---
title: "How emails work in Globus, n8n and SendGrid"
slug: video-how-emails-work
section: Video Library
status: stable
description: "Every day, Globus sends out thousands of emails, welcome messages, reminders, invitations."
last-updated: 2026-10-07
---

# How emails work in Globus, n8n and SendGrid

Video: How emails work in Globus, n8n and SendGrid (1:59) — /docs/video-how-emails-work

- Answers: How does an email get from Globus to an inbox
- Audience: engineering; program scope: all programs
- Visibility: staff; last verified 2026-11-06; owner platform-team

Chapters:
- 0:00 Globus never sends email itself — /docs/video-how-emails-work?t=0
- 0:14 Step 1: Globus decides — /docs/video-how-emails-work?t=14
- 0:28 Step 2: the outbox — /docs/video-how-emails-work?t=28
- 0:41 Step 3: n8n delivers — /docs/video-how-emails-work?t=41
- 0:59 Step 4: SendGrid sends — /docs/video-how-emails-work?t=59
- 1:14 Step 5: the receipt comes home — /docs/video-how-emails-work?t=74
- 1:31 Why work this way — /docs/video-how-emails-work?t=91
- 1:52 One job each — /docs/video-how-emails-work?t=112

## Transcript

Every day, Globus sends out thousands of emails, welcome messages, reminders, invitations. But here's the surprise, Globus never actually sends them itself. Think of Globus as the manager. When something happens, like a host company being invited to the portal, Globus decides three things. Who gets an email, which message to use, and how it should look. Then it writes the order on a note and drops it in the outbox tray. The outbox is just a list of emails waiting to go. Nothing has left the building yet. It's a safe, written record. Now meet n8n. Think of it as the courier. It spots the new note and asks Globus for the exact instructions. The recipient, the approved template, and the verified sender address. n8n never makes decisions. It simply follows orders. Then n8n hands the message to SendGrid. SendGrid is the post office. It's a professional delivery service, built to get email into inboxes, safely and reliably. But the story doesn't end there. As the email is delivered, opened, or clicked, SendGrid sends little receipts back. They travel through n8n, and Globus checks the digital signature on every one, to make sure it's genuine. Then it updates the status, so staff can see exactly what happened. Why work this way? Control. Only approved, tested templates can ever be sent. Every email carries the right branding. And every step leaves a trail, so if something goes wrong, we know exactly where to look. So in short, Globus decides, n8n delivers, SendGrid sends. And the receipt comes home.