Automate Client Onboarding with Google Gemini & n8n

Why automate client onboarding in the first place?

If you’ve ever copied a client’s details from a form, pasted them into an email, tweaked the wording, double-checked the checklist, and only then hit send, you know how repetitive onboarding can get. Do it once, fine. Do it ten times a week, and it starts eating your day.

That is exactly where this n8n workflow template comes in. It connects Google Sheets, Google Gemini, and Gmail so that every new client submission automatically turns into a polished, personalized onboarding email. No more manual drafting, no more “Did I forget a step?” worries.

In this walkthrough, we will look at what the template does, when to use it, and how each part of the workflow fits together so you can customize it for your own business.

What this n8n workflow actually does

At a high level, the template:

• Listens for new client entries in a Google Sheets onboarding form
• Extracts and structures the client’s details from that sheet
• Combines those details with a predefined client onboarding checklist
• Uses the Google Gemini language model (via n8n) to write a custom onboarding email
• Sends the email automatically with the Gmail node
• Tracks success or failure and catches errors for reliable operation

So instead of typing out a new welcome email for each client, you let the workflow do the busywork while you focus on the actual relationship.

When this template is perfect for you

You will get the most value from this workflow if:

• You collect client info through a form that feeds into Google Sheets
• You send similar onboarding emails every time, but still want them to feel personal
• You need a consistent checklist so no important onboarding step gets missed
• You want a setup that scales easily as your client list grows

If that sounds like your situation, this template can quickly become your “set it and forget it” onboarding assistant.

How the workflow starts: Trigger and intake

Google Sheets Trigger: catching every new client

The whole automation kicks off with a Google Sheets Trigger node. This node watches your onboarding form spreadsheet for new rows. Each time someone submits the form and a new row is added, the workflow fires automatically.

No button to press, no manual sync. Every new submission gets processed as soon as it hits the sheet.

Extracting and structuring client data

Next comes the Extract and Structure node. Its job is to take the raw data from the spreadsheet and turn it into a structured string that is easy for Gemini to understand.

Typical fields you might map include:

• Name
• Email
• Company
• Services Needed
• Any other onboarding-specific info you collect

One important detail here: the node respects the sheet’s column names exactly. That includes spaces. So if your column is labeled " email " or " Company Name " with extra spaces, those spaces need to be matched in the node configuration too. It might look picky, but it keeps the field mapping precise and avoids annoying “why is this field empty?” debugging later.

Adding context: the client checklist

Client Checklist (Set) node: your onboarding playbook

Before Gemini writes anything, the workflow prepares a bit of context using a Client Checklist (Set) node. Think of this node as your default onboarding playbook.

In this node, you define a standard checklist that usually includes steps like:

• Account setup
• Scheduling a welcome call
• Collecting required documents
• Configuring requested services
• Running an onboarding session
• Reviewing the first milestone

This checklist is not just for your internal use. It is passed along as context so Gemini can weave these steps into the email in a natural, client-friendly way.

Why the checklist matters

By giving Gemini a structured list of what needs to happen, you get emails that:

• Explain the next steps clearly to the client
• Stay aligned with your internal process
• Feel consistent, even as Gemini personalizes the wording

So you get both personalization and process consistency, which is usually hard to balance when you are writing everything by hand.

Let Gemini do the writing: personalized onboarding emails

Using the Google Gemini Chat Model via LLM Chain

Now for the fun part. The workflow uses an LLM Chain node in n8n that connects to the Google Gemini Chat Model. This is where the actual email copy is generated.

The prompt that goes into Gemini combines two key pieces:

1. The extracted client data from the sheet (name, company, services, etc.)
2. The client checklist you defined earlier

Together, these give Gemini enough context to write an email that is specific to each client, while still covering all your standard onboarding steps.

Prompting Gemini for the right tone

The prompt is set up to guide Gemini to:

• Start with a warm greeting that includes the client’s name
• Reference the client’s company and services needed where relevant
• Walk through the key onboarding steps from your checklist
• End with a friendly sign-off from your company team

The result is an email that feels like it was written just for that client, not like a cold generic template.

Sending the email and handling workflow state

Gmail node: delivering the message

Once Gemini produces the email body, the workflow passes it to an n8n Gmail node. This node sends the email directly to the client’s email address that came from the Google Sheet.

The subject line is also personalized. It includes a warm welcome that mentions the client’s name, which helps the email stand out in their inbox and feel more human.

Success, failure, and error handling

To keep things robust, the template includes:

• Two no-op nodes that represent the success and failure states of the workflow
• An error trigger node that catches any unhandled errors

These pieces help you monitor how the workflow is running and make it easier to plug in alerts or logging later if you want deeper observability.

Why this workflow makes your life easier

• Time savings – Once set up, every new client gets an onboarding email without you lifting a finger. No more copying from templates or rewriting the same paragraphs.
• Consistency – The checklist ensures every client goes through a complete and uniform onboarding process, regardless of who is on your team or how busy you are.
• Real personalization – Google Gemini’s natural language capabilities help the emails sound warm and tailored, not robotic or cookie-cutter.
• Scalability – Whether you onboard five clients a month or fifty, the workflow handles multiple form submissions in parallel without slowing you down.

How to customize the template for your business

The template works out of the box, but you will probably want to tweak it so it matches your brand, tone, and process. Here is where to start.

1. Edit the client checklist

Open the Client Checklist (Set) node and adjust the steps to reflect how you onboard clients. You can:

• Add new steps that are unique to your services
• Remove steps you do not use
• Rename items so they match your internal language

These changes will automatically flow into the email content Gemini generates, since the checklist is part of the prompt.

2. Adjust the Gemini prompt and tone

In the Personalize Using Gemini (LLM Chain) node, you can edit the prompt text to better fit your brand voice. For example, you might:

• Make the tone more formal or more casual
• Add specific phrasing or taglines you always use
• Change how detailed the explanation of next steps should be

Tiny prompt tweaks can make the emails feel exactly like something you would have written yourself.

3. Align Google Sheets columns with the extraction node

In the Extract and Structure Client Data node, double-check that the field names match your Google Sheets columns exactly, including any spaces or formatting. For example, if your column is literally named " email " with spaces, you must use that exact string.

Getting this mapping right ensures that Gemini receives complete and accurate client info, which is key for good personalization.

Ready to streamline your onboarding?

If you are tired of rewriting the same welcome emails or worrying that you forgot a step somewhere, this n8n workflow is a simple way to level up your client experience. You connect your Google Sheet, tweak the checklist and prompt, and let Google Gemini handle the rest.

The result: fast, consistent, and genuinely warm onboarding emails that go out automatically whenever a new client signs up.