## Introduction
Beta testing is a crucial phase in product development where select users get early access to new features or products. Managing beta access invites manually, especially if you have a large list of potential testers, can be tedious and error-prone. Automating this process not only saves time but also ensures consistency and timely delivery of invites.
This guide focuses on using **n8n**, an open-source workflow automation tool, to automate sending beta access invitations. Product teams, product managers, and automation engineers will find this tutorial particularly useful as it integrates tools like Google Sheets (to manage beta user lists), Gmail (to send invites), and Slack (to notify your team).
By the end of this tutorial, you will be able to set up an automated workflow that triggers when new beta users are added to a spreadsheet and sends them personalized email invitations, with real-time notifications sent to your product Slack channel.
—
## Prerequisites
– An n8n instance (cloud or self-hosted)
– A Google account with access to Google Sheets
– A Gmail account or Google Workspace SMTP credentials
– A Slack workspace and webhook URL or Slack app for notifications
—
## Use Case & Benefits
**Problem:** Manual sending of beta invites is inefficient and can lead to missed or duplicate emails.
**Who benefits:**
– Product teams who want to streamline beta user onboarding
– Automation engineers aiming to eliminate repetitive tasks
– Operations specialists needing clear audit trails of invites sent
—
## Tools and Services Integrated
– **Google Sheets:** Stores the beta testers’ details, including email addresses and status
– **Gmail:** Sends personalized invitation emails
– **Slack:** Sends a notification message to the product team once invites are sent
—
## Step-by-Step Automation Tutorial
### 1. Preparing the Google Sheet
Create a Google Sheet to maintain your beta tester list with columns such as:
– `Name` (Tester’s full name)
– `Email` (Tester’s email address)
– `Status` (e.g., “Pending”, “Invited”)
Add sample beta users with Status set to “Pending”.
—
### 2. Setting up n8n Workflow
Open your n8n editor and create a new workflow.
#### a) Trigger Node: Google Sheets Trigger
– Use the **Google Sheets Trigger** if available, or alternatively set up a **Cron** node if polling is acceptable (e.g., every 15 minutes).
– Configure the trigger to monitor the sheet for rows where `Status` equals “Pending”.
**Note:** Since Google Sheets Trigger may not natively support filtering, use the following workaround:
– Use a **Cron** node to trigger the workflow periodically.
– Use a **Google Sheets** node to read rows from the sheet and filter locally where `Status` is “Pending”.
#### b) Google Sheets Read Node
– Add the **Google Sheets** node to read rows from your beta tester sheet.
– Set it to return all rows.
#### c) Filter Pending Users
– Use a **Set** or **IF** node to filter those rows where `Status` equals “Pending”.
– This ensures only users who have not been invited yet are processed.
#### d) Iterate Over Each Pending User
– Use the **SplitInBatches** node set to batch size 1 to process one user at a time (this allows for individual personalized emails and error handling).
#### e) Gmail Node to Send Invitation Email
– Configure the **Gmail** node to send an email.
– Set the recipient to the user’s email.
– Customize the email template, including their `Name`, invite details, and any unique beta access links.
Example Email Subject and Body:
– Subject: “Your Exclusive Beta Access Invitation”
– Body: “Hi {{ $json[“Name”] }},\n\nWe’re excited to invite you to our beta program. Click the link below to join…”
#### f) Update Google Sheets Status
– After successfully sending the email, use another **Google Sheets** node to update the `Status` field of the current user to “Invited”.
– Use row ID or index to identify which row to update.
#### g) Slack Notification
– Add a **Slack** node to post a message to your product team’s channel.
– The message might say: “Beta invite sent to {{ $json[“Name”] }} ({{ $json[“Email”] }})”
This real-time notification helps your team stay informed.
—
### 3. Handling Errors and Retries
– Use **Error Trigger** node to catch workflow failures.
– Configure retry on Gmail node with exponential backoff for transient email errors.
– Add conditional nodes to handle common issues like missing email or invalid addresses.
Tips:
– Validate emails with regex before sending.
– Log errors to a separate Google Sheets tab or database for manual review.
—
### 4. Scaling and Adapting the Workflow
– To handle larger beta lists, paginate Google Sheets reads.
– Use queues or rate limits on Gmail to avoid hitting sending limits.
– Integrate CRM systems like HubSpot to sync beta users dynamically.
– Extend Slack notifications with summary reports (e.g., batch invite counts).
—
## Summary
Automating beta access invites using n8n improves efficiency, reduces errors, and keeps your product team informed. This workflow integrates Google Sheets, Gmail, and Slack to create a seamless pipeline from managing invite lists to sending personalized emails and notifying your team.
### Bonus Tip
Consider adding a webhook or form submission as the trigger to allow beta testers to sign up directly, making the process even more dynamic and reducing manual entry.
—
By following this detailed guide, your product team will be empowered to automate invite workflows efficiently, freeing time for more strategic product development tasks.