n8n Workflow: Automate Actions After PDF Generation with PDFMonkey

This n8n workflow provides a robust and extensible foundation for automating post-PDF generation actions, particularly when working with services like PDFMonkey. It acts as a central listener for PDF generation events and allows for conditional processing based on the event's outcome.

Description

This workflow simplifies the process of reacting to PDF generation events. It listens for incoming webhooks, typically from a service that generates PDFs (like PDFMonkey), and then allows you to define conditional logic to handle successful or failed PDF generations differently. This enables you to trigger various subsequent actions, such as sending notifications, updating databases, or archiving documents, based on the status of the PDF generation.

What it does

1. Listens for PDF Generation Events: The workflow starts by exposing a webhook endpoint that listens for incoming HTTP POST requests. This webhook is expected to receive data related to a PDF generation event.
2. Conditional Processing: It then uses an "If" node to evaluate the incoming data. This node is designed to check for a specific condition (e.g., success status in the webhook payload).
3. Handles Success (Placeholder): If the condition evaluates to true (e.g., PDF generation was successful), the workflow currently includes an "HTTP Request" node as a placeholder for further actions. This could be used to call another API, send a notification, or store the generated PDF.
4. Handles Failure/Other Cases (Placeholder): If the condition evaluates to false (e.g., PDF generation failed or the condition was not met), the workflow does not have any explicit actions defined in the provided JSON. This output branch is available for you to add actions for failed generations, such as sending error alerts or logging the failure.
5. Documentation Note: A "Sticky Note" is included for documentation, indicating where to add logic for failed PDF generations.

Prerequisites/Requirements

• n8n Instance: A running n8n instance to host the workflow.
• Webhook Source: A service capable of sending HTTP POST requests to a webhook URL upon PDF generation events (e.g., PDFMonkey, custom application).
• API Endpoints (Optional): If you intend to use the "HTTP Request" node for further actions, you will need the relevant API endpoints and authentication details for the services you wish to interact with.

Setup/Usage

1. Import the Workflow: Import the provided JSON into your n8n instance.
2. Configure the Webhook:
   • Activate the "Webhook" node.
   • Copy the generated webhook URL.
   • Configure your PDF generation service (e.g., PDFMonkey) to send POST requests to this URL whenever a PDF is generated. The payload should ideally include a status indicator (e.g., success: true/false).
3. Configure the "If" Node:
   • Edit the "If" node to define the condition that determines a successful PDF generation. A common condition would be to check for a success field in the incoming webhook data, for example: {{ $json.success === true }}.
4. Define Success Actions:
   • In the "True" branch of the "If" node, configure the "HTTP Request" node (or add other nodes) to perform actions for successful PDF generations. Examples include:
     • Sending a Slack notification with the PDF link.
     • Uploading the PDF to Google Drive or an S3 bucket.
     • Updating a record in a CRM or database.
5. Define Failure Actions (Optional):
   • In the "False" branch of the "If" node, add nodes to handle failed PDF generations. Examples include:
     • Sending an error email to an administrator.
     • Logging the failure to a monitoring system.
     • Retrying the PDF generation process.
6. Activate the Workflow: Once configured, activate the workflow to start listening for incoming PDF generation events.