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Download and merge multiple PDFs from URLs with the CustomJS API

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Download and merge multiple PDFs from URLs with the CustomJS API preview
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Important notice

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

1. Workflow Overview

This n8n template demonstrates how to download multiple PDF files from public URLs and merge them into a single PDF using the PDF Toolkit from [www.customjs.space](https:/...

Best for

  • File Management automation workflows
  • intermediate n8n builders looking for reusable templates

Tools used

n8n-nodes-base.splitout, n8n-nodes-base.httprequest, n8n-nodes-base.readwritefile, n8n-nodes-base.manualtrigger, n8n-nodes-base.code, @custom-js/n8n-nodes-pdf-toolkit.mergepdfs

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
Download and merge multiple PDFs from URLs with the CustomJS API
Workflow name
Download and merge multiple PDFs from URLs with the CustomJS API

This n8n template demonstrates how to download multiple PDF files from public URLs and merge them into a single PDF using the PDF Toolkit from www.customjs.space.

@custom-js/n8n-nodes-pdf-toolkit

What this workflow does

  • Defines an array of PDF URLs.
  • Splits the array to process each URL individually.
  • Downloads each PDF using an HTTP Request.
  • Merges all downloaded PDFs using the Merge PDF node from the @custom-js/n8n-nodes-pdf-toolkit.
  • Writes the final merged PDF to disk.

Requirements

A free CustomJS account. An API Key saved in n8n as credentials of type CustomJS account.

Notice

Community nodes can only be installed on self-hosted instances of n8n.

Usage

Get API key from customJS

  • Sign up to customJS platform.
  • Navigate to your profile page
  • Press "Show" button to get API key

Set Credentials for CustomJS API on n8n

Copy and paster your API key generated from CustomJS here.

Design workflow

  • A Manual Trigger for starting workflow.
  • A code node that returns URLs of PDF files as an array
  • Split Out node for concurrent processing
  • HTTP node for downloading PDF file locally
  • Merge PDFs node for merging files
  • Write to Disk node for saving merged PDF file.

You can replace logic for triggering and returning results. For example, you can trigger this workflow by calling a webhook and get a result as a response from webhook. Simply replace Manual Trigger and Write to Disk nodes.

Perfect for

  • Bundling reports or invoices.
  • Generating document sets from external sources.
  • Automating PDF handling without writing custom code.

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 - Split Out

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

Block 2 - HTTP Request1

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

Block 3 - Read/Write Files from Disk2

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

Block 4 - Read/Write Files from Disk3

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

Block 5 - When clicking ‘Test workflow’

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

Block 6 - PDF Array

Type / Role
n8n-nodes-base.code - code
Config choices
Version 2

Block 7 - Merge PDF

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

3. Summary Table

Workflow Download and merge multiple PDFs from URLs with the CustomJS API
Complexity intermediate
Nodes 7
Categories File Management
Author CustomJS
Published 21 Mar 2025

4. Reproducing the Workflow from Scratch

  1. 1. Download the workflow JSON

    Use the JSON export at /data/workflows/3281/3281.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 Download and merge multiple PDFs from URLs with the CustomJS API do?

This n8n template demonstrates how to download multiple PDF files from public URLs and merge them into a single PDF using the PDF Toolkit from [www.customjs.space](https:/...

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 File Management use case.