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Listen on new emails on a IMAP mailbox

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Listen on new emails on a IMAP mailbox preview
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Important notice

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

1. Workflow Overview

Listen on new emails on a given IMAP mailbox. Converts the binary XML attachment to a stringified property on the object and converts it to JSON. The node could be replaced with nodes for example t...

Best for

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

Tools used

n8n-nodes-base.emailreadimap, n8n-nodes-base.movebinarydata, n8n-nodes-base.xml, n8n-nodes-base.httprequest, n8n-nodes-base.set

Source and attribution

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

Original n8n.io source

1.1 Workflow description

Title
Listen on new emails on a IMAP mailbox
Workflow name
Listen on new emails on a IMAP mailbox

Listen on new emails on a given IMAP mailbox. Converts the binary XML attachment to a stringified xmlproperty on the $data object and converts it to JSON. The Setnode could be replaced with Function nodes for example to do a conversion/mapping/transformation.

The JSON is ultimately sent to a HTTP Endpoint via POST.

This could be a starter for EDI purposes like receiving or transmitting XML data and conversion via JSON object property mapping.

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 - IMAP Email

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

Block 2 - Move Binary Data

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

Block 3 - XML

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

Block 4 - HTTP Request

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

Block 5 - Set

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

3. Summary Table

Workflow Listen on new emails on a IMAP mailbox
Complexity intermediate
Nodes 5
Categories Document Extraction
Author mail
Published 01 Nov 2019

4. Reproducing the Workflow from Scratch

  1. 1. Download the workflow JSON

    Use the JSON export at /data/workflows/154/154.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 Listen on new emails on a IMAP mailbox do?

Listen on new emails on a given IMAP mailbox. Converts the binary XML attachment to a stringified property on the object and converts it to JSON. The node could be replaced with nodes for example t...

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.