
– Campaign Name
– Campaign Owner
– Submission Date
– Status (Pending, Approved, Changes Requested)
– Approver Comments
Fill the sheet with sample campaign entries to test the workflow.
### Step 2: Set Up Google Sheets Trigger in n8n
1. In n8n, create a new workflow.
2. Add a **Google Sheets Trigger** node configured to watch the campaign sheet for new rows or updates.
3. Authenticate your Google account and select the spreadsheet and worksheet.
4. Set it to trigger on new rows or changes in the ‘Status’ column.
### Step 3: Post Campaign Approval Request to Slack
1. Add a **Slack** node – use the “Send Message” operation.
2. Configure it to post in the marketing team’s Slack channel or a dedicated approval channel.
3. Compose the message to include:
– Campaign Name
– Campaign Owner
– Submission Date
– Quick action buttons: “Approve” and “Request Changes” (Slack Interactive Buttons)
4. Define callback IDs and action IDs to identify which button was clicked.
Example message text:
“`
New Campaign Submitted: *{{Campaign Name}}*
Owner: {{Campaign Owner}}
Date: {{Submission Date}}
Please review and respond below:
“`
### Step 4: Handle Slack Button Clicks
1. Add a **Slack Trigger** node to listen for interactive actions (button clicks).
2. Capture the action ID to differentiate between Approve or Request Changes.
3. Extract the Campaign ID from the message context or button payload.
### Step 5: Update Google Sheet Based on Approval Response
1. Add a **Google Sheets** node to update the row matching the Campaign ID.
2. Set ‘Status’ to “Approved” or “Changes Requested” depending on button pressed.
3. If “Request Changes”, prompt the approver to enter comments directly in Slack (a follow-up Slack modal or message).
4. Store approver comments back in the ‘Approver Comments’ column.
### Step 6: Notify Marketing Team of Outcome
1. Add another **Slack** node to post a confirmation message in Slack.
2. Message format example:
“`
Campaign *{{Campaign Name}}* has been *{{Status}}* by {{Approver Name}}.
Comments: {{Approver Comments}}
“`
### Step 7: Error Handling and Robustness Tips
– Validate Slack button callback payloads to prevent malformed updates.
– Use conditional nodes in n8n to handle unexpected statuses.
– Add error handling nodes to notify administrators if API calls fail.
– Rate limit Slack API calls to avoid hitting messaging caps.
– Secure OAuth tokens using environment variables and n8n credentials system.
### Step 8: Testing and Deployment
– Test submission of new campaigns to Google Sheets and verify Slack messages appear.
– Test approval and request changes buttons and check Google Sheets update accordingly.
– Monitor workflow execution in n8n for failures.
– Deploy the workflow and inform the marketing team on usage.
—
## Scaling and Adaptation
– To support multiple approvers, extend the workflow to send messages with @mentions or in private approval threads.
– Integrate reminders using cron jobs in n8n for pending approvals.
– Connect to CRM or project management tools (e.g., HubSpot, Asana) to update campaign statuses dynamically.
– Add analytics by exporting approval timestamps and durations to analyze bottlenecks.
—
## Summary
This guide showed how marketing teams can automate campaign approvals by combining Google Sheets, Slack, and n8n. The workflow reduces manual steps, centralizes communication in Slack, and provides clear audit trails in Google Sheets. Adopting this automation empowers faster decision-making and better collaboration across teams.
—
## Bonus Tip
Consider building a Slack slash command that allows approvers to query campaign status or request more details without leaving Slack. This further streamlines the process and keeps stakeholders continually informed.