Email certificates when a student finishes a course
Mark a student as completed in a sheet and they get a congratulations email with their certificate link.
How it works
Trigger: Google Sheets — new row in Completions
- Add the student (name, email, course, certificate link) to Completions.
- Email them congratulations with the certificate link.
- Invite them to give feedback and see your next course.
Diagram
Trigger App
Build it
Pick your tool — same automation, step by step.
Copy and paste straight into an n8n canvas (Ctrl+V), or download and use Import from File. Then connect your own credentials and replace every YOUR_… placeholder.
Show code (91 lines)
{
"name": "Email certificates when a student finishes a course (Flowngn)",
"nodes": [
{
"parameters": {
"content": "## Email certificates when a student finishes a course\nMark a student as completed in a sheet and they get a congratulations email with their certificate link.\n\n**Setup**\n1. Open each node and connect your own credentials.\n2. Replace every YOUR_… placeholder.\n3. Test once, then activate.\n\nFree template from Flowngn",
"height": 260,
"width": 340
},
"id": "2c527986-f663-44a2-ab4f-9b3f13e4c88a",
"name": "Setup notes",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.stickyNote",
"typeVersion": 1,
"position": [
-420,
-60
]
},
{
"parameters": {
"pollTimes": {
"item": [
{
"mode": "everyMinute"
}
]
},
"documentId": {
"__rl": true,
"value": "YOUR_SPREADSHEET_ID",
"mode": "id"
},
"sheetName": {
"__rl": true,
"value": "Completions",
"mode": "name"
},
"event": "rowAdded",
"options": {}
},
"id": "2c527986-f663-44a2-ab4f-9b3f13e4c88a",
"name": "Course completed",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.googleSheetsTrigger",
"typeVersion": 1,
"position": [
0,
0
]
},
{
"parameters": {
"sendTo": "={{ $json.email }}",
"subject": "=🎓 Congratulations, {{ $json.name.split(' ')[0] }}! Your certificate is ready",
"emailType": "text",
"message": "=Hi {{ $json.name.split(' ')[0] }},\n\nCongratulations on finishing {{ $json.course }}!\n\nDownload your certificate here:\n{{ $json.certificate_link }}\n\nWe'd love to hear what you thought: YOUR_FEEDBACK_LINK\nAnd if you're ready for the next step: YOUR_NEXT_COURSE_LINK\n\nYOUR_NAME",
"options": {
"appendAttribution": false
}
},
"id": "2c527986-f663-44a2-ab4f-9b3f13e4c88a",
"name": "Email the certificate",
"type": "n8n-nodes-base.gmail",
"typeVersion": 2.1,
"position": [
300,
0
]
}
],
"connections": {
"Course completed": {
"main": [
[
{
"node": "Email the certificate",
"type": "main",
"index": 0
}
]
]
}
},
"pinData": {},
"settings": {
"executionOrder": "v1"
},
"meta": {
"templateCredsSetupCompleted": false
},
"tags": []
}In Make, create a new scenario and add these modules in order:
- Google Sheets › Watch New Rows
- Gmail › Send an Email
- Every module run uses Make operations — the free plan includes a monthly quota.
- Module and step names can differ slightly as Make and Zapier update their apps.
In Zapier, create a new Zap and add these steps in order:
- Google Sheets — New Spreadsheet Row
- Gmail — Send Email
- Module and step names can differ slightly as Make and Zapier update their apps.
Tips
- Generate certificates with Google Slides + a mail-merge add-on, then paste each link in the sheet.
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