How to Connect Apps with Credentials in n8n

Before any workflow in n8n can read from or write to an external app, you need to set up credentials. Credentials are how n8n authenticates with the apps you want to connect.

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Every app has a different setup. There is no single format. Some use OAuth. Some use API keys. Some use access tokens with additional fields. A few give you more than one option depending on how you set up the connection on the app side.

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Here is how credential setup works for the most common apps, and what to expect from each one.

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How Credentials Work in n8n

When you add a node for a new app, n8n will prompt you to create or select a credential. Click "Create new credential" and a panel opens with the fields required for that specific app.

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Two things worth knowing before you start:

1. Credentials are reusable. Once you save a credential, it is available to every workflow in your n8n instance. You set it up once and select it whenever you add a node for that app.
2. n8n shows you what you need. Most credential panels include a link to the app's documentation and an AI assistant button that walks you through setup if you get stuck.

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App-by-App Credential Setup

Google (OAuth)

Google apps (Gmail, Google Sheets, Google Drive, Google Calendar) use OAuth. The process is straightforward:

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• Click "Sign in with Google"
• Authorize the connection in your Google account
• Done. No keys or manual fields.

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n8n requests only the permissions needed for the node you are connecting. You can also connect multiple Google accounts if you work across different workspaces.

Slack

Slack uses an Access Token as the core credential:

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• Access Token: Generated from your Slack app settings. You will need to create a Slack app in the Slack developer portal, add the relevant OAuth scopes, install it to your workspace, and copy the Bot User OAuth Token.
• Signature Secret: Optional, but recommended if you are using the Slack Trigger node. It verifies that incoming requests are actually coming from Slack and not a third party.

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Both fields are visible on the Slack credential screen in n8n. For most action-only workflows (sending messages, updating channels), the Access Token alone is sufficient.

Airtable

Airtable gives you two options:

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Option 1: Personal Access Token (PAT)

‍The simpler setup. Go to your Airtable Builder Hub, generate a Personal Access Token, set the scopes you need (at minimum: data.records:read, data.records:write, schema.bases:read), and paste it into n8n.

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Option 2: OAuth

‍More involved but grants more controlled, user-level access. Requires three fields:

• OAuth Redirect URL (n8n provides this; paste it into your Airtable OAuth integration settings)
• Client ID (from your Airtable developer settings)
• Client Secret (from your Airtable developer settings)

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For most automation use cases, the Personal Access Token option is sufficient. Note: the older API Key method was deprecated by Airtable in February 2024 and is no longer available.

Shopify

Shopify has three credential options in n8n:

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• Access Token (recommended): The standard setup for custom app connections. Go to your Shopify admin, create a custom app under Settings > Apps and sales channels, and generate the Admin API access token. n8n requires three fields: Shop Subdomain, Access Token, and APP Secret Key (all available from the custom app settings page).
• OAuth2: Used when building Shopify apps that install across multiple stores. Requires a Client ID, Client Secret, and Shop Subdomain from your Shopify Partner dashboard.
• API Key (deprecated): Shopify no longer generates API keys with passwords, so this method is not available for new connections. If you have an older integration using this format, migrate to Access Token.

For most single-store automation work, Access Token is the right choice.

Odoo

Odoo requires four fields for API Key authentication:

• Site URL: Your Odoo instance URL
• Username: Your Odoo account username
• API Key: Generated from your Odoo user settings under Preferences > API Keys
• Database Name: The specific Odoo database you are connecting to

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One important detail: access to Odoo's external API requires a Custom Odoo plan. The One App Free and Standard plans do not include external API access, so n8n cannot connect to those instances. If you are on a plan without API access, n8n also offers a Username and Password credential option as an alternative. Check your Odoo plan before you start.

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When You Are Not Sure What an App Needs

Two resources are built into the n8n credential panel:

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• "Read our docs" link: Takes you directly to n8n's documentation for that specific app's credential setup.
• "n8n AI" button: Opens an AI assistant that walks you through the setup step by step based on which app you selected.

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Both are accessible without leaving n8n.

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Where to Go Next

With credentials saved, the next step is configuring the trigger that starts your workflow. If you have not gone through the eight n8n trigger types yet, n8n Triggers: What They Are and How to Pick the Right One covers each one with manufacturing-specific examples.

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For a comparison of when to use n8n versus Shopify Flow for a given process, see Conditional Logic Automations: When to Use n8n vs Shopify Flow.

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What to Automate Once You're Connected

Getting credentials set up is the technical starting point. The strategic question is deciding which workflows are worth connecting in the first place, and in what order.

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The FlowKaizen guide walks through how operations teams identify, score, and sequence automation builds so each one compounds on the last, rather than being a one-off project that stalls after launch.

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