Automated Sprint Planning Preparation Workflow (n8n + Google + OpenAI)

No more update chasing. No more manual DoR checks. No more late-night prep.
This AI-powered workflow handles it — so you walk into Sprint Planning focused, prepared, and in control.

👤 Who is this for?

This workflow is built for Scrum Masters who want to prepare Sprint Planning without stress or last-minute chaos. It’s also ideal for agile teams working in Google Workspace who want consistency in how they handle their rituals. If you're a Product Owner who struggles with formulating Sprint Goals — or an Agile Coach who wants to scale structured planning across multiple teams — this automation will save you time and improve team alignment.

🧩 What problem is this workflow solving?

Preparing for Sprint Planning often involves a lot of manual work: checking calendars, filtering backlog items, reviewing whether stories are “ready,” writing emails, and trying to come up with good Sprint Goals. This workflow takes over those repetitive tasks. It ensures you never forget to prepare, you never have to check DoR compliance by hand, and your Product Owner gets automated Sprint Goal suggestions — a task many find tricky to do themselves.

⚙️ What this workflow does

This n8n workflow automatically detects if there’s a Sprint Planning event next week in the Scrum Master’s Google Calendar. It pulls in all user stories from your Google Sheet backlog that are marked as “Ready for Sprint Planning” or still open in the current sprint. Each story is checked against your Definition of Ready using OpenAI. AI feedback is written back into the backlog, and a clear preparation email is drafted — grouped by story owner (via AI prompt), and split between carry-over work and new stories. It also creates a separate email with three Sprint Goal suggestions based on the selected stories. Both emails go through a human approval step before anything is sent, so you stay fully in control.

🙌 Why it matters

You’ll never forget to prepare for Sprint Planning again. Stories are validated, the backlog is up-to-date, and everyone on the team knows what to expect — days before the meeting. Your Product Owner receives ready-to-use Sprint Goal suggestions. And because it’s automated, this prep doesn’t eat into your day. That means less operational stress, more focus on value, and higher team confidence when starting a sprint.

🚀 Setup

• Connect your own backlog and DoR in Google Sheets
• Set your variables and link your OpenAI and Gmail accounts
• Review and customize the system prompts and email tone

🛠️ How to customize this workflow to your needs

• Change backlog status labels to fit your own naming conventions
• Replace Sheets with Jira, Azure Devops or another system
• Switch Gmail for another email service
• Adjust prompt tone and feedback rules to your Agile style
• Add error logging, Slack alerts, or success notifications

It’s flexible, readable, and documented with sticky notes in the flow canvas.

🔥 Unique Selling Points (USPs)

• Fully automated Sprint Planning prep
• OpenAI-powered feedback for each user story’s Definition of Ready
• Stories grouped by owner, status, and sprint relevance (via prompt logic)
• Google Sheets updated with AI-generated comments
• Auto-generated HTML email ready to send (or save as draft)
• Three Sprint Goal suggestions written for your PO
• Approval steps keep you in control
• Works perfectly alongside the Refinement Prep Workflow

⏱️ Always prepared. Never scrambling. Sprint Planning done right.

🤝 Love this workflow?

I built this template using n8n, a powerful automation platform that connects your tools, data, and AI.

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