pdfmill
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Getting started

Quickstart

~5 minutes

You'll install the pdfmill node in n8n, connect it with an API key, and render the built-in Invoice template with sample data — a real PDF on the node's output, ready to email or save.

You need an n8n instance where you can install community nodes (self-hosted, or n8n Cloud on a plan that allows them) and a pdfmill account. Nothing else — no Chrome, no server.

  1. Create a pdfmill API key

    Sign in to the pdfmill dashboard, open API Keys, and choose New key. The key is shown once — copy it now and keep it somewhere safe. It looks like pk_live_….

  2. Install the Generate PDF node

    In n8n go to Settings → Community Nodes → Install and enter the package name:
    community node
    n8n-nodes-generate-pdf
    Confirm the install. A Generate PDF node now appears in the node panel.

  3. Add the pdfmill credential

    Add a new credential of type pdfmill API and fill in two fields:
    • API Key — the pk_live_… key you just copied.
    • Base URL — leave it as https://api.pdfmill.dev (only change this for a self-hosted engine).
    Click Test. n8n calls the engine to verify the key — a green result means you're connected.

  4. Build a three-node workflow

    On a new canvas, add these nodes and connect them left to right:
    • Manual Trigger — When clicking ‘Execute workflow’.
    • Edit Fields (Set) — switch its mode to JSON and paste the sample invoice below. This stands in for the real data your workflow produces.
    • Generate PDF — configured in the next step.
    sample invoice data (paste into the Set node)
    {
  "invoiceNumber": "INV-2026-0042",
  "issuedAt": "2026-07-15",
  "dueAt": "2026-08-14",
  "paymentTerms": "Net 30",
  "currency": "USD",
  "from": {
    "name": "Fieldstone Automation LLC",
    "address": "2211 Alder Street, Suite 4\nPortland, OR 97205, USA",
    "email": "billing@fieldstone-automation.com",
    "taxId": "US 84-2210417"
  },
  "billTo": {
    "name": "Harbor & Lane Coffee Roasters",
    "address": "18 Dockside Avenue\nSeattle, WA 98101, USA",
    "email": "accounts@harborandlane.com"
  },
  "items": [
    { "description": "n8n workflow build", "quantity": 1, "unitPrice": 2400, "lineTotal": 2400 },
    { "description": "Custom PDF template design", "quantity": 2, "unitPrice": 350, "lineTotal": 700 }
  ],
  "subtotal": 3100,
  "taxRate": 8.5,
  "taxAmount": 263.5,
  "total": 3363.5,
  "notes": "Payment by ACH to the account on file. Thank you!"
}

  5. Configure Generate PDF

    Open the Generate PDF node and set:
    • Operation: Generate from Template.
    • Template Name or ID: pick Invoice from the dropdown (it loads the built-in starter templates live, authenticated with your API key).
    • Data: leave the default {{ $json }} — it uses the incoming item, which is your sample invoice.
    • Format: PDF. Put Output File in Field: data.

  6. Run it

    Click Execute workflow. The Generate PDF node outputs your invoice as a binary on the data property — open the binary to view the PDF — plus a JSON summary (pages, bytes, requestId, and the file name). That's your first document.

Now wire it to a real destination

Add a Gmail or Google Drive node after Generate PDF and use the data binary property as the attachment or upload. Swap the manual trigger and the Set node for your real trigger (a Stripe event, a webhook, a spreadsheet row).

New to PDFs in n8n?

If you're weighing the options first — self-hosting Chrome, a document API, or a focused node — the guide How to generate PDFs in n8n lays them out honestly, then lands back here for the setup.

Prefer the raw HTTP API, or not using n8n? The same render is one POST /v1/render call. Want to shape your own document? See the templates guide.