Exercise 4: (Stretch): Receive a Webhook

Objective: Set up a webhook trigger and send real data to it from an external service.

Instructions:

This is more advanced, but you're ready.

1. Create a new workflow with a Webhook trigger:
2. In Make: Trigger > Webhooks > Custom Webhook
3. In n8n: Trigger > Webhook
4. Copy the unique webhook URL your platform generates
5. Test it using one of:
6. Webhook.site (https://webhook.site/) — Copy your URL here, trigger a test request, see the data arrive
7. Pipedream (https://pipedream.com/) — Use it to send a test HTTP request to your URL
8. A real service — If you use Typeform, GitHub, Stripe, or similar, configure a real webhook that points to your workflow URL
9. Verify the data arrives in your workflow
10. If using a real service, set up a subsequent step that does something with that data (send a message, update a record, etc.)

Deliverable: - A screenshot of your webhook URL and trigger setup - A screenshot of the incoming webhook data (the JSON that arrived) - If using a real service, a screenshot of that service's webhook configuration pointing to your URL - Optional but impressive: a screenshot of a complete workflow triggered by that webhook, showing the data being processed

Module Deliverable: Custom Integration Workflow

Build one complete, documented integration workflow that uses direct API calls or webhooks. This is your capstone for Module 4.

Requirements:

Your workflow should: - Use at least one HTTP module to call an API directly, OR receive a webhook from an external service - Authenticate properly using your platform's credential vault (not hardcoded keys) - Extract and meaningfully use data from the API response - Solve an actual problem or demonstrate a capability that matters to you

Documentation:

Create a folder or document that includes:

1. Workflow Explanation (2-3 sentences):
2. What does this workflow do?
3. What problem does it solve or what capability does it demonstrate?

4. Why did you choose this particular integration?

5. API Information:

6. The API endpoint used (or service sending the webhook)
7. The authentication method (API key, Bearer token, OAuth, etc.)

8. What data the workflow extracts and uses

9. Screenshots:

10. The complete workflow view (showing all modules)
11. The HTTP module configuration (with keys obscured if visible)
12. A successful execution showing the API response and downstream usage

13. (If webhook-based) The webhook configuration in the external service

14. What You Learned:

15. One specific thing about this API or integration that surprised you
16. One challenge you encountered and how you solved it
17. How this skill changes what you can automate

Deliverable Format: - A PDF document, Google Doc, or Markdown file with screenshots embedded - File named [YourName]-Module4-CustomIntegration - Share this with your course community or submit it for feedback

Suggested Integration Ideas

If you're stuck on what to build:

Easy (start here): - Fetch weather data and send a daily morning brief to Slack - Get cryptocurrency prices and log them to a spreadsheet on a schedule - Fetch a random quote from an API and post it to Twitter

Medium: - When a new GitHub issue is created (webhook), post it to Slack with the description - Create a task in Notion via HTTP when you receive an email with a specific label - Fetch your Stripe transactions and categorize them in a spreadsheet

Challenging: - Build a workflow that monitors a tool's status API and alerts you when it goes down - Create a sync between two tools that don't have a native connector - Build a smart notification system that fetches multiple data sources and summarizes them intelligently

How to Know You're Ready for Module 5

You're ready when you can:

✅ Read an API documentation page and identify what you need to make a successful request

✅ Configure an HTTP module in Make or n8n without referencing a guide

✅ Explain the difference between GET, POST, PUT, and DELETE

✅ Store and use API keys securely in your platform's credential system

✅ Navigate a JSON response and map fields into downstream steps

✅ Set up a webhook trigger or call an API that sends webhooks

✅ Handle HTTP errors and understand what status codes mean

✅ Build a complete integration workflow that solves a real problem

If you can do these things, you've mastered the skills in Module 4. You can now connect to almost anything on the internet.

What's Next

Once you've completed these exercises and submitted your custom integration workflow, you're ready for Module 5: Your Automation System.

In Module 5, you'll zoom out. You've built individual workflows. Now you'll learn how to: - Structure multiple workflows as a coherent system - Monitor and maintain your automations reliably - Handle errors gracefully - Grow your automation without things breaking - Know when to add more sophistication and when to keep it simple

You'll also consolidate everything you've learned into your personal automation strategy.

Let's build something that lasts.