n8n

Connect SCT Pro to n8n: installing the node, keys, triggers, actions, and the public address triggers need.

n8n is an automation tool that connects SCT Pro to other apps. A workflow can start when a link breaks, a split test picks a winner, or a link reaches a click milestone. A workflow can also create links, find them, or change where they go.

Setup takes about ten minutes. You install the Simple Click Tracker node in n8n, create a key in SCT Pro, and paste the key into n8n once. After that, you can use SCT Pro in as many workflows as you like.

Before you start

You need three things:

A plan that includes integrations. Open Integrations. If the n8n box says n8n isn't included in your plan, choose See plans to upgrade first.
Owner or admin access. Only the account owner and team admins can see Integrations and create keys. See Team collaboration.
A self-hosted n8n that can install community nodes. For triggers, n8n also needs a public https:// address so SCT Pro can reach it. Actions work without one.

Step 1: Install the node in n8n

In n8n, open Settings, then Community Nodes.
Click Install and enter n8n-nodes-simple-click-tracker.
Confirm and click Install. Two nodes appear: Simple Click Tracker and Simple Click Tracker Trigger.

Step 2: Create an n8n key in SCT Pro

The key is a password just for n8n. It only works for n8n, and you can turn it off at any time without changing your own password.

Click your name in the top-right corner, then choose Integrations.
Scroll down to the n8n box and click Create n8n Key.
Fill in the form:
- Name: anything that helps you recognize it later.
- What can n8n do?: leave both boxes checked unless you want to limit the key. n8n can always look up your links, and it can never delete them.
- Expiration: leave it empty so the key never expires. If you set a date, your workflows stop working on that date.
Click Create Key, then Copy the key from the yellow box. It starts with n8n_.

The full key is shown only once. If you leave the page before copying it, revoke it and create a new one. Treat the key like a password.

Step 3: Connect SCT Pro in n8n

In n8n, add a Simple Click Tracker node to a workflow.
Under Credential to connect with, choose Create new credential.
Paste your key into API Key. Leave API Base URL as it is.
Click Save. n8n tests the key and tells you if it works.

Step 4: Build your first workflow

This example posts a Slack message whenever one of your links stops working. Any app works the same way.

Add a Simple Click Tracker Trigger node and set Event to Broken Link Found.
Leave Link empty to watch every link, or pick one.
Click to listen for a test event. SCT Pro sends a sample within about a minute. It uses example data and has is_test set to true, so it doesn't mean a real link is broken.
Add a Slack node and use fields from the sample in your message, like link.name, reason and link.short_url.
Save the workflow and turn it on. It then appears under Your workflows on Integrations.

Triggers: what SCT Pro can tell n8n

Every trigger has an optional Link field: leave it empty to watch all your links, or pick one link.

Broken Link Found: A link's destination failed its daily check two days in a row. Fields: link, broken_url, reason, status_code, broken_since and clicks_last_24h. See Broken link monitoring.
Link Working Again: A destination that was broken passed a later daily check. Fields: link, url and recovered_at.
Split-Test Winner Picked: A split test has a winner. Automatic winners always send this event. A winner you pick yourself is sent only if you choose Send. Fields: link, winner, runner_up, method and picked_at.
Click Milestone Reached: A link reached the number of clicks you set. Fill in Milestone and choose Total Clicks or Unique Clicks. Each link fires once per workflow. Links already past the number when you turn the workflow on are skipped. Fields: link, milestone, click_type, total_clicks, unique_clicks and reached_at.

Actions: what n8n can do in SCT Pro

Create Link: Makes a new standard link. Name and Destination URL are required. Leave Path empty and SCT Pro makes one for you. Domain is required only when your account has more than one domain. The result includes the new short URL. Needs the Create links permission.
Update Link Destination: Changes where a standard link sends visitors. Pick the link from the list, or use its ID from a Find Link step. Split tests and rotators must be edited in SCT Pro. Needs the Update link destinations permission.
Find Link: Looks up links by exact Path, part of the name, or both, and optionally a Domain. It returns one item per link, up to 25. If nothing matches, it returns no items.

Sending a winner you picked yourself

When you choose a split-test Winner and save, SCT Pro asks Send this winner to your automations? This only happens when you have a Split-Test Winner Picked trigger turned on. Send runs your winner workflows and Zaps. Don't send saves the winner quietly.

Managing your n8n keys

One key is enough. All your workflows can share it. An n8n key doesn't work in Zapier, and a Zapier key doesn't work in n8n.
Revoke a key from the n8n box on Integrations. Triggers that use it stop right away. To keep going, create a new key, update the credential in n8n, and turn your workflows off and on again.
Team accounts: a key works on the account that created it. Switch to the right account before creating one.
You can have up to 100 SCT Pro triggers per account, counting Zapier and n8n together.

What the workflow statuses mean

Waiting for the first event: The workflow is on and ready. Nothing has happened yet that matches it.
Last event delivered (date): Working normally.
Failing: (reason): The last delivery didn't reach n8n. SCT Pro tries again after 1 minute, 5 minutes, 30 minutes, 2 hours and 6 hours. Check that n8n is running and the workflow is on.
Turned off after 50 failed deliveries in a row: SCT Pro stopped sending and emailed you. Fix the problem in n8n, then turn the workflow off and on again.
Turned off: your plan no longer includes integrations: Upgrade your plan, then turn the workflow off and on again in n8n.
Turned off: its n8n key was revoked: Create a new key, update the credential in n8n, then turn the workflow off and on again.
Turned off: its link was deleted: The one link this workflow watched no longer exists. Pick another link in the trigger.

Troubleshooting

"SCT Pro can't reach this n8n address": Triggers need a public https:// address, so they can't reach n8n on localhost or a private network. Give your n8n a public address and set it in n8n's WEBHOOK_URL setting. Actions still work without one.
The test event never arrived: Allow up to a minute, and keep n8n listening while you wait. If it still doesn't arrive, check the status on Integrations and make sure your firewall lets outside requests reach n8n.
"Invalid or revoked API key": The key was mistyped, revoked or expired, or it's a key for another integration. n8n keys start with n8n_. Create a new key if you need to.
"Your plan doesn't include integrations": Upgrade on Billing, then turn your workflows off and on again.
"This API key is not allowed to create links" (or update links): That permission was unchecked when the key was made. Create a new key with the box checked.
"Choose a domain. Your account has more than one.": Fill in Domain in the Create Link step.
"Only standard links can be updated from an integration": The link is a split test or rotator. Change its destinations in SCT Pro.
A milestone didn't fire: Links already past the number when you turned the workflow on are skipped on purpose. Each link fires once per workflow.