Workflow Automation

Repetitive tasks cost time. When a form is submitted, an order comes in or an email arrives, the same manual steps often follow. With a visual low-code editor on your own server, you assemble these workflows via drag-and-drop, without writing code. The processes then run on their own on the dataforest Cloud. No per-execution fees, no data shared with third parties.

100% Made in GermanyGDPR compliantHourly billingNo minimum term
Workflow-Lauf
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01

Processes that run on their own

Process customer inquiries automatically

A contact form is submitted, and the rest happens on its own. The inquiry gets categorized, the responsible team is notified via Slack or email, and the customer receives an instant confirmation. Routine cases are answered directly, complex cases are forwarded for manual review. You set up the flow once in the visual editor, and it runs without your involvement from then on.

Handle orders and invoices

An order comes in, inventory is checked, a shipping label is created and the customer is notified. Or an invoice arrives by email, the amount and sender are recognized and transferred directly to accounting. Instead of handling these steps manually, you define the flow once visually, and it repeats automatically with every new order.

Monitoring and notifications

When a server slows down or a service goes offline, someone should know immediately. Automated workflows check metrics regularly, create a ticket when thresholds are exceeded and notify your team via Slack, email or Telegram. Status pages are updated automatically.

Synchronize data between systems

CRM, project management, accounting and email marketing often work side by side, but data has to be copied back and forth manually. An automated workflow keeps the systems in sync. When a contact changes in the CRM, the information is automatically transferred to the other tools.

02

Services you can connect

Google Workspace

Sheets, Gmail, Drive, Calendar

Slack

Shopify

Stripe

Notion

Jira

GitHub / GitLab

OpenAI

PostgreSQL / MySQL

Email (SMTP/IMAP)

Telegram

Any REST API

Via the HTTP Request block

03

Your server, your automation

Automate visually instead of writing code

A visual workflow editor works like a building kit. You connect individual steps (e.g. "receive email", "save data", "send notification") via drag-and-drop. Each step is a ready-made block that you configure instead of program. This makes automation accessible even without a developer team. For complex edge cases, optional code blocks in JavaScript and Python are available.

No per-execution fees

Cloud automation services charge per execution step. The more processes run, the higher the bill. On your own server, this limitation does not exist. You only pay for the server, regardless of how many workflows run.

400+ integrations

n8n comes with over 400 official integrations including Google Workspace, Slack, Shopify, Stripe, Notion, Jira, OpenAI and many more. Any API without a built-in integration can be connected via the HTTP Request block.

Your data stays with you

All workflow data, credentials and execution logs remain on your server. Nothing is shared with third parties. For companies with GDPR requirements, this is a decisive advantage over cloud services based outside the EU.

Free and source-available (Fair-Code)

n8n can be self-hosted without license fees, with unlimited workflows and executions. The active community includes over 188,000 GitHub stars and provides hundreds of workflow templates for common use cases.

04

The proven solution for workflow automation

n8n 188,000+ GitHub stars, source-available license

Visual workflow editor with over 400 integrations (n8n.io). Workflows are assembled via drag-and-drop, from simple if-then rules to AI-powered processes. Installation via Coolify or Docker Compose.

Suited for: Customer inquiries, order processing, monitoring, data synchronization, AI workflows.

05

Own server or cloud automation?

Own server

Best choice for regular automation needs and sensitive data.

  • No per-execution fees, regardless of how many workflows run
  • All data stays on your server, full GDPR compliance
  • No vendor lock-in, no forced migrations
  • Unlimited workflows, users and executions
  • Full access to all integrations and code blocks
  • Server maintenance and updates are your responsibility
  • Basic Linux knowledge required for setup
  • You handle security updates and backups yourself

Cloud automation service

Best choice for quick start without server knowledge.

  • Quick start without own infrastructure or server knowledge
  • Maintenance, updates and availability handled by the provider
  • No Linux knowledge required
  • Managed monitoring and automatic scaling
  • Costs increase with every execution (per step or per operation)
  • Data is processed and stored on the provider's servers
  • Dependency on the provider for pricing changes and feature scope
  • Limits on workflows, users or executions depending on the plan
Self-hosting suits teams with regular automation needs, sensitive data and the desire for full control. Cloud services are the better choice for a quick start without server knowledge, especially for simpler automations. If you need maximum flexibility and have developers on your team, you can also implement automations as custom code. However, low-code tools cover most use cases and are significantly faster to set up.
06

Ready in minutes

01Step 01

Create a seed

Choose a model with at least 4 CPU and 8 GB RAM. For getting started with few workflows, a smaller model works too and can be upgraded at any time.

02Step 02

Install n8n

n8n can be set up via Docker Compose in minutes. Alternatively, Coolify offers a one-click installation. A detailed guide is available in our tutorials.

03Step 03

Create workflows

Using the visual editor in the browser, connect your services with each other. Ready-made templates for common use cases make it easy to get started.

06

Step-by-step setup

Detailed tutorials by our engineers, tested on a current dataforest Seed. Accessible without an account.

Deployment · approx. 10 minIntermediate

Workflow Automation by Self-Hosting n8n

Learn how to self-host n8n on a VM using Docker Compose and build two real-world workflows with the dataforest API – VM upgrades and cost reports.

n8nWorkflowsAutomationDocker
Open guide

View all guides →

07

Configure a seed

Billed hourly, no minimum term, no setup fee. The server is available for other services alongside automation.

Entry

Beginner

CPU allocation based on availability
At least Intel Xeon Gold
NVMe SSD storage
3-way replication via Ceph
DDR4
Balanced disk performance
3,65 €
/ Month
from
0,005848 €
/ Hour

Standard

All-rounder

AMD EPYC Turin
At least 2.6 GHz
Up to 4.5 GHz
NVMe SSD storage
3-way replication via Ceph
DDR5
Increased disk performance
9,01 €
/ Month
from
0,014439 €
/ Hour

Performance

CPU-optimized

AMD EPYC Turin (High Frequency)
At least 3.3 GHz
Up to 5 GHz
NVMe SSD storage
3-way replication via Ceph
DDR5
Maximum disk performance, IOPS-optimized
12,26 €
/ Month
from
0,019639 €
/ Hour

All prices incl. 19% VAT

08

Why dataforest Cloud?

Data sovereignty

Your data stays in Germany. All seeds run in certified data centers in Frankfurt. No data transfers to third countries, full GDPR compliance.

Deployed in seconds

Seeds are provisioned automatically. From configuration to a running server takes only seconds. No waiting, no tickets.

Hourly billing

You only pay for what you use. No minimum terms, no setup fees. Seeds can be created and deleted at any time.

Full control

Root access, public API and full transparency. You decide what runs on your seed. No vendor lock-in, no hidden restrictions.

09

Bevor Sie loslegen.

What is workflow automation?
Workflow automation replaces manual, repetitive processes with software that executes steps automatically. A trigger (form submission, new email, specific time) starts the process, and the system follows predefined logic without anyone needing to intervene.
Do I need programming skills?
No. Workflow automation with a low-code tool like n8n works through a visual editor in the browser. You drag ready-made blocks onto a canvas and connect them. Each block has settings that you configure via forms, not code. The principle is comparable to a flowchart: you define 'when X happens, then do Y'. This is fully sufficient for the vast majority of use cases. Optional code blocks in JavaScript and Python are only needed for edge cases.
What does the software cost?
The self-hosted version of n8n is free with no limits on workflows or executions. The only costs are the server. Enterprise features like SSO or external secrets management require a paid license.
How many workflows can I run?
There is no artificial limit. The number of concurrent workflows depends on the server hardware. A seed with 4 CPU and 8 GB RAM easily handles 50 or more active workflows.
Which services can I connect?
n8n offers over 400 official integrations including Google Workspace, Slack, Microsoft Teams, Shopify, Stripe, Notion, Jira, GitHub, OpenAI and many more. Services without a built-in integration can be connected via the HTTP Request block to any API.
What happens if the server goes down?
Running automations stop until the server is reachable again. Scheduled workflows resume at the next trigger. Webhook-based workflows received during downtime are lost. Server monitoring with alerts and automatic restart policies in Docker are recommended.
How do I back up my workflows?
The recommended method is regular database backups (PostgreSQL). This captures all workflows, credentials and execution logs. Important: the encryption key (N8N_ENCRYPTION_KEY) must be backed up separately, as saved credentials become unreadable without it.
Do I need a powerful server?
For getting started, a seed with 2 CPU and 4 GB RAM is sufficient. For production use with multiple active workflows, we recommend 4 CPU and 8 GB RAM. n8n uses about 860 MB of memory at idle. Each active workflow adds roughly 40-50 MB.
What is the difference compared to custom code?
Custom code offers maximum flexibility but requires developers to write, test and maintain it. Low-code tools like n8n allow non-developers to build automations visually and adjust them at any time. Changes are immediately visible without deployment or code review. For most business processes, a visual workflow is sufficient. For complex edge cases, individual steps can also be implemented as code blocks, so both approaches can be combined.

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