Automated Lead Scorer with Budget Control for n8n

Stop AI Runaway Costs While Scoring Leads Automatically

This n8n workflow automatically scores incoming leads using Claude AI (or OpenAI) with bulletproof budget protection that prevents surprise invoices. Unlike n8n's native AI nodes, this template includes a hard monthly spending cap that blocks requests when your budget is reached—so runaway loops never drain your account.

What This Workflow Does

The workflow leverages PromptCost proxy service to add enterprise-grade spend controls to your lead scoring automation:

• Automatically tags every AI call with your workflow name for tracking
• Returns 503 error to webhook callers when monthly budget cap is hit
• Sends immediate Slack alerts when budget limits are reached
• Blocks charges BEFORE API calls are made (proxy returns 429 status)
• Processes lead data through Claude AI for intelligent scoring
• Maintains full functionality while protecting your budget

Use Cases

Perfect for automation engineers and SaaS operators who need reliable lead scoring without financial risk:

• Marketing agencies processing high-volume lead intake with strict budget controls
• Sales teams scoring inbound leads from multiple channels safely
• Enterprise workflows requiring AI analysis with spend governance
• Development environments where runaway costs must be prevented

Technical Details

Built with essential n8n nodes for robust automation:

• HTTP Request node: Connects to PromptCost proxy instead of direct AI APIs
• Webhook node: Receives incoming lead data for processing
• Slack node: Sends budget alerts and notifications
• Code node: Handles data transformation and logic
• IF node: Manages conditional workflow branching
• WhatsApp integration: Additional notification options

Setup requires free PromptCost account signup, setting ANTHROPIC_API_KEY and PROMPTCOST_KEY as n8n environment variables, and configuring monthly budget limits. Easily switch to OpenAI by changing the endpoint URL to api.promptcost.io/openai/v1/chat/completions.