Overview
This lesson is part of the n8n AI Automation - Zero to Hero course, Section: 2. Getting Started.
Watch the video above for the full tutorial, or read the written guide below.
What is the n8n workspace interface and how is it organized?
The n8n workspace interface opens on an Overview tab that shows every workflow, credential, and execution in one place. Projects bucket that content by team or purpose, while folders inside each project add a second organizational layer. The Starter plan includes one shared project; Pro unlocks three. A sidebar also links to the Admin panel, Templates library, Variables, and personal settings.
How to navigate projects, admin settings, and workflow tools in n8n
The Admin panel's dashboard reports monthly execution counts, workspace online or offline status, and the running n8n version. The gear icon inside the panel opens Workspace Settings, where the time zone field controls when schedule triggers fire. Every workflow inherits this time zone unless you override it inside a specific workflow's own Settings panel. A Restart button reboots the cloud instance if a runaway workflow makes the workspace unresponsive.
Pricing tiers in the Admin panel determine what features and limits apply. The Starter plan costs $24 per month ($20 billed annually) and includes 2,500 executions, five active workflows, and one shared project. The Pro plan starts at $60 per month for 10,000 executions, 15 active workflows, global variables, and admin roles. n8n counts one execution per complete workflow run regardless of how many nodes it contains, so a 50-step automation costs the same single execution as a 2-step one.
The canvas is where you build automations by connecting nodes. Clicking "Create workflow" opens it and immediately prompts you to pick a trigger node: manual, schedule, webhook, app event, or form submission. Clicking "Test workflow" runs the canvas immediately and writes the result to the Executions tab. To run a workflow in production, toggle it from Inactive to Active; only workflows with non-manual triggers can be activated. Workflow-level settings, reached from the three-dot menu, let you set a per-workflow time zone override, designate an error workflow, choose which executions to save, and set a timeout to stop stuck runs.
Key Takeaways
- The Overview tab and Projects organize every workflow and credential in your workspace; folders inside projects add a second grouping layer, and the Starter plan limits you to one shared project.
- n8n charges one execution per workflow run regardless of step count, so a 100-node automation still costs one execution against your monthly quota.
- The workspace time zone in Admin > Workspace Settings is inherited by all workflows; override it per workflow inside that workflow's own Settings panel when regional scheduling differs.
- Activating a workflow switches it to production mode so schedule, webhook, and app-event triggers fire automatically; manual-trigger workflows can't be activated and must be run by clicking "Test workflow."
- The Templates library lists 1,588+ pre-built workflows; import directly to a cloud workspace or download as JSON to load into a local n8n instance via "Import from file."
Related Lessons
- Lesson 4: How to Set Up n8n Cloud in 2025 - Step by Step | n8n Cloud vs Self-Hosting
- Lesson 5: [Free n8n] How to Install n8n on local machine using NPM Node.js
- Lesson 6: How to Install n8n for free on local machine using Docker Desktop
- Lesson 8: n8n Node Types Explained (2025) | How to Build Workflow with Triggers, Apps, Core & Actions
- Lesson 9: Build Your First n8n Workflow - Send Welcome Emails Automatically
Next Steps
Continue your n8n journey with the full n8n AI Automation - Zero to Hero course.
