> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docsautomator.co/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# n8n
> Powerful workflow automation with the DocsAutomator community node
n8n is one of the most powerful workflow automation platforms available today, with extensive AI capabilities and agent-building features. The DocsAutomator community node enables document creation, automation management, and feature access directly within n8n workflows.
## Key Benefits
Run n8n on your own infrastructure for complete data control
n8n cloud offers a complimentary plan for getting started
Programmatically create, update, duplicate, and delete automations
Use n8n's powerful expression system to transform data
## Installation
Click the **+** button to add a new node
Search for "DocsAutomator"
Click on the DocsAutomator node, then click **Install** when prompted
Go to **Settings** > **Community Nodes**
Click **Install a community node**
Enter `n8n-nodes-docsautomator`
Click **Install**
Follow the [n8n community nodes installation guide](https://docs.n8n.io/integrations/community-nodes/installation/) for your specific setup.
## Setting Up Credentials
1. Log in to your [DocsAutomator account](https://app.docsautomator.co)
2. Navigate to **Settings** > **API Key**
3. Copy your API key
1. Go to **Credentials** > **Add Credential**
2. Search for "DocsAutomator API"
3. Paste your API key into the **API Key** field
4. Click **Save**
You can also add credentials directly when configuring a DocsAutomator node by clicking on the credential dropdown and selecting "Create New".
## Creating Documents
Click the **+** button and search for "DocsAutomator"
Choose your configured DocsAutomator API credentials from the dropdown
* **Resource**: Select `Document`
* **Operation**: Select `Create`
Choose the automation you want to use from the **Automation** dropdown
Only automations with **API** or **n8n** as the data source will appear in this list.
For each placeholder in your template, provide a value. You can enter static text or use n8n expressions to map data from previous nodes.
If your template includes line items, expand the **Line Items** section.
* **Preview Mode**: Enable to generate a preview document (doesn't count against credits)
* **Async Processing**: Enable to return immediately with a job ID
Click **Test Step** to generate a document and verify your configuration.
## Working with Line Items
Line items must be provided as a JSON array of objects. Each object represents one row, with keys matching your placeholder names.
```json theme={null}
[
{
"item_name": "Widget A",
"quantity": 2,
"unit_price": 10.00,
"total": 20.00
},
{
"item_name": "Widget B",
"quantity": 1,
"unit_price": 25.50,
"total": 25.50
}
]
```
### Multiple Line Item Sets
If your template has multiple line item sections:
1. Click **Add Line Item**
2. Select the line item type (e.g., "Line Items 1", "Line Items 2")
3. Provide the JSON array for that section
### Transforming Data
Use n8n's built-in nodes to transform data:
* **Code node**: Write JavaScript to transform complex data structures
* **Split Out node**: Convert arrays into individual items
* **Aggregate node**: Combine multiple items into an array
```javascript theme={null}
const items = $input.all();
const lineItems = items.map(item => ({
item_name: item.json.product.name,
quantity: item.json.qty,
unit_price: item.json.price,
total: item.json.qty * item.json.price
}));
return { json: { lineItems: JSON.stringify(lineItems) } };
```
## Managing Automations
The n8n node provides full CRUD operations for automations:
| Operation | Description |
| ------------- | ---------------------------------------- |
| **Get Many** | List all automations in your workspace |
| **Get** | Retrieve a single automation by ID |
| **Create** | Create a new automation |
| **Update** | Modify an existing automation's settings |
| **Duplicate** | Create a copy of an automation |
| **Delete** | Remove an automation |
## Expression Tips
Common n8n expressions for DocsAutomator:
```javascript theme={null}
// Format dates
{{ $now.toFormat('MMMM d, yyyy') }}
// Access nested data
{{ $json.customer.address.city }}
// Conditional values
{{ $json.discount > 0 ? $json.discount + '%' : 'None' }}
// Format currency
{{ '$' + $json.amount.toFixed(2) }}
// Join array values
{{ $json.tags.join(', ') }}
```
## Best Practices
Enable **Preview Mode** to verify placeholder mapping and document formatting without using credits.
* Enable **Continue On Fail** to prevent workflow failure
* Use an **Error Trigger** workflow to handle failures gracefully
* Check error output for detailed messages
For documents that take longer to generate:
1. Enable **Async Processing** to receive a job ID immediately
2. Use a **Wait** node to pause for processing
3. Check the job status using the DocsAutomator API
## FAQ
Only automations with **API** or **n8n** as the data source will appear. To use an automation with n8n, go to DocsAutomator, open your automation settings, and change the **Data Source** to "API" or "n8n".
Use **Continue On Fail** on the DocsAutomator node, create an **Error Trigger** workflow, or use an **IF node** to check for error conditions.
## E-Signatures and PDF Templates
DocsAutomator supports [e-signatures](/features/docsautomator-esign) with all data sources, including n8n. After generating a document, you can automatically route it for signing. DocsAutomator also supports [PDF templates](/docsautomator-basics/pdf-template-guide) in addition to Google Doc templates.
## Resources
Official n8n documentation
Learn about n8n community nodes
API reference documentation
Learn the template syntax