How to Hire an n8n Automation Expert for CRM Integrations (with Job Description Examples)

I've been volunteering with a few charities in Europe, helping them setup their CRMs, tech stacks, donation funnels and automation flows. But I won't be available forever. This is why I am writing this post.

There are many methods and platforms you can use to hire an expert. Upwork might be the easiest, so that's what I'll focus on in this post.

Side note: I do not recommend Zapier for non-profits, as it gets super expensive, real fast. They charge by task (node) run, instead of entire flow execution. So for each new donation, your flow might consume ~20 tasks, and that'll cost your org $75 USD per month for each 100 incoming donations. That's too much. n8n is open source and reasonably priced.

How to write a great Upwork Job Description

For our specific case of automation integrations, the main skills you are looking for are:

• At least 1 successful production n8n or Zapier or Make.com (they are similar) workflow deployed.
• Previous CRM automation projects (HubSpot/Salesforce/Beacon/etc).
• Strong API + webhooks skills (REST, OAuth2). Those are needed for Stripe, Salesforce, Beacon CRM, Gmail nodes, etc.
• Clear written and verbal communication, as we want the work they do documented for future reference.

For a non-profit charity, I'll cover the two most common cases:

1. You need help creating a new automation.
2. You need an existing automation fixed or updated.

Let's talk about both.

1. Job Description example: Creating a new n8n automation

For this example, I will use an existing project I worked on for BOS-UK (Borneo Orangutan Survival Foundation).

Job in a nutshell: They had 500+ Stripe subscriptions coming in every month, and they used to manually match those subscriptions to Salesforce NPSP Opportunities then import to Salesforce. This task took about 5 hours a month and needed to be automated.

Example Job Description for a New Workflow integrating Stripe with Salesforce NPSP

2. Job Description example: An existing automation fixed or updated

For this example, I will use some of the work I did for Pangea Trust (Elephant Sanctuary) while helping them integrate GiveWP with Beacon CRM.

Example Job Description for help with existing GiveWP -> Beacon n8n workflow

How to price your job

For automation jobs, you want a predictable fixed price. Especially if it's a straight-forward modification or bug fix to your existing workflow.

For a single flow, doing one main job, I'd price between $300 and $700. For a bug fix, $100-$200 USD should do it.

How to filter Upwork Consultants and reach out to good matches

On Upwork, you can search for "n8n salesforce" or "n8n CRM" in the talent search, and filter for:

• Job Success > 80%
• $100 earned
• 1+ hours billed in the last 6 months
• English level Fluent

Then you can reach out to (invite) consultants with similar experience and previous jobs to the task at hand.

Why 1+ hours billed in the last 6 months, not higher? Because these tasks are usually entry tasks freelancers use to boost up their rating on Upwork.

Here is an example Upwork search link for "n8n Stripe" experts.

How to shortlist candidates

I would focus on the "Completed Jobs" of the candidate, especially ones that match your requirements. Here is an example of a freelancer with Stripe + n8n past jobs:

Then talk to them and make sure they understand the task and are confident they can deliver within the expected time frame.

I'm not going to lie to you: this is a hit-or-miss game. So you might find someone that looks great but will not respect your time (replies late and never delivers), or is hard to communicate with. So make sure you clarify those points before proceeding with a freelancer. Once you find someone you like and is reliable, go back to them.

How to keep your organization's data safe

You need to be safe. If the consultant is untested or untrusted, you don't want to give her/him full access to your production environment.

For each service, you need to provide the consultant with safe access. I'll cover the most relevant to our donation workflow examples.

n8n Access - Member level access & sharing existing flows:

Member level access is sufficient. You can do that by navigating to your n8n settings as an admin user and inviting the consultant:

New workflow

If they are starting from scratch, they would not need access to existing workflows, so just inviting them to your org should be sufficient.

Existing workflow

If you are asking for help with an existing workflow, you need to share a copy of that workflow with them. You can do that by "Duplicating" the workflow and "Sharing" it with them. They will need to create new Credentials with the Sandbox accounts you share with them from Stripe, Salesforce, etc.

Salesforce Sandbox account

Using Salesforce, you have the option to create an empty or Partial Copy sandbox for the consultant. See "Create a Sandbox" Salesforce article.

Stripe Sandbox account

Stripe is a bit trickier, as we do not want them to have full access. One mistake in an AI generated script, and they could cancel all your subscriptions or refund a bunch of payments. We don't want that to be even possible.

First, you need to create a Stripe Sandbox and invite the consultant to it: See Stripe Sandbox docs.

Second, they cannot work blindfolded, so you also need to provide them with sample event data from your live production Stripe account, without giving them developer or admin access to your live account. You can do so by logging into your org's Stripe account as an admin, and running stripe events commands one-by-one and pasting the content into a new .json or .docx file on your machine and sending it to them over email or better even over Upwork chat (more secure than email).

Example command for successful payments: stripe events list --limit 100 -d "types[]=invoice.payment_succeeded" Ask your consultant what sample data they need and ask them to give you stripe events list commands to run for them.

Beacon CRM access, two options: Empty trial account or a copy of your account

The first and simplest option is that the consultant can work on an empty trial Beacon account - but that means they will not have access to your custom fields or custom entity types, etc.

The second option makes the consultant's life easier; you can create a copy of your Beacon account. To do so, you need to contact Beacon support via chat and ask for an "account copy to use as a consultant sandbox".

GiveWP "Manager" account

For GiveWP you can invite them to your WordPress instance as a "GiveWP Manager" user:

Wrapping up

Hiring freelancers is not easy, but knowing what you want and clearly scoping the task will increase your odds of succeeding from the first attempt. Don't forget to make the deadline and your expectations crystal clear throughout the process.