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Automated PDF form filling for W-9 and more with PDF.co

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Automated PDF form filling for W-9 and more with PDF.co preview
Open on n8n.io

Important notice

This workflow is provided as-is. Please review and test before using in production.

1. Workflow Overview

‍ Description This workflow demonstrates how to take structured data (e.g., Name, Business, Address) and automatically fill a PDF form (IRS W 9) using PDF.co inside n8n . The workflow extracts ...

Best for

  • Document Extraction automation workflows
  • Multimodal AI automation workflows
  • intermediate n8n builders looking for reusable templates

Tools used

n8n-nodes-base.manualtrigger, n8n-nodes-base.stickynote, n8n-nodes-base.set, n8n-nodes-pdfco.pdfco api

Source and attribution

This workflow is cataloged by N8N Workflows and links back to its original n8n.io source page by Robert Breen.

Original n8n.io source

1.1 Workflow description

Title
Automated PDF form filling for W-9 and more with PDF.co
Workflow name
Automated PDF form filling for W-9 and more with PDF.co

🧑‍💻 Description

This workflow demonstrates how to take structured data (e.g., Name, Business, Address) and automatically fill a PDF form (IRS W-9) using PDF.co inside n8n.

The workflow extracts values from a data source (e.g., Set node, database, or webhook), maps those values to fields in a PDF template, and generates a completed PDF. This can be adapted for contracts, invoices, HR forms, or any standardized documents that need automation.

By chaining additional nodes, you can also store completed PDFs in Google Drive/Dropbox, email them to recipients, or route them into CRM/ERP systems.

Disclaimer: this template can only be used on self-hosted n8n instances


⚙️ Setup Instructions

1️⃣ Prepare Your Data

  • Add a Set node (or connect to your data source such as Google Sheets, Airtable, or a webhook).
  • Define fields like:
    • Name
    • Business
    • Address
    • CityState
  • These fields will map directly to form fields in the PDF.

2️⃣ Connect PDF.co

  1. Create a free account at PDF.co
  2. Copy your API Key from the dashboard
  3. In n8n → Credentials → New → PDF.co API
    • Paste your API Key → Save
  4. In the PDF.co node, select your credential and choose the Fill a PDF Form operation
  5. Map each field in your dataset to the corresponding PDF form field (e.g., Name → Line 1 on the W-9).

📄 Example Form

This template uses the official IRS W-9 PDF:
https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/fw9.pdf

Mapped fields include:

  • Name → Line 1
  • Business → Line 2
  • Address + City/State → Address block

You can expand this by mapping additional fields such as Tax Classification, Exemptions, TIN, and Signature.


🎛️ Customization Guidance

  • Different PDFs: Swap the W-9 for any contract, invoice, or onboarding form your business uses.
  • Dynamic Data Sources: Replace the Set node with Google Sheets, Airtable, or API/Webhook inputs to pull live data.
  • Automated Delivery: After filling the form, use Email or Slack nodes to send PDFs directly to recipients.
  • Document Storage: Save completed PDFs automatically to Google Drive, Dropbox, or AWS S3.
  • Bulk Processing: Loop through rows of a dataset (e.g., customer list) to generate multiple personalized PDFs at once.

📬 Contact

Need help customizing this workflow for contracts, invoices, or HR forms?

1.2 Logical Blocks

This catalog entry is organized from the workflow JSON. The node-level section below shows the executable blocks available for review before importing the template.

2. Block-by-Block Analysis

Block 1 - When clicking ‘Execute workflow’

Type / Role
n8n-nodes-base.manualTrigger - manualTrigger
Config choices
Version 1

Block 2 - Sticky Note3

Type / Role
n8n-nodes-base.stickyNote - stickyNote
Config choices
Version 1

Block 3 - Sticky Note56

Type / Role
n8n-nodes-base.stickyNote - stickyNote
Config choices
Version 1

Block 4 - W9 Data

Type / Role
n8n-nodes-base.set - set
Config choices
Version 3.4

Block 5 - Fill in PDF Form

Type / Role
n8n-nodes-pdfco.PDFco Api - PDFco Api
Config choices
Version 1

Block 6 - Sticky Note63

Type / Role
n8n-nodes-base.stickyNote - stickyNote
Config choices
Version 1

3. Summary Table

Workflow Automated PDF form filling for W-9 and more with PDF.co
Complexity intermediate
Nodes 6
Categories Document Extraction, Multimodal AI
Author Robert Breen
Published 26 Aug 2025

4. Reproducing the Workflow from Scratch

  1. 1. Download the workflow JSON

    Use the JSON export at /data/workflows/7863/7863.json as the source template for this automation.

  2. 2. Import the template into n8n

    Open n8n, import the downloaded JSON, and review each node before activating the workflow.

  3. 3. Configure credentials and variables

    Replace placeholder credentials, API keys, webhook URLs, account IDs, and environment-specific values with your own settings.

  4. 4. Test with sample data

    Run the workflow manually or in a staging workspace, inspect node output, and confirm downstream systems receive the expected data.

  5. 5. Activate and monitor

    Enable the workflow only after testing, then monitor executions, errors, and rate limits during the first production runs.

5. General Notes & Resources

Review imported nodes carefully before activation. This catalog entry is intended to help you inspect the workflow structure, understand required services, and find related templates faster.

Node names, credentials, schedules, webhook paths, and external service limits may need adjustment for your workspace.

Frequently asked questions

What does Automated PDF form filling for W-9 and more with PDF.co do?

‍ Description This workflow demonstrates how to take structured data (e.g., Name, Business, Address) and automatically fill a PDF form (IRS W 9) using PDF.co inside n8n . The workflow extracts ...

What do I need before importing this workflow?

Review the workflow JSON, configure any required credentials in n8n, and test the automation in a safe workspace before using it in production.

Can I customize this workflow?

Yes. Use the block-by-block analysis and the downloadable JSON to inspect each node, then adjust credentials, prompts, schedules, filters, or destinations for your Document Extraction, Multimodal AI use case.