Find your symptom in the table. If it is not listed, open the failed execution in n8n (Executions tab), click the red node and read its error; the most common causes are below.
| Symptom | Fix |
|---|---|
Every lead shows scored_by = rules |
The LLM call is failing. Open an execution of 01 and look at AI Qualify (LLM). Usual causes are a wrong base URL (it must end in /v1), a missing Bearer prefix, or a wrong model name. |
| Duplicate rows | The header must be exactly email (lowercase), and the tab name must match sheet_tab. |
| "Column names were updated" error | Someone edited the header row. Restore it from the template. |
| No follow-ups sent | Check the next_followup_at values (they use ISO time). Workflow 02 must be published (n8n 1.x: active). Leads with an owner are skipped on purpose. |
| Emails land in spam | Use a domain with SPF/DKIM set up, keep max_emails_per_run low at first, and send from a real person's name. |
| Form gets a CORS error | The Webhook node already allows all origins. Make sure you're using the Production URL and that 01 is published (n8n 1.x: active). |
| Webhook returns 404 | The workflow isn't published, or you're using the Test URL without clicking Listen for test event. Use the Production URL. |
Form gets {"ok":false,"error":"invalid email address"} |
Working as designed: workflow 01 rejects leads without a valid email with HTTP 400. |
| Executions are slow when Slack isn't set up | The Slack node retries the placeholder URL 3 times before moving on. Deactivate the Slack nodes (select → D) if you don't use Slack. |
| A lead filled in the hidden honeypot field | It's scored as SPAM, logged with status spam, and doesn't trigger alerts or emails. |
| Gmail SMTP says "Username and Password not accepted" | Turn on 2-step verification for the Google account, create an app password, and use that instead of your normal password. Port 465 with SSL on. |
| Google Sheets node: "Sheet with name … not found" | The tab name must match sheet_tab exactly (default Leads, case-sensitive). |
FAQ
Do I need to know how to code? No. You fill in one Config box per workflow and pick your logins. The code is already written.
Can I use it without Slack? Yes. Select each Slack node and press D. Hot leads, reports and errors still reach you by email.
Can I use a free AI? Yes. Install Ollama on the same machine as n8n, set the base URL to http://localhost:11434/v1 and the node's authentication to None.
What does one lead cost in AI fees? About 600 tokens per lead. Check your provider's price page for the current rate.
Will it email someone twice? Follow-ups move each lead to the next step after sending, and the sheet is matched by email, so re-runs update rows instead of adding copies. Email nodes retry once if the mail server errors.
How do I stop it emailing a lead? Type your name in the owner column, or set status to booked, won or lost.
Can I use HubSpot or Airtable instead of Sheets? Yes, replace the Sheets node in 01 with that app's node set to "create or update" on email. That change is not covered by our tests.
Where do I get help? This file, SETUP-GUIDE.md and QUICK-START.md. There is no call, chat or email support. Fixes ship as new versions at your download link.