SAR Narrative Drafter with Claude and Compliance Data
Compliance & Risk
Quick Answer
Input your AML investigation case facts into the workflow, Claude drafts a SAR narrative following FinCEN structure covering who, what, when, where, why, and how. The compliance officer reviews, edits, and finalizes before submission. Never submit an AI-drafted SAR without thorough human review.
The Problem This Solves
AML compliance officers spend 2-4 hours writing each SAR narrative from scratch. With dozens of SARs filed monthly at larger institutions, this represents enormous time cost. Claude drafts a structured, FinCEN-compliant narrative in minutes for compliance officer review.
About This Workflow
Writing SAR narratives is one of the most time-consuming compliance tasks. A well-structured SAR narrative must cover who, what, when, where, why, and how in a specific format that meets FinCEN requirements. This workflow takes a completed AML investigation case, extracts the key facts, and uses Claude to draft a SAR narrative following FinCEN guidance. The draft follows the required structure and includes all mandatory elements, giving the compliance officer a high-quality starting point that requires review and finalization rather than writing from scratch.
Tools Required
Step-by-Step Blueprint
Trigger on completed investigation form submission
Google SheetsCreate an n8n Webhook trigger or Google Sheets trigger that fires when an AML analyst marks an investigation as ready for SAR filing and completes a structured case summary form.
Retrieve investigation case facts
Google SheetsAdd an n8n Google Sheets node to retrieve the completed case summary including: subject information, account details, transaction summary, suspicious activity description, dates and amounts, and any prior SAR history.
Draft SAR narrative with Claude
ClaudeAdd an n8n Claude node. Send the case facts and instruct Claude to draft a SAR narrative following FinCEN guidance. The narrative must cover: identification of subjects, description of suspicious activity, transaction details, and why the activity is suspicious. Use plain factual language as required by FinCEN.
Use this prompt →Format draft for compliance review
n8nAdd an n8n Code node to format Claude's draft into the standard SAR narrative structure with clearly labeled sections matching FinCEN form fields.
Email draft to compliance officer for review
GmailAdd an n8n Email node to send the draft SAR narrative to the responsible compliance officer. Clearly mark it as an AI-generated draft requiring thorough review and approval before any filing. Include the source case facts alongside the draft.
Cost Estimate
n8n Cloud Pro $50/month or self-hosted free. Claude API costs minimal per SAR draft. Google Sheets free. AI compliance workflows assist human compliance officers and do not replace qualified compliance professionals or legal counsel. All SAR drafts require thorough compliance officer review before submission. Never file an AI-drafted SAR without human review and approval.