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Hidden Logic Lab

Batch webhook events into a Slack digest

An n8n workflow collects webhook payloads through the day and posts one Slack digest instead of one message per event.

n8n
·Operations·45 min·Deep

A scheduled Slack summary: what happened, counts by type, and the rows that need a human today.

  1. 1

    Paste a real webhook payload

    Use one production-shaped JSON object so field names in the workflow match what your app sends.

  2. 2

    Dry-run with ten fake events

    Fire the webhook ten times, then trigger the schedule manually. Confirm grouping and severity flags look right.

  3. 3

    Watch the buffer clear

    After the digest posts, send another event and confirm it waits for the next window. Double posts usually mean the buffer did not reset.

The prompt to paste

Design an n8n workflow that batches webhook events into a daily Slack digest.

Input:
- Webhook receives JSON events (I will paste a sample payload)
- Fields I care about: [event type, source, severity, message, timestamp, optional id]

Workflow requirements:
1. Webhook node accepts POST, validates a shared secret header [name of header], and rejects bad auth to an error branch.
2. Normalize each event into a small record (type, summary line, severity, receivedAt).
3. Store events in n8n static data, a Redis list, or a Google Sheet row — pick one and show the expression.
4. On a schedule (e.g. 5pm weekdays), read all events since the last digest, group by type, and build a Slack message:
   - Headline with total count
   - Top three event types with counts
   - Up to five events flagged high severity or "needs review"
   - Clear the buffer after a successful post
5. If zero events since last run, post nothing (do not send an empty digest).

Show the node list in order, the secret check, the storage shape, and the Slack message template. Do not auto-page on-call. Digest only.

Digesting is not alerting. Wire a separate path for events that must wake someone immediately.

Sample case written by Hidden Logic Lab. Not affiliated with n8n.

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