Learn Workflow Logic with Merge, IF & Switch Operations

## How it works Ever wonder how to make your workflows smarter? How to handle different types of data in different ways? This template is a hands-on tutorial that teaches you the three most fundamental nodes for controlling the flow of your automations: **Merge**, **IF**, and **Switch**. To make it easy to understand, we use a simple **package sorting center** analogy: * **Data Items** are packages on a conveyor belt. * The **Merge Node** is where multiple conveyor belts combine into one. * The **IF Node** is a simple sorting gate with two paths (e.g., Fragile or Not Fragile). * The **Switch Node** is an advanced sorting machine that routes packages to many different destinations. This workflow takes you on a step-by-step journey through the sorting center: 1. **Creating Packages:** Three different packages (two letters and one parcel) are created using Set nodes. 2. **Merging:** The first **Merge** node combines all three packages onto a single conveyor belt so they can be processed together. 3. **Simple Sorting:** An **IF** node checks if a package is fragile. If `true`, it's sent down one path; if `false`, it's sent down another. 4. **Re-Grouping:** After being processed separately, another **Merge** node brings the packages back together. This **Split > Process > Merge** pattern is a critical concept in n8n! 5. **Advanced Sorting:** A **Switch** node inspects each package's `destination` and routes it to the correct output (London, New York, Tokyo, or a Default bin). By the end, you'll see how all packages have been correctly sorted, and you'll have a solid understanding of how to build intelligent, branching logic in your own workflows. ## Set up steps **Setup time: 0 minutes!** This template is a self-contained tutorial and requires **zero setup**. 1. There are no credentials or external services to configure. 2. Simply click the **Execute Workflow** button. 3. Follow the flow from left to right, clicking on each node to see its output and reading the detailed sticky notes to understand what's happening at each stage.

Platform

n8n

Category

Education

Price

Free

Creator

Lucas Peyrin

• if
• set
• noOp
• merge
• switch
• stickyNote
• manualTrigger