n8n Integration

n8n ("nodemation") is an open-source, low-code workflow automation platform with over 300 integrations. Combined with APITemplate.io, you can automate PDF generation from databases, APIs, webhooks, SaaS apps, and more — using a visual drag-and-drop editor.

With this integration you can:

Generate PDFs (invoices, reports, certificates, contracts) triggered by events in any connected app
Automate recurring documents such as weekly reports or monthly statements using cron triggers
React to real-time events like Stripe payments, form submissions, or database changes
Deliver documents via email, cloud storage, or webhook responses

tip

For the full step-by-step walkthrough with additional details, see the original blog post: How to Generate PDF Documents with n8n and APITemplate.io

Prerequisites

You need accounts on both services:

n8n — self-host or sign up for n8n Cloud at n8n.io
APITemplate.io — sign up at app.apitemplate.io

n8n platform

APITemplate.io platform

Step 1 — Create a PDF template in APITemplate.io

Log in to APITemplate.io and go to Manage Templates
Click New PDF Template
Choose between the Visual Editor or HTML Editor
Define variables like {{name}}, {{invoice_number}}, or loops such as {{#each items}}
Save the template and copy the Template ID
Copy your API key from the API Integration tab

info

Make sure your variables are well structured. For example, an invoice template might include {{due_date}}, {{total}}, and an array of items.

Step 2 — Set up APITemplate credentials in n8n

Open your n8n instance
Go to Credentials > New Credential > search for APITemplate.io
Choose API Key and paste the key from your APITemplate dashboard
Save the credentials

Having credentials stored in n8n allows you to reuse them across multiple workflows.

Step 3 — Build the workflow

i. Choose a trigger

Pick a trigger node depending on your use case:

Trigger	Use case
Manual Trigger	Testing and development
Cron Trigger	Recurring PDFs (e.g. weekly reports)
Webhook Trigger	On-demand generation (e.g. form submissions)
App-Based Triggers	React to changes in Airtable, Stripe, Google Forms, etc.

ii. Collect and prepare data

Use nodes to fetch and shape data before sending it to APITemplate.io:

HTTP Request — fetch data from an external API
MySQL / PostgreSQL — query a database
Google Sheets — retrieve spreadsheet data
Function / Set Node — transform your JSON to match the template variables

Example JSON payload:

{
  "name": "Jane Doe",
  "invoice_number": "INV-1001",
  "items": [
    { "description": "Widget A", "price": 25 },
    { "description": "Widget B", "price": 45 }
  ],
  "total": 70,
  "due_date": "2025-07-31"
}

iii. Generate the PDF

There are two methods to generate the PDF.

Method 1: APITemplate.io node (V1 API)

Add an APITemplate.io node:

Operation: PDF → Create
Use your saved credential
Set the Template ID
Paste your JSON into the data field

note

The built-in n8n node currently uses the V1 API.

Method 2: HTTP Request node (V2 API — recommended)

To take advantage of V2's performance improvements and new features, use an HTTP Request node instead. See the V2 API reference for full details.

Configure the node as follows:

Setting	Value
Method	`POST`
URL	`https://rest.apitemplate.io/v2/create-pdf`
Authentication	Generic Credential Type
Generic Auth Type	Header Auth
Body	Raw JSON

Set query parameters for template_id (and optionally expiration). Additional parameters are documented in the API reference.

HTTP Request node authentication setup

For header authentication, use X-API-KEY as the name and enter your API key:

Header authentication with X-API-KEY

Sample HTTP Request node JSON (copy and paste into n8n)

Copy the JSON below, then go to your n8n workflow and paste it with Ctrl+V to create the node automatically:

{
  "nodes": [
    {
      "parameters": {
        "method": "POST",
        "url": "https://rest.apitemplate.io/v2/create-pdf",
        "authentication": "genericCredentialType",
        "genericAuthType": "httpHeaderAuth",
        "sendQuery": true,
        "queryParameters": {
          "parameters": [
            {
              "name": "template_id",
              "value": "YOUR_TEMPLATE_ID"
            },
            {
              "name": "expiration",
              "value": "5"
            }
          ]
        },
        "sendBody": true,
        "specifyBody": "json",
        "jsonBody": "{\n  \"name\": \"Jane Doe\",\n  \"invoice_number\": \"INV-1001\",\n  \"items\": [\n    {\"description\": \"Widget A\", \"price\": 25},\n    {\"description\": \"Widget B\", \"price\": 45}\n  ],\n  \"total\": 70,\n  \"due_date\": \"2025-07-31\"\n}",
        "options": {}
      },
      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.httpRequest",
      "typeVersion": 4.2,
      "position": [-340, -100],
      "id": "0ced6f1a-276c-4af5-b40f-aac5387b5174",
      "name": "HTTP Request",
      "credentials": {
        "httpHeaderAuth": {
          "id": "",
          "name": "Header Auth account"
        }
      }
    }
  ],
  "connections": {},
  "pinData": {},
  "meta": {
    "instanceId": ""
  }
}

The response includes a download_url to access the generated PDF. You can view this URL in the execution log or pass it forward in the workflow.

Use an HTTP Request node to GET the file from the download_url. Then:

Send it via email using the Gmail or SMTP node
Upload it to Google Drive, Dropbox, or Amazon S3
Return the link via Webhook Response for front-end integration
Store metadata in Notion or Airtable alongside the document

Advanced tips

Asynchronous PDF generation

For large files, APITemplate.io supports asynchronous processing. Add a webhook_url parameter to your request, and APITemplate will POST to your n8n webhook once the file is ready — preventing timeouts for long-running jobs.

Debugging workflows

Use Manual Executions to test each node and view live output during development
Pin Data in nodes to simulate results without re-fetching
Use Execute Step to isolate and test one node at a time
Leverage Logs and Error Handling to catch API failures and add retry logic using error branches

Version control

Use environment variables in n8n to manage template IDs and credentials across dev, staging, and production
Back up your APITemplate HTML or JSON templates for version tracking and rollback
Document changes to workflows and templates to maintain a clear history

Example workflows

Stripe → Invoice PDF — payment webhook triggers PDF generation, emails the invoice, stores a copy in Google Drive
Google Sheets → Report PDF — new row triggers a data-rich PDF report
Webhook → Certificate PDF — form submission generates a personalized certificate and returns the download URL
Cron → Monthly report — scheduled trigger fetches database data and generates a recurring report
Airtable → Proposal PDF — new record triggers a custom proposal document with client-specific data

Tips

Use the V2 API via the HTTP Request node for better performance and access to the latest features
The built-in APITemplate.io node uses V1 — for new workflows, prefer the HTTP Request approach
Chain multiple actions after generation: upload to storage, send an email notification, log to a database
Use n8n's Function Node to transform data from any source into the JSON shape your template expects

Prerequisites​

Step 1 — Create a PDF template in APITemplate.io​

Step 2 — Set up APITemplate credentials in n8n​

Step 3 — Build the workflow​

i. Choose a trigger​

ii. Collect and prepare data​

iii. Generate the PDF​

Method 1: APITemplate.io node (V1 API)​

Method 2: HTTP Request node (V2 API — recommended)​

iv. Download or share the PDF​

Advanced tips​

Asynchronous PDF generation​

Debugging workflows​

Version control​

Example workflows​

Tips​

Further reading​