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Error Handling

This workflow provides centralized error monitoring for n8n workflows by automatically notifying administrators via Telegram when any workflow fails in production environments. It acts as a safety net to ensure critical workflow failures don't go unnoticed.

Purpose

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This workflow serves as a system-wide error monitoring solution that: - Captures errors from any n8n workflow in the system - Filters out manual test runs to avoid notification spam - Notifies all system administrators immediately when production workflows fail - Provides essential error details including workflow name, error message, failed node, and execution URL

How It Works

  1. Error Detection: The workflow automatically triggers whenever any other workflow in the system encounters an error
  2. Environment Filtering: It checks if the failed execution was a manual test run and skips notification for those cases
  3. Admin Lookup: Retrieves all administrator records from the database, specifically their Telegram chat IDs
  4. Message Distribution: Splits the admin list and sends individual error notifications to each administrator via Telegram
  5. Error Details: Each notification includes the workflow name, error message, failed node name, and a direct link to the execution

Workflow Diagram

graph TD
    A[Error Trigger] --> B[Filter Non Prod runs]
    B --> C[Get Admins]
    C --> D[Split Out]
    D --> E[Telegram]

Trigger

Error Trigger: Automatically activates when any workflow in the n8n instance encounters an error. This is a system-level trigger that monitors all workflow executions.

Nodes Used

Node Type Node Name Purpose
Error Trigger Error Trigger Captures error events from any workflow in the system
Filter Filter Non Prod runs Excludes manual test runs from error notifications
Postgres Get Admins Retrieves administrator records with Telegram chat IDs
Split Out Split Out Separates admin records for individual message sending
Telegram Telegram Sends error notifications to each administrator

External Services & Credentials Required

Telegram

  • Credential: Telegram account
  • Purpose: Send error notifications to administrators
  • Requirements: Bot token with permission to send messages

PostgreSQL Database

  • Credential: Postgres account
  • Purpose: Access admin records with Telegram chat IDs
  • Requirements: Read access to admins table in public schema

Environment Variables

No environment variables are used in this workflow. All configuration is handled through node parameters and database records.

Data Flow

Input

  • Error trigger data containing:
    • Workflow name and ID
    • Error message and details
    • Execution mode (manual, webhook, etc.)
    • Failed node information
    • Execution URL

Output

  • Telegram messages sent to each administrator containing:
    • Failed workflow name
    • Error message
    • Name of the node that failed
    • Direct link to the failed execution

Database Schema Requirements

The admins table must include: - tg_chat_id: Telegram chat ID for each administrator

Error Handling

This workflow itself has minimal error handling since it's designed to be the error handler for other workflows. If this workflow fails: - No notifications would be sent for subsequent errors - Manual monitoring of workflow executions would be required - Consider setting up external monitoring for this critical workflow

Known Limitations

  • Relies on administrators having valid Telegram chat IDs in the database
  • No retry mechanism if Telegram message delivery fails
  • Manual test runs are filtered out, which may miss some legitimate testing scenarios
  • No rate limiting - multiple rapid failures could spam administrators

No related workflows specified in the context.

Setup Instructions

  1. Import the Workflow

    • Copy the workflow JSON and import it into your n8n instance

  2. Configure Telegram Credentials

    • Create a Telegram bot and obtain the bot token
    • Set up the "Telegram account" credential with your bot token

  3. Configure Database Credentials

    • Set up the "Postgres account" credential with connection details
    • Ensure the database contains an admins table with tg_chat_id column

  4. Prepare Admin Data

    • Populate the admins table with administrator records
    • Each record must include a valid Telegram chat ID in the tg_chat_id field

  5. Activate the Workflow

    • Enable the workflow to start monitoring for errors
    • Test by intentionally causing an error in another workflow (non-manual execution)

  6. Verify Setup

    • Check that administrators receive test notifications
    • Confirm the error message format includes all necessary details