Export CSV File to JSON

This n8n workflow demonstrates how to read a binary file, process it as a spreadsheet, and then convert its data into a JSON format that can be written back as a binary file. This is a foundational example for handling file transformations within n8n.

What it does

This workflow performs the following steps:

1. Starts the workflow: The workflow is manually triggered.
2. Reads a Binary File: It reads an input file, expecting it to be in a binary format (e.g., a CSV file).
3. Processes as Spreadsheet: The binary data is then interpreted as a spreadsheet file (like CSV or Excel), converting its rows and columns into structured n8n items.
4. Converts to/from Binary Data: The structured data from the spreadsheet is then converted into a binary format, effectively transforming it into a JSON representation.
5. Writes Binary File: Finally, the resulting JSON binary data is written to an output file.

Prerequisites/Requirements

• An n8n instance.
• A CSV or similar spreadsheet file to use as input for the "Read Binary File" node.

Setup/Usage

1. Import the workflow: Import the provided JSON into your n8n instance.
2. Configure "Read Binary File":
   • In the "Read Binary File" node, specify the path to your input CSV (or other spreadsheet) file.
3. Configure "Write Binary File":
   • In the "Write Binary File" node, specify the desired output file path and name (e.g., output.json).
4. Execute the workflow: Run the workflow manually by clicking the "Execute Workflow" button or by triggering the "Start" node.

Upon successful execution, a new JSON file will be created at the specified output path, containing the data from your input spreadsheet file.