Training course · n8n · Compliance & Data Protection

n8n for Compliance and Data Protection Teams

Workflow automation with n8n and AI: master nodes, the AI Agent node, integrations and GDPR-friendly self-hosting in practice.

Duration
2 days (14 hrs)
Format
Online or on-site
Language
German or English
Participants
open dates or exclusive for your team
Certificate
Certificate of attendance

Overview

This course connects n8n with the everyday processes of Compliance & Data Protection. Participants work on realistic scenarios and leave with prompts, workflows and checklists they can use straight away.

n8n is a flexible workflow automation platform that combines visual flows with language models and hundreds of integrations. Unlike many cloud services, n8n can also be self-hosted, so your data can stay in your own data centre or with a European hosting provider. Over two days you will learn how triggers, nodes and data flows fit together, how to transform data between applications and how to automate recurring tasks from your day-to-day work reliably.

The core of the course is the combination of automation and AI. Using the AI Agent node, chat models, memory and tools, you build workflows that classify emails, summarise documents, enrich records or answer enquiries. You learn to catch errors, test workflows and document them properly. Finally, you look at hosting options, credential management and data protection, so that your automations run stably, securely and in line with GDPR once they go into everyday operation.

Compliance and data protection teams must keep track of a growing body of rules, from the GDPR and whistleblower protection to supply chain due diligence and the EU AI Act. Generative AI can structure and accelerate this work: AI assistants summarise new regulations, produce gap analyses against existing policies, support records of processing activities and data protection impact assessments and draft clear training content. Automation helps with data subject requests, contract reviews and vendor risk assessments. At the same time, compliance teams are expected to steer AI use across the organisation: AI policies, risk classification under the AI Act and staff AI literacy obligations. Teams that use AI confidently themselves can advise the business better and design effective governance.

The course is delivered live – either online in a virtual classroom or on-site in our training rooms in Munich, Salzburg, Berlin, Augsburg, Hanover, Bremen, Stuttgart and Kaiserslautern. We can also run it exclusively for your team.

Who is this course for?

  • Compliance officers and managers
  • Data protection officers and privacy coordinators
  • Information security officers
  • Governance, risk and compliance staff
  • AI governance leads

Typical challenges we address

  • Tracking numerous new regulations and translating them into internal requirements
  • Keeping records of processing and impact assessments up to date
  • Advising business units quickly and soundly when they introduce new tools
  • Steering organisation-wide AI use in a compliant way

What you will be able to do

  • You can build n8n workflows independently using triggers, logic nodes and data transformations.
  • You can connect n8n to the applications you use every day and fall back on the HTTP Request node where needed.
  • You can use the AI Agent node and other AI building blocks for classification, extraction and summarisation.
  • You can safeguard workflows with error handling, validation and human approval steps.
  • Use AI for regulatory analysis, data protection documentation and contract reviews.
  • Build AI governance with a policy, a tool inventory and risk classification.
  • Advise business units soundly on GDPR and AI Act requirements for AI use.

Course outline

Day 1

Module 1 Fundamentals: workflows, triggers and nodes
  • Getting to know the n8n interface, canvas and execution view
  • Trigger types: schedules, webhooks, incoming email and app events
  • Understanding items and JSON data and working with expressions
  • Using core nodes such as Edit Fields, IF, Switch, Merge and Loop Over Items
Module 2 Integrations and data processing
  • Connecting common applications: email, spreadsheets, CRM, collaboration and cloud storage
  • Using the HTTP Request node for APIs without a ready-made integration
  • Creating, managing and sharing credentials securely within the team
  • Filtering, merging and reshaping data and writing it to target systems
Module 3 AI in n8n: the AI Agent node and LLM building blocks
  • Connecting chat models from different providers as well as locally hosted models
  • Configuring the AI Agent node with a system prompt, memory and tools
  • Automating classification, structured data extraction and summarisation
  • Using your own documents via vector stores for retrieval-augmented generation
Module 4 Error handling, testing and maintainability
  • Setting up error workflows, retries and failure notifications
  • Validating AI output and defining fallbacks for unusable responses
  • Working with pinned test data and tracing past executions
  • Modularising, naming and documenting workflows for colleagues

Day 2

Module 5 Self-hosting, data protection and operations
  • Cloud versus self-hosted: effort, control and licensing model compared
  • Assessing data flows to AI providers against GDPR requirements
  • Managing access rights, logging and retention of execution data
  • Adding human-in-the-loop approval steps to automated processes
Module 6 Practice lab: Compliance & Data Protection
  • Regulatory gap analysis
  • Records of processing and DPIAs
  • Reviewing data processing agreements
  • Data subject requests
  • Building AI governance
  • Training and awareness
Module 7 Data protection, quality & transfer to daily work
  • Compliance and privacy records often contain sensitive information, such as whistleblower reports that must be kept strictly confidential under whistleblower protection laws and must not be entered into unvetted AI tools. At the same time, Article 4 of the EU AI Act requires organisations to ensure sufficient AI literacy among their staff.
  • Ground rules for safe AI use in your team
  • Checking results: facts, sources, tests and the four-eyes principle
  • Personal action plan for the next 30 days
  • Open questions, outlook and resources for further learning

Practical scenarios from your field

Regulatory gap analysis

An AI assistant summarises new regulations, compares requirements with existing policies and processes and produces a structured list of gaps and actions for expert assessment.

Records of processing and DPIAs

Process descriptions and interviews are turned into draft entries for the record of processing activities and risk analyses for data protection impact assessments, reviewed by the DPO.

Reviewing data processing agreements

AI checks vendors' data processing agreements and privacy documentation for the mandatory content under Article 28 GDPR, third-country transfers and technical measures and flags deviations from the internal standard.

Data subject requests

Automations log access and erasure requests, monitor deadlines and draft responses, while data searches and final approval remain with the responsible staff.

Building AI governance

AI helps draft AI policies, build an inventory of AI systems in use and classify them according to the EU AI Act risk categories as a basis for governance board decisions.

Training and awareness

Policies are turned into clear learning modules, case studies and quizzes on data protection, anti-money laundering, anti-corruption or AI literacy, tailored to target groups across the organisation.

Prerequisites

You should be confident with common office applications and have basic experience with AI assistants. No programming is required, although a basic grasp of structured data is helpful. You work in compliance, data protection or information security and are familiar with the basics of the GDPR.

Technical requirements

You will need a laptop with an up-to-date browser. We provide an n8n environment for the exercises, or you can use your own instance; API keys for a language model are set up together during the course.

Data protection & compliance

Compliance and privacy records often contain sensitive information, such as whistleblower reports that must be kept strictly confidential under whistleblower protection laws and must not be entered into unvetted AI tools. At the same time, Article 4 of the EU AI Act requires organisations to ensure sufficient AI literacy among their staff.

Suggested dates

All dates are suggestions – your preferred date is always possible.

  • Wed, 25 November 2026 – Thu, 26 November 2026 Online Request
  • Wed, 9 December 2026 – Thu, 10 December 2026 Bremen Request
  • Tue, 12 January 2027 – Wed, 13 January 2027 Online Request
  • Mon, 18 January 2027 – Tue, 19 January 2027 Salzburg Request
  • Wed, 27 January 2027 – Thu, 28 January 2027 Online Request
  • Tue, 9 February 2027 – Wed, 10 February 2027 Kaiserslautern Request

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to code to work with n8n?

No. Most workflows are built visually by connecting nodes. During the course you also learn simple expressions to reference and reshape data precisely. A Code node is available for special cases but is not essential. A logical understanding of processes and data fields is entirely sufficient to get started.

Why is n8n attractive from a European data protection perspective?

n8n can be self-hosted, for instance on your own servers or with a European hosting provider. This keeps you in control of where workflow and execution data is stored. What still matters is which data you send to external AI services. On the course you learn to assess these data flows and, where appropriate, connect locally hosted models.

How does n8n differ from Make or Power Automate?

All three automate processes across applications. n8n stands out for its self-hosting option, its fair-code licensing and particularly flexible AI building blocks such as the AI Agent node. Make offers a very approachable cloud interface, while Power Automate excels at deep Microsoft integration. The course puts these differences into context for typical scenarios.

What does the EU AI Act actually require of companies?

Since early 2025, certain AI practices have been prohibited and organisations must ensure AI literacy among staff. Further obligations cover transparency and providers and deployers of high-risk systems. In the course we classify typical use cases and work out which governance components your organisation needs.

Can data protection officers use AI themselves?

Yes, for example for contract reviews, draft documentation or training content, provided no unnecessary personal data is processed. The legal assessment remains with you. Hands-on experience with AI also improves your advice to the business, because you can judge opportunities and risks more realistically.

How much does “n8n for Compliance and Data Protection Teams” cost?

The course costs a flat €949 plus VAT per participant – whether online or on-site. This includes 2 training day(s) with a live trainer, course materials, a lab environment and a certificate of attendance.

Can I suggest my own date?

Yes. Our suggested dates are just a guide. In the request form you can always describe your preferred date or period in free text – we check availability and confirm within one working day.

Is the course online or on-site?

Both are possible: live online in a virtual classroom or on-site in Munich, Salzburg, Berlin, Augsburg, Hanover, Bremen, Stuttgart or Kaiserslautern. We can also run the course exclusively for your team.

More courses for Compliance and Data Protection Teams

More n8n courses

All 45 n8n courses

n8n · Munichn8n · Salzburgn8n · Berlinn8n · Augsburgn8n · Hanovern8n · Bremenn8n · Stuttgartn8n · Kaiserslauternn8n · Online