Incident Reporting & Management Workflow (Form + Google Sheets + Email)

This workflow automates incident reporting and management for operations teams by connecting a public reporting form with real-time logging in Google Sheets and instant alert emails to your support team. Whenever an incident is reported via the n8n form/webhook, all details are saved securely and immediately and the right people are notified the moment issues occur. It's a fast, scalable solution for reliable incident handling.

Who’s It For

• Renewable energy operators (solar/wind/green energy).
• Facility and plant managers.
• Environmental, EHS and safety teams.
• Technical support and incident response crews.
• Maintenance & field operations teams.
• Anyone aiming for compliance-ready, audit-friendly digital issue reporting.

How It Works

1. Form Submission: An n8n-powered form (or webhook endpoint) receives incident reports, capturing all key details: reporter info, contact, location, date/time, type, severity, actions taken, photos and more.
2. Log to Google Sheets: Each report is instantly appended as a new row in a secure Google Sheet, creating a searchable, timestamped audit trail.
3. Email Alert (Gmail): An automatic email with incident summary and critical details lands in the support team’s inbox seconds after submission—ensuring your response is always prompt.
4. Workflow Automation: These nodes are linked in n8n, enabling no-code/low-code back-end automation for complete visibility and control.

How to Set Up

1. Import Workflow: In n8n, use "Import from File" to upload the workflow JSON provided.
2. Edit Configuration:
   • Update form fields as needed (label, validations, options for severity/category).
   • Enter your Google Sheet ID and sharing settings.
   • Configure Gmail/SMTP credentials and recipient address (example: [[email protected]](/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection) or your own team).
3. Deploy Webhook: Copy your n8n webhook URL and connect it to your reporting interface (form, app, device, etc.).
4. Activate: Enable the workflow in n8n. Submissions are now handled in real time.
5. Test: Submit a sample incident to make sure data logs in Google Sheets and the alert email arrives as expected.

Requirements

Tool

Purpose

n8n Instance

Orchestrates the workflow

Google Account

To access/use Google Sheets

Gmail/SMTP

For sending incident alerts

Incident Source

n8n Form, webhook, app or device

How to Customize

• Form Fields: Add/remove fields or validations in the n8n form for organization-specific needs (e.g., add photos, custom categories).
• Alert Routing: Use IF nodes to send critical alerts via Slack, SMS or escalate to on-call teams based on severity/type.
• Backend: Replace Google Sheets with Notion, Airtable, PostgreSQL or other databases.
• Reporting: Add PDF nodes to auto-generate and send report summaries.
• Integrations: Push incidents to ticketing, asset tracking or calendar scheduling workflows.

Add‑Ons (Optional Extensions)

Feature

Description

Slack Alerts

Instantly notify Slack channels on critical issues

Database Logging

Store reports in SQL/NoSQL systems

PDF Generation

Email ready-to-use incident reports as PDFs

Calendar Events

Schedule follow-ups or deadline reminders

AI Categorization

Auto-classify incidents by severity/type

Task Creation

Open tickets in Jira, Trello, ClickUp or Asana

Use Case Examples

• Field engineers report solar inverter faults with mobile forms.
• Security personnel log site intrusions, with photos and severity.
• IoT sensors auto-post equipment failures as incidents.
• Compliance or EHS teams capture safety observations in real time.
• Technicians submit maintenance or post-repair issues instantly.

Common Troubleshooting

Issue

Possible Cause

Solution

Form not triggering

Webhook URL incorrect

Double-check webhook endpoint and method (POST)

Email not delivered

Wrong SMTP/Gmail credentials

Re-enter credentials or verify SMTP access

Google Sheets not updated

Sheets ID wrong/missing permissions

Use correct ID, share sheet with service account or make accessible

Missing report fields in log

Form field names or types mismatched

Align JSON/form data keys with workflow node mappings

Attachments not saved

Field not set for file type

Review form field definitions and adjust as needed

Need Help?

Want a tailored setup, advanced automations or powerful add-ons (AI, SLAs, PDF logs, ticketing integration)? Our n8n workflow experts at WeblineIndia are ready to help you engineer seamless incident management for any industry.

👉 Contact WeblineIndia — Your Automation partner for smart preventive maintenance and calendar-driven ops!