Best for
- Lead routing
- Order notifications
- Content prep scripts
Avoid if
- No live website yet
- One-off task with no repeat
You need before starting
- Trigger list
- Apps to connect
- Failure alert email
● Skill pack
- 01-start-here.md
- 02-business-brief.md
- agent-instructions.md
- deploy-checklist.md
● STACK
Recommended stack
n8n
● Build phases
Automation pipeline
01
Map one flow
Form submit → notify → spreadsheet row. Draw it on paper first.
Done when: Test submission creates row + email
02
Build with logging
Add each step with retries, error log, owner alert and sample payloads.
Done when: A failed run creates an alert with enough context
03
Deduplicate and rate-limit
Prevent duplicate leads, repeated emails, API limit crashes and infinite loops.
Done when: Repeated test payload does not create duplicate customer records
04
Monitor and hand off
Create a runbook: how to pause, replay, rotate keys and check last successful run.
Done when: Owner can verify the automation worked today
Risks
- Silent failures
- No logging
- API key in repo
Usually wrong choice
- Automate before form works
- Zapier for 500 runs/month at scale
When to call rescue
- Workflow stopped
- Duplicate leads
- Rate limit hit