Skip to main content

Automated PDF form processing with web forms and email delivery

Workflow preview

Workflow preview
100%
Automated PDF form processing with web forms and email delivery preview
Open on n8n.io

Important notice

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

1. Workflow Overview

️ Notice: Community nodes like @custom js/n8n nodes pdf toolkit can only be installed on self hosted instances of n8n. This n8n workflow demonstrates how to collect form submissions from...

Best for

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

Tools used

n8n-nodes-base.httprequest, @custom-js/n8n-nodes-pdf-toolkit.pdfformfill, @custom-js/n8n-nodes-pdf-toolkit.getformfieldnames, n8n-nodes-base.stickynote, n8n-nodes-base.emailsend, n8n-nodes-base.webhook, n8n-nodes-base.html, n8n-nodes-base.respondtowebhook

Source and attribution

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

Original n8n.io source

1.1 Workflow description

Title
Automated PDF form processing with web forms and email delivery
Workflow name
Automated PDF form processing with web forms and email delivery

> ⚠️ Notice:
> Community nodes like @custom-js/n8n-nodes-pdf-toolkit can only be installed on self-hosted instances of n8n.


This n8n workflow demonstrates how to collect form submissions from a landing page, fill a PDF form automatically, and send it via email. It uses the PDF Form Fill node from customjs.space to populate PDF fields with the submitted data.


What this workflow does

  • Serves a landing page with a user-friendly form.
  • Receives form submissions via a Webhook.
  • Uses the HTTP Request node to fetch a PDF template.
  • Fills the PDF form fields with the submitted data using the PDF Form Fill node.
  • Optionally reads PDF form field names using Get PDF Form Fields.
  • Sends the completed PDF as an email attachment.

Requirements

  • Self-hosted n8n instance.
  • CustomJS API key for the PDF Toolkit nodes.
  • SMTP account for sending emails.
  • Optional: Access to the PDF template online.

Workflow Steps

  1. Landingpage Endpoint (Webhook)
    Serves the landing page HTML to visitors.

  2. Set Form Endpoint
    Dynamically injects the endpoint URL into the HTML form.

  3. HTML for Landingpage
    Provides the form where users enter personal information (name, address, city, country, etc.).

  4. Respond to Webhook
    Returns the landing page HTML to the visitor.

  5. FormData Endpoint (Webhook)
    Receives the submitted form data as JSON.

  6. HTTP Request – Get PDF Template
    Fetches the PDF form template from a URL.

  7. PDF Form Fill (Fill PDF Fields)
    Populates the PDF with the submitted form data.

  8. Get PDF Form Fields (Optional)
    Reads and lists the names of the form fields in the PDF.

  9. Send Email
    Sends the completed PDF as an attachment to a configured recipient.

  10. Sticky Notes
    Provide documentation within the workflow for easier understanding and maintenance.


Usage

  1. Get API key from CustomJS

    • Sign up on the CustomJS platform.
    • Navigate to your profile page and copy your API key.
  2. Set Credentials for CustomJS API in n8n

    • Create a new credential in n8n with your API key.
  3. Prepare SMTP Credentials

    • Add your SMTP server credentials to n8n for sending emails.
  4. Run or schedule the workflow

    • The workflow will serve the landing page, fill the PDF form with submissions, and send it via email.

Customization Tips

  • Modify the landing page form in the HTML node to add or remove fields.
  • Change PDF template URL in the HTTP Request node.
  • Add more recipients or dynamic email addresses in the Send Email node.
  • Track submitted form data in Google Sheets or a database for long-term storage.
  • Extend workflow logic with validation or notifications using additional nodes.

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 - HTTP Request

Type / Role
n8n-nodes-base.httpRequest - httpRequest
Config choices
Version 4.2

Block 2 - PDF Form Fill (Fill PDF Fields)

Type / Role
@custom-js/n8n-nodes-pdf-toolkit.PdfFormFill - PdfFormFill
Config choices
Version 1

Block 3 - Get PDF Form Fields

Type / Role
@custom-js/n8n-nodes-pdf-toolkit.GetFormFieldNames - GetFormFieldNames
Config choices
Version 1

Block 4 - Sticky Note

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

Block 5 - Send email

Type / Role
n8n-nodes-base.emailSend - emailSend
Config choices
Version 2.1

Block 6 - FormData Endpoint

Type / Role
n8n-nodes-base.webhook - webhook
Config choices
Version 2.1

Block 7 - HTML for Landingpage

Type / Role
n8n-nodes-base.html - html
Config choices
Version 1.2

Block 8 - Landingpage Endpoint

Type / Role
n8n-nodes-base.webhook - webhook
Config choices
Version 2.1

Block 9 - Respond to Webhook

Type / Role
n8n-nodes-base.respondToWebhook - respondToWebhook
Config choices
Version 1.4

Block 10 - Sticky Note1

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

Block 11 - Set Form Endpoint

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

Block 12 - Sticky Note2

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

3. Summary Table

Workflow Automated PDF form processing with web forms and email delivery
Complexity intermediate
Nodes 12
Categories Document Extraction
Author CustomJS
Published 09 Oct 2025

4. Reproducing the Workflow from Scratch

  1. 1. Download the workflow JSON

    Use the JSON export at /data/workflows/9404/9404.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 processing with web forms and email delivery do?

️ Notice: Community nodes like @custom js/n8n nodes pdf toolkit can only be installed on self hosted instances of n8n. This n8n workflow demonstrates how to collect form submissions from...

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 use case.