Stop scrambling before birthdays, anniversaries, or family gatherings. This workflow turns a simple Google Calendar event into a 7-day prep plan — complete with shopping lists, tasks, and reminders — all auto-sent to Notion and your inbox.
Perfect for:
The workflow:
No spreadsheets. No mental load. Just set the date — and let AI handle the rest.
🔁 Key Detail: After the Notion page is created, the workflow uses an Item Lists node to split the AI-generated task array into individual items. Each task is then processed in a loop and appended to the Notion database as a separate row — ensuring clean, actionable checklists.
Before using this workflow, ensure you have:
Service | Purpose | Free Tier? |
---|---|---|
n8n | Orchestrate automation | Yes |
Google Calendar | Trigger on new events | Yes |
Notion | Store prep checklist | Yes |
OpenAI | AI planning logic (GPT-3.5) | Yes (limited free tier) |
SMTP Email | Send confirmation email | Yes (via Gmail or similar) |
🔐 Store all API keys securely in n8n’s Credentials section.
Your event must include:
💡 Tip: Use a specific keyword in the title (e.g., “🎂”) to trigger only special events.
Create a Notion database with these columns:
Column Name | Type | Example |
---|---|---|
Name |
Title | "Emma’s Birthday Prep" |
Task |
Text | "Buy cake" |
Due Date |
Date | 2025-09-10 |
Status |
Status | To Do, In Progress, Done |
Event Date |
Date | 2025-09-12 |
Notes |
Text | "Vanilla with rainbow sprinkles" |
📌 Share your Notion workspace with your n8n integration (via integration token).
🔐 Never hardcode keys — use n8n’s credential system.
In the HubGPT: Generate Prep Plan node:
You're planning "{{ $json['summary'] }}" on {{ $json['start'] }}.
Generate a 7-day prep plan with 5–7 tasks (e.g., shopping, invites, setup).
Include:
- 3 days before: Send invites
- 2 days before: Buy supplies
- 1 day before: Decorate
Return as a JSON array with 'task' and 'dueDate'.