Ready to get hands-on and transform how your business runs day-to-day? In this post, we’ll guide you through building a simple yet impactful workflow using our preferred open-source tools. You’ll see how easy it can be to set up automated data pipelines, use AI models to enrich information, and manage everything in a secure, scalable database.

Step 1: Install and Set Up Your Tools

• n8n: Start by deploying n8n in your preferred environment—cloud or self-hosted. It’s lightweight, customizable, and works well with virtually any API.
• Baserow: Spin up Baserow to create a flexible database that can hold leads, support tickets, marketing inquiries—whatever your data source requires.
• Ollama: Set up Ollama for local AI model hosting. This ensures you maintain control over your data while still benefiting from advanced natural language processing.

Step 2: Defining Your Workflow in n8n
Imagine you receive a steady stream of inbound inquiries via email. You want to automatically:

1. Parse the inquiry text, identify whether it’s a sales lead, customer support request, or billing question.
2. Store the structured data in Baserow.
3. Send a tailored reply or route it to the appropriate team member.

In n8n’s visual editor, you’ll:

• Add a trigger node that fires whenever a new inquiry arrives in your inbox.
• Connect it to an Ollama-powered AI node that classifies the message.
• Route the classified data to a Baserow node that inserts the new record into the correct table.
• Optionally add a decision node to send a Slack notification or trigger a follow-up email.

Step 3: Run, Test, and Refine
Once your workflow is defined, hit “execute” and test with a sample inquiry. Check if the classification is accurate, verify that the data lands in the right place in Baserow, and ensure any follow-up actions occur seamlessly. Adjust your AI model prompts, add more workflow branches, or integrate additional tools as you learn what works best.

The Result:
A sustainable, scalable system that requires minimal manual intervention. As your volume of inquiries grows, your workflow handles the load—enabling your team to focus on strategic tasks rather than repetitive, data-entry chores.