Free n8n workflows / Clockify Retainer Hours Alert

Know before a client's hours run out.
Clockify Retainer Hours Alert.

Do you sell monthly hour packages and track the time in Clockify? This n8n workflow checks every morning how much of each client's hours has been used. When a client passes 50%, 80% or 100%, you get one combined email, instead of finding the overrun at invoice time.

Tested 20 Oct 2026 · n8n 2.42.6 · Clockify Free

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How it works

One email, only when something changes.

Your clients and their monthly hours live in a Google Sheet. Every morning at 8:00 the workflow reads the hours logged in Clockify from the 1st of the month to yesterday and compares them with the sheet.

Each threshold is emailed once per client per month.
An optional pace alert warns you when the current pace would use more than 120% of the month's hours.
A mistake in the sheet, such as an unknown project, is listed in the email. The other clients are still checked.
If Clockify, Gmail or Sheets fails, you get one technical notice and no half-finished alert.

Example email

Retainer alert: 2 clients crossed a threshold
(hours counted until 6 Oct)

Acme Ltd      32.4 h of 40.0 h (81%)   New: 80%
Beta Studio   21.0 h of 20.0 h (105%)  New: 50%, 80%, 100%

Each threshold is reported once per month.

Before you download

What you need and what you get.

Services you need

n8n: self-hosted (free Community Edition) or a paid n8n Cloud plan
Clockify: the Free plan works, up to 5 users
A Clockify API key from a workspace owner or admin
A Google account: Sheets and Gmail

The workflow is free. The services it uses may cost money.

In the package

n8n workflow (.json)
README.txt: setup and use
Sample data and a checking guide
Required accounts and possible costs
Tested n8n version and date
Ready-made Google Sheet template

Limitations

Calendar months only, no rollover of unused hours
Up to 10 clients per sheet
Today's hours show up tomorrow
Clockify regional data servers (Pro and Enterprise) are not supported

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The download starts right away.

Enter your email and the download starts. You only get the newsletter if you tick the box.

Setup starts with built-in sample data, so you can see the workflow in action before you connect your own accounts.

Want it built for your business?

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