Filter consultants
We can help you automate your business with Filter and hundreds of other systems to improve efficiency and productivity. Get in touch if you’d like to discuss implementing Filter.
About Filter
The Filter node is one of the most-used utility nodes in n8n, and for good reason. It evaluates each item passing through your workflow against conditions you define and only lets matching items continue downstream. Think of it as a gatekeeper — it checks every record, customer, order, or data point against your rules and discards anything that does not meet the criteria.
In practical terms, this node handles the logic that keeps your automations focused. Processing a list of new leads? Filter to only those from your target industries. Monitoring a webhook feed? Filter out test events and only act on real transactions. Pulling data from a CRM? Filter to records that changed in the last 24 hours. The node supports string matching, number comparisons, date checks, boolean evaluation, and regex patterns — covering virtually any condition you need.
For Australian businesses building business automation workflows, the Filter node is the difference between a workflow that processes everything (wasting API calls, compute time, and sometimes money) and one that processes only what matters. When you are paying per API call to an AI model, per SMS sent, or per record written to a database, filtering early in your pipeline has a direct impact on operating costs.
The node also supports multiple conditions combined with AND/OR logic, so you can build sophisticated filtering rules without writing a single line of code. Items that do not match are not deleted — they are simply routed to the filter’s secondary output, so you can handle rejected items differently if needed. It is simple, reliable, and essential in almost every production workflow.
Filter FAQs
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about how Filter consultants can help with integration and implementation
What does the Filter node do in n8n?
What types of conditions can I set in the Filter node?
How is the Filter node different from the IF node?
Can I filter based on data from a previous node?
Does the Filter node work with large datasets?
What happens to items that do not pass the filter?
How it works
We work hand-in-hand with you to implement Filter
As Filter consultants we work with you hand in hand build more efficient and effective operations. Here’s how we will work with you to automate your business and integrate Filter with integrate and automate 800+ tools.
Step 1
Identify what data needs filtering
Review the data flowing through your workflow and determine which items should continue processing and which should be excluded. Define your filtering criteria clearly — such as status equals active, amount greater than 100, or date within the last week.
Step 2
Place the Filter node after your data source
Add the Filter node to your workflow canvas and connect it immediately after the node that produces the data you want to filter. This could be a database query, API call, webhook trigger, or any node that outputs multiple items.
Step 3
Configure your filter conditions
Set up the conditions that items must meet to pass through. Select the field to evaluate, choose the comparison operator, and enter the value to compare against. Use n8n expressions if you need to reference dynamic values from previous nodes.
Step 4
Add multiple conditions if needed
For more complex filtering, add additional conditions and choose whether they should be combined with AND (all conditions must be true) or OR (any condition can be true). You can build quite sophisticated logic without any code.
Step 5
Handle filtered-out items
Decide what should happen to items that do not match your conditions. If you need to log, alert, or process rejected items differently, connect nodes to the Filter’s secondary output. If rejected items can simply be discarded, leave the secondary output unconnected.
Step 6
Test with representative data
Run the workflow with a sample dataset that includes both matching and non-matching items. Verify that the correct items pass through and that rejected items appear on the secondary output. Check edge cases like empty values, null fields, and boundary conditions to ensure your filters behave as expected.
Transform your business with Filter
Unlock hidden efficiencies, reduce errors, and position your business for scalable growth. Contact us to arrange a no-obligation Filter consultation.