Linear AI triage with n8n: route new issues to the right team
When an issue is created or updated in Linear, an AI agent reads its title and description and picks Engineering, Product or Design (or a fallback team when nothing matches). The workflow then sets that team on the issue in Linear.
Setup steps
- Import the template into n8n
- Connect your Linear and OpenAI credentials
- Set your team IDs in the routing and update steps
- The AI agent classifies each new or updated issue
- The workflow assigns the matching team in Linear
Steps summarized from the original n8n template source ↗. Use “Copy” to grab them with the tools and source link, or copy an AI prompt.
Try it with AI
Paste this into ChatGPT, Claude or your own agent for step-by-step help. Prompt written by AppToBot from this recipe's data, not by the original author. It keeps drafts for your review and asks before anything is sent or paid.
Help me set up this automation using n8n + OpenAI (GPT-4o-mini) + Linear: "Linear AI triage with n8n: route new issues to the right team". Goal: replace Manual Linear issue triage. How it should work: - Trigger: An issue is created or updated in Linear - Then: Checks it has a title - Then: AI reads the title and description - Then: Picks Engineering, Product, Design or a fallback - Result: Issue moved to the right team Setup steps (summarized from the original source): 1. Import the template into n8n 2. Connect your Linear and OpenAI credentials 3. Set your team IDs in the routing and update steps 4. The AI agent classifies each new or updated issue 5. The workflow assigns the matching team in Linear Guide me one step at a time. Ask me for anything you need (accounts, sheet or channel names) before you start. Safety rules: - Build and test with sample data first, and show me a sample result before anything goes live. - Keep anything that goes to other people (emails, posts, replies, record updates) as drafts for my review until I say otherwise. - Never send, post, buy, pay, delete or change records without my approval. - Tell me about any cost (paid plans, API usage) before I'd incur it, and help me set a spending limit. - Keep API keys and passwords out of shared docs and chats. - Privacy: Issue titles and descriptions go to OpenAI; Linear credentials are stored in n8n. Based on: https://n8n.io/workflows/8845-automatic-issue-routing-in-linear-with-gpt-4-mini-classification/
Tool names link to each official site (opens in a new tab).
Running cost: API pennies Free template; cost is OpenAI API usage. No-code How we sort costs
Stack: n8n · OpenAI
App vs bot, side by side
| Old app / habit | Bot | |
|---|---|---|
| Tool | Manual Linear triage | n8n Linear trigger + OpenAI classifier + Linear update |
| Monthly cost | Not reported | OpenAI API usage + n8n; free template |
| Setup | None (already in use) | Not reported · Intermediate |
| Your time | Baseline | Not reported |
| Maintenance | Handled by vendor/you as before | Keep team IDs and the classifier's team descriptions up to date. |
| Privacy | Data stays with the app vendor | Issue titles and descriptions go to OpenAI; Linear credentials are stored in n8n. |
Full comparison
| Replaces | Manual Linear triage |
|---|---|
| Bot / agent stack | n8n Linear trigger + OpenAI classifier + Linear update |
| Monthly cost before | Not reported |
| Monthly cost after | OpenAI API usage + n8n; free template |
| Setup time | Not reported |
| Time saved | Not reported |
| Skill level | Intermediate |
| Reliability | 3/5: published template with clear steps; no long-term usage data in the source. It changes the team on issues directly, with no review step. |
| Maintenance | Keep team IDs and the classifier's team descriptions up to date. |
| Privacy & data | Issue titles and descriptions go to OpenAI; Linear credentials are stored in n8n. |
| Best for | Teams with a steady flow of new Linear issues |
| Not for | Small teams where one person already triages quickly |
Pros and cons
Pros
- No manual team assignment for routine issues
- Fallback team when nothing matches
- Runs on every new or updated issue
Cons
- Updates issues with no human review
- Three teams out of the box
Source and evidence
n8n community template, updated about 8 months before our check. No usage data in the source.
Read the original n8n template source ↗
“Not reported” means the source doesn't say. We never fill gaps with guesses. Numbers marked “per author” or “vendor claim” are the source's own and weren't independently tested. Source last checked Oct 17, 2026.
Our rating is an editorial opinion based on the public source above, not lab testing. Spot an error? Request a correction.
Plain-text summary (for search and AI assistants)
Linear AI triage with n8n: route new issues to the right team. Replaces Manual Linear triage with n8n Linear trigger + OpenAI classifier + Linear update. Cost before: Not reported. Cost after: OpenAI API usage + n8n; free template. Setup: Not reported, Intermediate. Time saved: Not reported. Reliability 3/5: 3/5: published template with clear steps; no long-term usage data in the source. It changes the team on issues directly, with no review step. Best for: Teams with a steady flow of new Linear issues. Not for: Small teams where one person already triages quickly. Source: https://n8n.io/workflows/8845-automatic-issue-routing-in-linear-with-gpt-4-mini-classification/
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