Automate Solar Lead Qualification & Follow-ups with Google Sheets and Gmail

Description

Automate Solar Lead Qualification & Follow-ups with Google Sheets and Gmail

Note: This template is designed for both self-hosted and cloud-based n8n instances. The workflow image above shows the complete automation flow.

This n8n workflow automates the entire solar lead qualification process - from capturing lead information through a webhook, storing data in Google Sheets, evaluating qualification criteria, and sending personalized email follow-ups based on qualification status.

Who is this for?

This workflow is designed for:

Solar installation companies
Solar sales teams
Renewable energy consultants
Lead generation specialists in the solar industry

What problem does this workflow solve?

Managing solar leads efficiently can be challenging. This workflow solves several key pain points:

Time-consuming manual lead qualification: Automatically evaluates leads against predefined criteria
Inconsistent follow-up: Ensures every lead receives a timely, personalized response
Document management: Securely stores and shares utility bill documents
Lead tracking inefficiency: Centralizes lead data in Google Sheets with qualification status

What this workflow does

This workflow creates a complete solar lead management system that:

Captures lead information through a webhook endpoint
Securely stores utility bill uploads in Google Drive
Records all lead data in Google Sheets
Automatically evaluates leads based on three qualification criteria:
Homeownership status
Credit score (must be 650+)
Absence of trees on roof
Updates qualification status in the Google Sheet
Sends personalized email follow-ups based on qualification status:
Qualified leads receive a congratulatory email with next steps
Disqualified leads receive helpful information about why they didn't qualify and suggestions for remediation

Setup

Prerequisites

Before setting up this workflow, you'll need:

A self-hosted n8n instance
Google account with access to:
Google Sheets
Google Drive
Gmail
A form on your website that can make POST requests to a webhook

Step 1: Google Sheets Setup

Create a new Google Sheet for storing leads
Add the following columns in the first row (exact naming is important):
Name
Address
Has Trees on Roof
credit score
phone
Zip code
Email
Homeowner
utility bill
Qualification status
Disqualification reason

Step 2: Google Drive Setup

Sign in to your Google Drive account
Create a folder named "Solar Lead Utility Bills" (or your preferred name)
Right-click on the folder and select "Share"
Set permissions to "Anyone with the link can view"
Note the folder ID from the URL for configuration (the long string after /folders/ in the URL)

Step 3: Configure Google Credentials in n8n

In your n8n instance, go to Settings → Credentials
Add credentials for:
Google Sheets: Create new credentials, follow OAuth2 authentication
Google Drive: Create new credentials, follow OAuth2 authentication
Gmail: Create new credentials, follow OAuth2 authentication
Ensure all credentials have the necessary scopes:
Google Sheets: .../auth/spreadsheets
Google Drive: .../auth/drive
Gmail: .../auth/gmail.send

Step 4: Import and Configure the Workflow

In n8n, go to Workflows → Import from File
Upload the workflow JSON file
Update all Google Sheets nodes with your Google Sheet document ID:
Open your Google Sheet
Copy the ID from the URL (long string between /d/ and /edit)
Update the document ID field in the Google Sheets nodes
In the "[STEP 2] Upload Utility Bill" node, set the folder destination to your created folder

Step 5: Configure the Webhook

Activate the "[STEP 1] Receive Form Submission" webhook node
Copy the generated webhook URL
Configure your website form to send data to this URL
Ensure your form submits the following fields with exact naming:
firstName
lastName
address
hasTreesOnRoof
creditScore
phone
zipCode
email
homeOwnership
utilityBill (file upload)

Step 6: Customize Email Templates

Open the "[STEP 10A] Send Acceptance Email" node
Customize the email subject and message to match your company's branding
Open the "[STEP 10B] Send Rejection Email" node
Customize the rejection email to reflect your company's voice

Step 7: Activate and Test

Click "Save" on the workflow
Toggle the "Active" switch to activate the workflow
Submit a test lead through your form
Check that:
The data appears in your Google Sheet
The qualification status is updated correctly
The appropriate email is sent

How to customize this workflow to your needs

Adjusting Qualification Criteria

You can modify the qualification logic in the "[STEP 7] Check Qualification Criteria" node:

Open the node and click the "Edit Code" button
Locate the criteria sections (homeowner, credit score, trees on roof)
Modify the conditions as needed:

// Example: Change credit score threshold
if (creditScoreRaw.includes("600 - 649") ||
creditScoreRaw.includes("650 - 689") ||
creditScoreRaw.includes("690 - 719") ||
creditScoreRaw.includes("720+")) {
creditQualified = true;
}

Add additional criteria if needed

Customizing Email Templates

Personalize your emails further:

Open the email nodes
Use variable references to include more customer data:

Dear {{ $json.Name }},

We noticed your utility bill shows an average of {{ $json.monthlyBill }} per month.
With solar, you could save approximately {{ $json.monthlySavings }}.

Adding Integration with CRM Systems

Extend this workflow by connecting it to your CRM:

Add a Hubspot/Salesforce/etc. node after the "[STEP 8] Update Qualification Status" node
Configure the node to create or update contacts in your CRM
Map the lead data fields to your CRM fields

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

Webhook not receiving data
Verify your form is correctly configured to send POST requests
Check CORS settings on your website
Ensure all required fields are being sent

Google Drive upload failing
Check Google Drive permissions
Verify your OAuth scopes include drive.file
Ensure your Drive has sufficient storage space

Email not sending
Verify Gmail credentials
Check if Gmail API is enabled in your Google Cloud Console
Look for Send Rate Exceeded errors in execution logs

Google Sheets Column Format

If you're having issues with data not appearing correctly:

Make sure the column names exactly match those in the code
Check that the Google Sheet permissions allow editing
Verify the sheet name is correctly referenced in the nodes

Getting Help

If you encounter issues with this template, you can:

Check the n8n documentation on webhooks
Review Google Sheets integration documentation
Post in the n8n community forum

This template was created by David Olusola. If you find it helpful, please consider giving it a star in the n8n template library!