Turn PDF jobs into a clean repeatable flow. Teams that split files or extract tables can send one PDF and get a ready download link back. It is great for operations that need reliable document handling at scale.

The run can start by click or from another workflow. A Set node collects the endpoint name and the JSON payload for Adobe. A Dropbox node loads a test PDF as binary. The workflow requests an access token, creates an Adobe asset, uploads the PDF, and submits the job to the chosen Adobe operation. A short wait and a status check follow. If the file is not ready, it loops. When complete, the result link or file data is returned to the caller for downstream steps.

Setup needs two Adobe credentials and one Dropbox connection. Add your Adobe client id and secret, and map the X API Key header. Pick your endpoint like splitpdf or extractpdf and pass the payload without the asset id. Expect faster cycle times per file and fewer manual steps. Use it for splitting statements, extracting tables from brochures, or preparing files for data entry. The template also supports being called from other n8n workflows for easy reuse.

• Manual start or call from other workflows using Execute Workflow Trigger
• Loads a sample PDF from Dropbox and passes it as binary data
• Builds the Adobe request with a Set node for endpoint and JSON payload
• Requests an access token with HTTP Custom Auth using client id and secret
• Creates an asset in Adobe and uploads the PDF before processing
• Submits the job to the chosen Adobe operation and waits for completion
• Polls the result and switches based on status to retry or finish
• Returns the download link or file to the original calling workflow

• Reduce manual PDF handling from 20 minutes to 2 minutes per file
• Automate up to 90 percent of repetitive document steps
• Improve extraction accuracy by removing copy and paste errors
• Handle 10 times more files by running the looped status checks
• Connect Dropbox and Adobe without custom code

1. Import the template into n8n: Create a new workflow in n8n > Click the three dots menu > Select 'Import from File' > Choose the downloaded JSON file.
2. You'll need accounts with Adobe PDF Services and Dropbox. See the Tools Required section above for links to create accounts with these services.
3. In the n8n credentials manager, create a Dropbox OAuth2 credential. If unsure, double click the Load a test pdf file node and in the Credential to connect with field click Create new credential, then follow the on screen steps to connect your Dropbox account.
4. Create an Adobe token credential: in the credentials manager choose HTTP Custom Auth. Add header Content-Type with value application/x-www-form-urlencoded. In the body add client_id and client_secret from your Adobe PDF Services account. Name it clearly such as Adobe API Token.
5. Create an Adobe header credential for API calls: choose HTTP Header Auth. Add header X-API-Key with your Adobe client_id value. Name it Adobe API Calls. The Authorization Bearer token is set dynamically from the token node in the workflow.
6. Open the Adobe API Query Set node and set endpoint to splitpdf, extractpdf or any supported Adobe operation. Add json_payload for that operation but do not include assetID because the workflow adds it.
7. Replace the test file: open the Load a test pdf file node and choose your Dropbox file path. You can switch to another storage provider if desired, as long as the node outputs a PDF in binary.
8. Run a test with the manual trigger. Watch the token request, asset creation, file upload, and job submission nodes. Confirm the Wait node and Switch loop until the result is ready.
9. If large files need more time, increase the Wait node duration or add extra cycles in the Switch path until a ready status is returned.
10. Common errors: 401 or 403 means invalid keys or token. Recheck client_id, client_secret, and X-API-Key. If upload fails, verify mediaType is application/pdf and the upload URL is taken from the Create Asset response.
11. When the result is ready, the Forward response to origin workflow node returns a download link or file data. If you call this template from another workflow, pass the endpoint, json_payload, and binary PDF into the Execute Workflow node.
12. Save and enable. For production, trigger it from other n8n workflows to standardize PDF processing across teams.