What is pinned data in n8n?
Quick answer
Pinned data is a saved sample of a node's output in n8n. While it is pinned, test runs use that sample instead of waiting for a real event, so you can build and check the steps after a trigger without sending a new form or email every time.
Last updated
Updated · By Robert Breen
Why it matters for a small business
Many n8n workflows start with something you can't trigger on demand: a customer form, an incoming email, a webhook call from another system. Without pinned data, every test means going and creating that event again. With a sample pinned, the first node always has data to hand to the second, and the second to the third, so you can work down the workflow at your own pace.
Pinning is only for testing. The banner on a pinned node says the data is pinned for test executions, which means it is used when you run things in the editor. Once the workflow is published, real events bring their own data and the pinned sample does not stand in for them.
In a real lesson: n8n: Execute Step, Execute Workflow and Publish
In the Execute step, Execute workflow and Publish lesson, you help Maple Street Bookkeeping, a made-up small office. Their new-client form sends to a workflow that starts with a Webhook. You open the Webhook, click the pencil above the OUTPUT panel, look at a sample form submission that is already filled in, and click Save.
The Webhook now shows a small pin. When you open Edit Fields next, the INPUT side shows the pinned data and Execute step works straight away. The lesson also points out that the form fields sit inside body, which is why the expressions read {{ $json.body.email }} and {{ $json.body.name }}.
Try this lesson free or read the step-by-step guide.
Common confusions
Pinned data vs saved data
Pinning does not store anything in your sheet or inbox. It only keeps a sample inside the workflow editor so tests have something to run on.
Pinned data vs a real submission
A pinned sample is made up. A real form can contain fields your sample lacks, so check one live run after you publish.
Tips
- Copy a real example when you can, so the field names match what will arrive.
- Unpin or edit the sample when your form changes, or you'll keep testing the old shape.
- Never pin real client details in a workflow other people can open.
Related terms
More n8n and automation terms
Where you use it: free lessons
- n8n: Execute Step, Execute Workflow and Publish (n8n, 6 min)
- IF and Switch in n8n: Route Work by Rules (n8n, 10 min)
Frequently asked questions
- Does pinned data affect live runs?
- No. The lesson describes it as data pinned for test executions. Once a workflow is published, each real event carries its own data.
- How do I pin data on a Webhook node?
- Open the Webhook, click the pencil at the top of the OUTPUT panel to type sample data, then click Save. The node then shows a pin.
- Why does my pinned data have a body field?
- A webhook puts the submitted form fields inside body, so you read them with expressions such as {{ $json.body.email }}.