A Study of Workflow Automation (n8n) for Managing Email Notifications for Overdue Equipment Loans in the Library of Things Service

Abstract

      This study aimed to design, develop, and evaluate the effectiveness of a Workflow Automation system using the n8n platform for managing overdue equipment notifications in the Library of Things service at the Thammasat University Library. The system was developed based on the System Development Life Cycle (SDLC) framework, covering the stages of analysis, design, development, testing, and evaluation. An SQL database was integrated with a Workflow Automation process capable of retrieving data, classifying urgency levels, sending notification emails, and continuously updating status information. The results of the study and real-world implementation revealed that the number of overdue equipment return cases decreased from 196 to 164 cases, representing a reduction of 16.33%. In particular, long-overdue cases (4–14 days overdue) decreased from 29 to 25 cases, reflecting the effectiveness of the tiered notification system. A user satisfaction evaluation conducted with 30 service users showed the highest level of satisfaction, with an average score of 4.30. High ratings were reported in the areas of system functionality and operation, content and information quality, and usefulness and impact. In conclusion, the developed Workflow Automation system helped staff allocate more time to other important tasks, improved the consistency of notifications, and significantly enhanced the efficiency of resource management within the Library of Things service. The system also demonstrates potential for future expansion into multi-channel notification platforms.