V4 - messageTemplates

A deterministic template selector workflow that replaces LLM calls with keyword-based template lookup for Sifa's messaging system. This workflow processes instructions and returns the most appropriate message template from a comprehensive library of pre-written responses.

Purpose

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How It Works

1. Trigger Reception: The workflow receives instructions through an Execute Workflow Trigger, typically containing step numbers, phase identifiers, or contextual keywords
2. Template Database Loading: A comprehensive message template library is loaded containing all Sifa's standardized responses organized by phases and steps
3. Intelligent Template Selection: A JavaScript-based selector analyzes the input instructions against the template library using keyword matching and scoring
4. Template Extraction: The best matching template is extracted from the library, with code blocks and formatting preserved
5. Data Substitution: Common placeholders like [Name] and [firstName] are automatically substituted with actual data when available
6. Output Formatting: The selected template is formatted and returned as the workflow output

Mermaid Diagram

graph TD
    A[messageTemplatedb<br/>Execute Workflow Trigger] --> B[db<br/>Set Node]
    B --> C[Template Selector<br/>Code Node]
    C --> D[Edit Fields<br/>Set Node]

Trigger

Execute Workflow Trigger - Activated when called by other workflows with input parameters containing: - instructions: Text containing step numbers, phase identifiers, or contextual keywords for template selection

Nodes Used

Node Type	Node Name	Purpose
Execute Workflow Trigger	messageTemplatedb	Receives instructions from calling workflows
Set	db	Stores the comprehensive message template library
Code	Template Selector	Performs keyword-based template matching and selection
Set	Edit Fields	Formats and outputs the selected template

External Services & Credentials Required

None - this workflow operates entirely with internal logic and stored templates.

Environment Variables

None required.

Data Flow

Input: - instructions: String containing keywords, step numbers, or phase identifiers

Output: - output: Selected message template with placeholders substituted where possible

Processing: - Keyword extraction and scoring against template sections - Step number and phase matching with high priority scoring - Template block extraction from markdown code blocks - Automatic placeholder substitution for common variables

Error Handling

The workflow includes graceful fallback handling: - If no matching template is found, returns a fallback message indicating no match - Placeholder substitution errors are silently ignored to prevent workflow failures - Invalid input gracefully defaults to returning instructions for manual handling

Known Limitations

• Template selection is based on keyword matching rather than semantic understanding
• Placeholder substitution is limited to common variables ([Name], [firstName])
• Template library must be manually maintained within the workflow
• No dynamic template generation - relies entirely on pre-written content

Related Workflows

This workflow is designed to be called by other Sifa messaging workflows that need to retrieve appropriate message templates based on context.

Setup Instructions

1. Import Workflow: Import the JSON configuration into your n8n instance
2. Verify Template Library: Check that the db node contains the complete message template library
3. Test Template Selection: Run test executions with various instruction types to verify template matching
4. Configure Calling Workflows: Ensure other workflows are configured to call this workflow with appropriate instruction parameters
5. Monitor Performance: Verify that template selection is working correctly and returning expected outputs

The workflow is ready to use immediately after import, requiring no external credentials or environment configuration.