If you’ve been using ServiceM8’s built-in automations, you’ll already know how much time they can save. But what if you want to do something ServiceM8’s automations can’t quite do on their own?
That’s where n8n comes in.
What is n8n?
n8n (pronounced “n-eight-n”) is a workflow automation platform that lets you connect ServiceM8 to over 1,000 other apps and services — things like Google Sheets, Slack, Microsoft Teams, Gmail, WhatsApp, Xero, HubSpot, Notion, and hundreds more. It works by letting you build visual “workflows” – a trigger happens, and a series of actions follow automatically.
The really good news for ServiceM8 users is that ServiceM8 have built and maintain the n8n connection themselves. That means it’s official, verified, and properly supported. It’s not a workaround.
What can you actually do with it?
Here are some practical examples that would be genuinely useful for a trade or service business:
- A new job is created in ServiceM8 → automatically create a row in a Google Sheet to track it alongside other data you’re managing elsewhere
- A web enquiry form is submitted on your website → automatically create a new job in ServiceM8 so nothing falls through the cracks
- A job is marked complete → automatically trigger a follow-up email or SMS sequence via your email marketing software
- A badge is added to a job → automatically create a task in your project management system for the office team to action
And because n8n has AI built in, you can go even further – summarising and adding job notes, generating follow-up messages, or building smart routing logic that makes decisions based on the data.
Is it hard to use?
n8n has a visual, drag-and-drop workflow builder so you can see exactly what’s happening at every step. There’s also a library of ready-made templates to get you started quickly, and a really active community of users sharing workflows and ideas.
You don’t need to be a developer to use it, though having a bit of curiosity and patience helps. If you’re the kind of person who enjoyed setting up ServiceM8’s automations and want more then n8n is the natural next step.
How does it connect to ServiceM8?
In ServiceM8, go to Settings > API Keys and create a new key for n8n. Then in n8n, search for the ServiceM8 node, install it, and paste your API key in. That’s it.
You can start with n8n Cloud (hosted for you) or self-host it if you want full control. Cloud is the easier starting point.
If you want to give it a try, you can get started here → https://hazelwhicher.co.uk/get/n8n (affiliate link)
Have you already been thinking about automating more of your business? Drop me a message – I’d love to hear what you’re trying to solve.
