# n8n basics: triggers, expressions, items and webhooks on one page > A free one-page cheat sheet of n8n basics: triggers, expressions, items, executions, the workflow timezone and webhook test vs production URLs. Source: https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/cheat-sheets/n8n-basics · Updated 2026-10-01 · Free from Stepthrough (https://learn.ynteractive.com) [Tool cheat sheet](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/cheat-sheets#kind-tool) · One page · US letter · [n8n](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/tool/n8n) · [Lovable](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/tool/lovable) By [Robert Breen](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/about) · Published October 1, 2026 · From the free lesson [Daily Job Alerts: Email Each Tech Their Jobs from Google Sheets with n8n](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/n8n-daily-job-alerts-google-sheets-gmail) A free one-page cheat sheet of n8n basics: triggers, expressions, items, executions, the workflow timezone and webhook test vs production URLs. [Download the free PDF (76 KB)](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/cheat-sheets/n8n-basics.pdf)Print this sheet Free, no sign-up and no email needed. It prints on one letter-size page; the whole sheet is below. *▶*StepthroughFree printable cheat sheet · learn.ynteractive.com n8n basics: triggers, expressions, items and webhooks on one page An n8n workflow is a chain of steps called nodes. These are the words and settings every free Stepthrough n8n lesson uses. ## The words you'll meet **Trigger** The event that starts a workflow: **On a schedule**, **On chat message**, **On webhook call** or Gmail's **On message received**. Nothing runs until it fires. **Node** One step on the canvas, like **Filter** or **Gmail: Send a message**. Open it, set it, close it. **Item** One record, like one sheet row or one email. A node runs once per item. **Execution** One run of the workflow, with the data each step saw. A failed one points at the red node. ## Expressions pull in data - Anything in double curly brackets is filled in from an earlier step. `{{ $json.Time }}` becomes 8:00 AM for the first job. - A simple name takes a dot: `{{ $json.Tech }}`. - A name with a space takes brackets and quotes: `{{ $json["Tech Email"] }}`. - Form data sent to a webhook sits under body: `{{ $json.body.name }}`. - A typed address in **To** sends every job to one person. An expression sends each one to its own. ## Items in action - **Google Sheets: Get row(s) in sheet** returns six items, one per row. - A **Filter** set to **is not empty** on Tech passes five. The job with no tech is dropped. - One Gmail step runs five times, one email per job. You never write a loop. ## Test, publish and the clock **Workflow timezone** Set it first: **···**, **Settings**, **Timezone**. It defaults to New York, so 7am can be the wrong 7am. **Test step, Test workflow** Runs it now while you watch, so you don't wait for the schedule to find a mistake. **Publish** Hands the workflow to its trigger so it runs on its own. Older guides say "activate". **Test URL vs Production URL** The test URL only works while you test in the editor. A live form gets the **Production URL**, after you publish. **Remember:** Set the timezone, test each step, then publish. Anything live points at the Production URL of a published workflow. Practice it free: [Daily Job Alerts: Email Each Tech Their Jobs from Google Sheets with n8n](https://learn.ynteractive.com/modules/job-alerts) at learn.ynteractive.com/modules/job-alerts. This sheet: learn.ynteractive.com/content/cheat-sheets/n8n-basics. Rapid Flow Plumbing is a made-up business from the lesson. By Robert Breen, October 1, 2026. ## Practice it in the free lesson **Daily Job Alerts: Email Each Tech Their Jobs from Google Sheets with n8n**. Every morning at 7, n8n reads a plumbing company's jobs sheet, skips anything not assigned yet, and emails each job to the tech it's assigned to — customer, address, time and what's wrong. No AI… You do every step yourself in a practice copy of n8n, it checks your work as you go, and “Do it for me” finishes any step you get stuck on. Free, and nothing touches your real accounts. [Start the free lesson](https://learn.ynteractive.com/modules/job-alerts) [Or read the full step-by-step guide](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/n8n-daily-job-alerts-google-sheets-gmail) ## Lessons on this sheet - [Daily Job Alerts: Email Each Tech Their Jobs from Google Sheets with n8n](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/n8n-daily-job-alerts-google-sheets-gmail): Every morning at 7, n8n reads a plumbing company's jobs sheet, skips anything not assigned yet, and emails each job to the tech it's assigned to — customer, address… - [Lovable + n8n: Build a Web App with an AI Backend](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/lovable-n8n-web-app-ai-backend): Build a contact form in Lovable and connect it to an n8n workflow — webhook trigger, AI Agent, Google Sheets, Gmail, and a Respond node that ties it all together. - [Find and Use n8n Templates](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/find-and-use-n8n-templates): Skip the blank canvas. Find a ready-made workflow in the n8n template gallery, import it into your workspace, connect Google Sheets and Gmail, test it with a real form… - [n8n AI Agent Tutorial: Save Social Media Ideas to Google Sheets](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/n8n-ai-agent-tutorial-google-sheets): Build an AI agent for BrightPath Marketing that generates social media post ideas and saves them to Google Sheets — chat trigger, AI Agent, system prompt, model… ## Related terms Plain-English definitions, each with an example from a free lesson. [Trigger](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/glossary/trigger) · [Schedule Trigger](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/glossary/schedule-trigger) · [Expression](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/glossary/expression) · [Item (n8n)](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/glossary/item) · [Execution](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/glossary/execution) · [Workflow timezone](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/glossary/workflow-timezone) · [Test URL vs production URL](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/glossary/webhook-test-url-vs-production-url) · [Publishing a workflow](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/glossary/publish-workflow) [The full AI glossary](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/glossary) ## Related prompts - [Appointment reminder text prompt](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/prompts/appointment-reminder-text-prompt): Write day-before reminder texts for each job on tomorrow's schedule: the time window, who's coming, one prep step and an easy… - [Automation candidates prompt](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/prompts/automation-candidates-prompt): Rank your repetitive tasks by which to automate first, using only your own counts and minutes, with a first workflow sketched… - [Automation time savings estimate prompt](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/prompts/automation-time-savings-estimate-prompt): Estimate what one automation saves from your own numbers only: minutes before and after, setup and upkeep, costs you look up… - [Customer intake form questions prompt](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/prompts/customer-intake-form-questions-prompt): Design the questions for a booking or intake form: only what you need to do the job, each with a field type, help text and a… [All free prompt templates](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/prompts) ## More cheat sheets - [Daily Job Alerts in n8n Cheat Sheet](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/cheat-sheets/daily-job-alerts-n8n): A free one-page cheat sheet: at 7am n8n reads today's jobs from Google Sheets, skips unassigned ones and emails each job to its tech. - [Lovable + n8n Form Flow Cheat Sheet](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/cheat-sheets/lovable-n8n-form-flow): A free one-page cheat sheet: a Lovable form posts to an n8n webhook, and an AI Agent logs it in Google Sheets and replies by Gmail. - [n8n AI Agent to Google Sheets Cheat Sheet](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/cheat-sheets/n8n-ai-agent-google-sheets): A free one-page cheat sheet for an n8n AI agent: chat trigger, AI Agent, system message, OpenAI model, Simple Memory and a Google Sheets tool. [All free cheat sheets](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content/cheat-sheets) · [All free tutorials](https://learn.ynteractive.com/content)