This article provides a complete, practical walkthrough of the Manual Stickynote Automate Triggered n8n agent. It connects HTTP Request, Webhook across approximately 1 node(s). Expect a Intermediate setup in 15-45 minutes. One‑time purchase: €29.

What This Agent Does

This agent orchestrates a reliable automation between HTTP Request, Webhook, handling triggers, data enrichment, and delivery with guardrails for errors and rate limits.

It streamlines multi‑step processes that would otherwise require manual exports, spreadsheet cleanup, and repeated API requests. By centralizing logic in n8n, it reduces context switching, lowers error rates, and ensures consistent results across teams.

Typical outcomes include faster lead handoffs, automated notifications, accurate data synchronization, and better visibility via execution logs and optional Slack/Email alerts.

How It Works

The workflow uses standard n8n building blocks like Webhook or Schedule triggers, HTTP Request for API calls, and control nodes (IF, Merge, Set) to validate inputs, branch on conditions, and format outputs. Retries and timeouts improve resilience, while credentials keep secrets safe.

Third‑Party Integrations

• HTTP Request
• Webhook

Import and Use in n8n

1. Open n8n and create a new workflow or collection.
2. Choose Import from File or Paste JSON.
3. Paste the JSON below, then click Import.
4. Show n8n JSON

   Title:
   Automating PDF Creation and Compression with n8n: A No-Code Workflow Example
   
   Meta Description:
   Explore how to build an automated PDF creation and compression workflow using n8n. Learn how HTML is converted to PDF, compressed, and how existing PDFs can be optimized—all without writing backend code.
   
   Keywords:
   n8n workflow, PDF automation, HTML to PDF, compress PDF, no-code automation, PDF optimization, n8n custom-js, PDF toolkit, n8n tutorial, document automation
   
   Third-Party APIs Used:
   
   - CustomJS PDF Toolkit (specifically the modules: html2Pdf and CompressPDF)
   
   Article:
   
   Automating PDF Creation and Compression Using n8n
   
   Document automation has become a crucial function in modern digital workflows. Whether you're generating invoices, reports, contracts, or downloadable whitepapers, converting HTML to PDF and optimizing file sizes are common tasks. Fortunately, with no-code tools like n8n and integrations such as the CustomJS PDF Toolkit, these tasks can be completely automated—saving hours of manual effort.
   
   In this guide, we’ll walk you through a simple n8n workflow that does the following:
   
   - Converts HTML to a PDF file
   - Compresses the generated PDF
   - Compresses an existing PDF file available via a public URL
   
   Let’s explore how each part of the workflow works and how you can adapt it for your own use cases.
   
   📌 Workflow Overview
   
   Our workflow consists of several components:
   - A manual trigger to initiate the workflow
   - Two paths: one that creates and compresses a PDF from HTML, and another that compresses a PDF from a given URL
   - Notes to help visualize the data flow and process steps within the n8n editor
   
   The workflow is activated manually for testing via the "Manual Trigger" node and then executes two parallel paths.
   
   🔹 Path 1: Converting HTML to PDF and Compressing It
   
   Step 1: HTML to PDF Node
   The first process starts with an @custom-js/n8n-nodes-pdf-toolkit.html2Pdf node, which is responsible for converting raw HTML into a PDF.
   
   Configuration:
   - HTML Input: <h1>Hello World</h1>
   - Credential: CustomJS API (provides access to the toolkit’s PDF generation function)
   
   This step transforms simple HTML content into a downloadable PDF file.
   
   Step 2: Compress PDF
   The created PDF is then passed to the CompressPDF node, which compresses the binary file to reduce its size while maintaining quality.
   
   This is especially useful for email attachments, document storage, or systems with file size limits.
   
   🔹 Path 2: Compressing a PDF from a Public URL
   
   Step 1: Set PDF URL
   The workflow includes a "Code" node named Set PDF URL. Here, JavaScript is used to define a static PDF path:
   
   https://www.nlbk.niedersachsen.de/download/164891/Test-pdf_3.pdf.pdf
   
   This JSON object mimics incoming data from an API or external system.
   
   Step 2: Compress PDF from URL
   The @custom-js/n8n-nodes-pdf-toolkit.CompressPDF node takes the provided URL and downloads the PDF before compressing it. The node is configured to reference a specific JSON field ("path") where the link is stored.
   
   This approach showcases how n8n can handle file compression directly from external sources, such as a document repository or CMS.
   
   📒 Sticky Notes: Visual Documentation
   
   The workflow includes several "Sticky Note" nodes that highlight each section’s functionality. These annotated notes help organize complex workflows visually–a useful habit when working with branching logic or collaborating with others.
   
   - "HTML to PDF" – explains the process of HTML conversion
   - "Compress Pages from PDF" – used in both paths to explain the compression logic
   - "Set PDF URL" – notes that the workflow retrieves the PDF from an online source
   
   🧠 Why This Matters
   
   Manual document handling tasks add up over time—and that's where automation platforms like n8n shine. With just a few nodes and a drag-and-drop interface, this workflow manages two common document processes:
   
   - Generating a PDF from a webpage's content or a dynamic HTML template
   - Minimizing file size for smoother data handling and compatibility
   
   These processes can easily be scaled, modularized, or triggered through Webhooks, CRON schedules, or form submissions.
   
   🔁 Extending the Workflow
   
   This basic example can be enhanced in several ways:
   
   - Add a Webhook trigger to initiate the workflow from a web application
   - Fetch dynamic HTML from a CMS or database
   - Send the compressed PDF to an email address or cloud storage
   - Add logic to handle multiple file URLs with a loop or item traversal
   
   You can even log metadata or errors to Google Sheets or Slack for better observability.
   
   🛠 CustomJS PDF Toolkit
   
   The critical components of this workflow rely on CustomJS’s powerful PDF Toolkit. It offers modular, no-code tools like:
   - html2Pdf: Converts HTML to a binary PDF object
   - CompressPDF: Reduces PDF file size using smart compression techniques
   
   These APIs are fully integrated into n8n via custom nodes and use secure API credentials to perform their operations.
   
   👍 Final Thoughts
   
   n8n continues to empower users with a powerful, modular, and open-source automation platform. When combined with document APIs like CustomJS’s PDF Toolkit, it becomes incredibly simple to automate formerly tedious tasks like PDF generation and compression.
   
   Whether you're building a customer-facing document flow or streamlining internal processes, this workflow offers a scalable starting point for document automation—all without needing to write a backend service from scratch.
   
   👣 Get Started Now
   
   - Download this workflow using the n8n JSON editor
   - Replace static HTML with dynamic inputs
   - Update the PDF URL or fetch it from a database
   - Customize compression settings according to your use case
   
   Go from manual to magical in just a few steps—start automating your PDFs today!
   
   —
   
   Interested in more n8n automation guides? Let us know what you’d like to automate next!

5. Set credentials for each API node (keys, OAuth) in Credentials.
6. Run a test via Execute Workflow. Inspect Run Data, then adjust parameters.
7. Enable the workflow to run on schedule, webhook, or triggers as configured.

Tips: keep secrets in credentials, add retries and timeouts on HTTP nodes, implement error notifications, and paginate large API fetches.

Validation: use IF/Code nodes to sanitize inputs and guard against empty payloads.

Why Automate This with AI Agents

AI‑assisted automations offload repetitive, error‑prone tasks to a predictable workflow. Instead of manual copy‑paste and ad‑hoc scripts, your team gets a governed pipeline with versioned state, auditability, and observable runs.

n8n’s node graph makes data flow transparent while AI‑powered enrichment (classification, extraction, summarization) boosts throughput and consistency. Teams reclaim time, reduce operational costs, and standardize best practices without sacrificing flexibility.

Compared to one‑off integrations, an AI agent is easier to extend: swap APIs, add filters, or bolt on notifications without rewriting everything. You get reliability, control, and a faster path from idea to production.

Best Practices

• Credentials: restrict scopes and rotate tokens regularly.
• Resilience: configure retries, timeouts, and backoff for API nodes.
• Data Quality: validate inputs; normalize fields early to reduce downstream branching.
• Performance: batch records and paginate for large datasets.
• Observability: add failure alerts (Email/Slack) and persistent logs for auditing.
• Security: avoid sensitive data in logs; use environment variables and n8n credentials.

FAQs

Can I swap integrations later? Yes. Replace or add nodes and re‑map fields without rebuilding the whole flow.

How do I monitor failures? Use Execution logs and add notifications on the Error Trigger path.

Does it scale? Use queues, batching, and sub‑workflows to split responsibilities and control load.

Is my data safe? Keep secrets in Credentials, restrict token scopes, and review access logs.