What is an n8n workflow?
An n8n workflow is a set of nodes that run when a trigger fires. n8n counts one execution for the whole run, not one charge per node. AI and MCP nodes are on the Cloud plans n8n lists, starting with Starter.
In plain English
It looks like Make or Zapier, with more room to self-host. You can see the nodes. A webhook or a schedule starts it. Human approval for tool calls is something n8n lists on its pricing page, which is the right default for anything that emails a client. If you host it yourself, the workflow is only as safe as the machine and the backups. Write down where the credentials live and who can open the editor. A workflow that only you understand is a single point of failure the same way a password in one person's head is. Export a copy after a change you might want to undo. Note the version you are running. A tutorial from last year may not match the nodes on your screen.
How an owner would use it
Put the invoice chase, the weekly report, or the new-hire checklist in a workflow you can open and explain. Keep customer judgment on an approval node.
Common mistakes
Leaving a workflow active after a test is how Saturday's customers get Tuesday's draft. n8n counts executions in a way their pricing page describes, and that page is the one to read before you assume a node is free. AI nodes are not a reason to skip an approval on customer email. If you self-host, the bill changes shape and the responsibility for backups and keys does too.
A worked example
A meal-prep kitchen
Monday menu from the sheet, blanks stay blank
This is an illustration, not a customer result. A scheduled n8n workflow reads the menu sheet the cook updated and drafts the week's pickup note. If a cell is empty, the note says empty. It does not invent a dish or a price.
Related terms
Prompts and guides
Questions owners ask
What is an n8n workflow?
It is an automation you build from nodes in n8n. One run of the whole workflow is one execution on n8n's Cloud pricing.
How do I use n8n for AI?
n8n's Starter plan includes agents, MCP, and AI nodes. Use them to draft or classify, and use an approval when the next step contacts a customer.
What is an execution?
An execution is one run of the workflow from the trigger to the end, including a run that errors. It is the history you open when a note looks wrong. It is not the same thing as a single node.
Product guides are on AI apps for business.