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Excel Automation Examples Using n8n, No Code

· Godrich · 9 items · 12 min read

Files & datan8nManualData syncReporting

You searched excel automation examples because moving rows by hand between a spreadsheet and another system gets old.

JSON rows to a CSV file01 json-rows-to-csv-file A CSV file to JSON rows02 csv-file-to-json-rows Flatten nested JSON03 flatten-nested-record Split an array field into rows04 split-order-line-items Combine many items into one array05 combine-items-into-list Rename fields all at once06 rename-legacy-fields Clean up strings and dates07 clean-strings-and-dates Dedupe while ignoring one field08 dedupe-ignore-timestamp Group and sum by category09 group-and-sum-by-category

Auto-plays · click a tile to jump to its section · all nine in one zip

The nine follow the order data actually runs into trouble. Two change the file itself first (01 JSON to CSV, 02 CSV to JSON), three reshape the structure next (03 flattening, 04 splitting, 05 combining), two clean up names and values after that (06 field names, 07 strings and dates), and two filter and roll up at the end (08 deduping, 09 grouping). Real work in excel automation tools tends to snarl in this same order — the shape is wrong, then the structure, then the mess, then you need one number out of it all.

01JSON rows to a CSV file

What it automates

A Code node makes 6 product rows, and Convert to File bundles them into a real CSV binary. That node stores its result only in binary, not json, so a second Code node reads the file's name and size back out to confirm the conversion actually happened.

JSON rows to a CSV file
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01 · JSON rows to a CSV file — Measured area 4.869% · moving frames 23/23Original by GODRICH · SCSS and React ship in the zip · See the password

Code → Convert to FileCSV 바이너리V2 실행 확인

In the workflow JSON

Reach for this when you need a downloadable report or an email attachment ready to send.

{
  "name": "Build CSV File",
  "type": "n8n-nodes-base.convertToFile",
  "typeVersion": 1.1,
  "parameters": {
    "operation": "csv",
    "binaryPropertyName": "data",
    "options": {
      "fileName": "products.csv",
      "headerRow": true
    }
  }
}

02A CSV file to JSON rows

What it automates

HTTP Request pulls a public CSV file down as binary, and Extract from File unpacks every row into its own JSON item. Limit trims the result down to the first 5.

A CSV file to JSON rows
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02 · A CSV file to JSON rows — Measured area 4.819% · moving frames 23/23Original by GODRICH · SCSS and React ship in the zip · See the password

HTTP Request(file)Extract from File csvV2 실행 확인

In the workflow JSON

This is the move for turning a received CSV into workflow data, like when importing a spreadsheet someone emailed you.

{
  "name": "Parse CSV Rows",
  "type": "n8n-nodes-base.extractFromFile",
  "typeVersion": 1.1,
  "parameters": {
    "operation": "csv",
    "binaryPropertyName": "data",
    "options": {
      "headerRow": true
    }
  }
}

03Flatten nested JSON

What it automates

A Code node builds one customer record with an address and coordinates nested two levels deep, then a second Code node recursively unpacks it into a flat object with dot-notation keys like address.city.

Flatten nested JSON
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03 · Flatten nested JSON — Measured area 2.951% · moving frames 23/23Original by GODRICH · SCSS and React ship in the zip · See the password

Code 재귀 평탄화Object.entriesV2 실행 확인

In the workflow JSON

Use this for tidying a nested API response before it goes into a spreadsheet, or for flattening form data from a webhook.

{
  "name": "Flatten Record",
  "type": "n8n-nodes-base.code",
  "typeVersion": 2,
  "parameters": {
    "jsCode": "function flatten(obj, prefix, out) {\n  prefix = prefix || '';\n  out = out || {};\n  for (const [k, v] of Object.entries(obj)) {\n    const key = prefix ? prefix + '.' + k : k;\n    if (v && typeof v === 'object' && !Array.isArray(v)) {\n      flatten(v, key, out);\n    } else {\n      out[key] = v;\n    }\n  }\n  return out;\n}\nconst record = $input.first().json;\nreturn [{ json: flatten(record) }];"
  }
}

04Split an array field into rows

What it automates

A Code node makes one order carrying an array of line items, and Split Out unrolls that array so each line item lands as its own item.

Split an array field into rows
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04 · Split an array field into rows — Measured area 2.992% · moving frames 23/23Original by GODRICH · SCSS and React ship in the zip · See the password

Split OutfieldToSplitOutV2 실행 확인

In the workflow JSON

This is what you reach for when processing each line item of one order separately, or splitting invoice lines before totaling them.

{
  "name": "Split Line Items",
  "type": "n8n-nodes-base.splitOut",
  "typeVersion": 1,
  "parameters": {
    "fieldToSplitOut": "lineItems",
    "include": "noOtherFields",
    "options": {}
  }
}

05Combine many items into one array

What it automates

A Code node makes 8 log lines as 8 separate items, and Aggregate's Aggregate All Item Data option folds all of them into a single array under one logs field.

Combine many items into one array
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05 · Combine many items into one array — Measured area 2.985% · moving frames 23/23Original by GODRICH · SCSS and React ship in the zip · See the password

Aggregate aggregateAllItemDatadestinationFieldNameV2 실행 확인

In the workflow JSON

It's handy for bundling logs into one file to send, or for building the raw array behind a summary report.

{
  "name": "Combine Into List",
  "type": "n8n-nodes-base.aggregate",
  "typeVersion": 1,
  "parameters": {
    "aggregate": "aggregateAllItemData",
    "destinationFieldName": "logs",
    "options": {}
  }
}

06Rename fields all at once

What it automates

A Code node makes a row with legacy field names like usr_nm, usr_em, and ord_amt, and Rename Keys swaps all three over to name, email, and amount in one pass.

Rename fields all at once
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06 · Rename fields all at once — Measured area 2.948% · moving frames 23/23Original by GODRICH · SCSS and React ship in the zip · See the password

Rename KeyscurrentKey → newKeyV2 실행 확인

In the workflow JSON

Reach for this when mapping a legacy API's field names to your own, or unifying spreadsheet column names across sources.

{
  "name": "Rename To Our Schema",
  "type": "n8n-nodes-base.renameKeys",
  "typeVersion": 1,
  "parameters": {
    "keys": {
      "key": [
        { "currentKey": "usr_nm", "newKey": "name" },
        { "currentKey": "usr_em", "newKey": "email" },
        { "currentKey": "ord_amt", "newKey": "amount" }
      ]
    }
  }
}

07Clean up strings and dates

What it automates

A Code node makes rows with stray whitespace, mixed casing, and dates in three different formats, and a second Code node trims and title-cases the names while normalizing every date down to YYYY-MM-DD.

Clean up strings and dates
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07 · Clean up strings and dates — Measured area 2.953% · moving frames 23/23Original by GODRICH · SCSS and React ship in the zip · See the password

Code trim·대소문자날짜 → YYYY-MM-DDV2 실행 확인

In the workflow JSON

This is for cleaning up form input, or unifying mismatched date formats before they hit a database.

{
  "name": "Clean Records",
  "type": "n8n-nodes-base.code",
  "typeVersion": 2,
  "parameters": {
    "jsCode": "function toTitleCase(s) {\n  return s.trim().replace(/\\s+/g, ' ').toLowerCase().replace(/\\b\\w/g, c => c.toUpperCase());\n}\nfunction toDateOnly(raw) {\n  const d = new Date(raw);\n  return d.toISOString().slice(0, 10);\n}\nreturn $input.all().map(item => ({\n  json: {\n    name: toTitleCase(item.json.name),\n    email: item.json.email.trim().toLowerCase(),\n    date: toDateOnly(item.json.raw_date)\n  }\n}));"
  }
}

08Dedupe while ignoring one field

What it automates

A Code node creates rows that share the same customer and product but carry a different seenAt timestamp, and Remove Duplicates excludes just seenAt from the comparison, clearing repeats by every other field.

Dedupe while ignoring one field
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08 · Dedupe while ignoring one field — Measured area 2.977% · moving frames 23/23Original by GODRICH · SCSS and React ship in the zip · See the password

Remove Duplicates allFieldsExceptfieldsToExcludeV2 실행 확인

In the workflow JSON

This is exactly for when the same event arrives multiple times with only the timestamp different, such as cleaning up duplicate logs from a retrying webhook.

{
  "name": "Dedupe Ignoring seenAt",
  "type": "n8n-nodes-base.removeDuplicates",
  "typeVersion": 2,
  "parameters": {
    "compare": "allFieldsExcept",
    "fieldsToExclude": "seenAt"
  }
}

09Group and sum by category

What it automates

A Code node makes 12 orders, and Summarize groups them by category, sums the amount, and counts the orders, handing back one item per category.

Group and sum by category
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09 · Group and sum by category — Measured area 2.985% · moving frames 23/23Original by GODRICH · SCSS and React ship in the zip · See the password

Summarizegroup by + sum/countV2 실행 확인

In the workflow JSON

Reach for this when rolling up revenue by category, or building group totals for a dashboard.

{
  "name": "Group By Category",
  "type": "n8n-nodes-base.summarize",
  "typeVersion": 1.1,
  "parameters": {
    "fieldsToSplitBy": "category",
    "fieldsToSummarize": {
      "values": [
        { "aggregation": "sum", "field": "amount" },
        { "aggregation": "count", "field": "category" }
      ]
    }
  }
}

Requirements — accounts, permissions, versions

Every requirements cell below reads "none," but the table still matters because the grade and the n8n version behind each check differ item by item. All nine hit V2 (execution-verified) in this post — nothing here needs a live webhook URL, so every item cleared execution with zero accounts involved.

Item Grade Requirements n8n version
01 JSON rows to a CSV file V2 None 2.38.5
02 A CSV file to JSON rows V2 None 2.38.5
03 Flatten nested JSON V2 None 2.38.5
04 Split an array field into rows V2 None 2.38.5
05 Combine many items into one array V2 None 2.38.5
06 Rename fields all at once V2 None 2.38.5
07 Clean up strings and dates V2 None 2.38.5
08 Dedupe while ignoring one field V2 None 2.38.5
09 Group and sum by category V2 None 2.38.5

Getting these into n8n takes whichever path is closest at hand: paste the JSON straight onto the canvas with Ctrl/Cmd+V, pick a file from the zip through Import from File, or run n8n import:workflow --input=file.json if you're on the CLI. Once it's loaded, the Test workflow button at the top left (or the play icon on the Manual Trigger node) runs it right there.

Where this breaks

excel automation scripts examples — where does it break?

The part that trips people up is where Convert to File actually puts its result — like in item 01, a node that turns data into CSV stores everything in binary, not json, so putting it at the very end of a workflow makes the next step look like it has nothing to read. The zip password is 497s6r8z, and unzipping it drops nine files straight into a workflows/ folder. Summarize hides a similar trap: sum the amount field and the result key isn't amount but sum_amount. Skip verifying that, and whatever comes next can't find the field it's looking for.

FAQ

What is n8n, and how is it different from excel automation code or a macro?

n8n is a no-code tool that wires apps and APIs together into workflows that run on their own. A macro only works inside one Excel file; n8n can chain a spreadsheet, an inbox, and another system's API into a single flow.

Do these examples need an account to try?

No. All nine run the moment you hit Manual Trigger, with no login or API key involved. Item 02, the one pulling a public file, was checked for a real 200 response too.

My data doesn't look exactly like these examples — what do I change?

Usually just the field names. Item 06's Rename Keys node, for instance, only needs its currentKey/newKey pairs swapped to fit whatever field names your own data actually uses.

New to n8n? The automation category and 9 n8n workflow examples cover more of the same ground, and the about page lays out how this site verifies what it publishes.

Enter the archive password

The password is inside this article. You will find it as you read.