How can I implement an email trigger in n8n to process incoming JSON data?

You can use n8n’s built-in Email Trigger (IMAP) node. This trigger node is designed to receive incoming emails via an IMAP email server, which fits your use case.

How It Works

• Configuration:
  You can set up the node with your IMAP credentials and specify the mailbox you want to check. It also allows you to decide whether emails should be marked as read when received and whether attachments should be downloaded.

• Handling JSON Data:
  Once the Email Trigger (IMAP) node catches an email, you can add a Function or Code node later in your workflow to parse the JSON data from the email body.

Example Workflow Overview

1. Email Trigger (IMAP) Node:
   Set up your IMAP credentials and mailbox. Choose the appropriate format (RAW, Resolved, or Simple) based on the level of detail you need.

2. Data Extraction/Parsing:
   Add a Function node after the trigger to extract and parse the JSON data from the email body. For example:

   JAVASCRIPTCopied
   // Example code in a Function node
   const emailBody = $json["body"]; // adjust key based on the chosen format
   try {
     const parsedData = JSON.parse(emailBody);
     return [{ parsedData }];
   } catch (error) {
     throw new Error("Failed to parse JSON: " + error.message);
   }

Summary

Using the Email Trigger (IMAP) node is the recommended and built-in approach to trigger workflows based on incoming emails. Once triggered, you can process and extract JSON data from the email body as needed. This avoids relying on limited webhook functionality as your data is coming through email.