Overview
This node integrates with the Paperless-ngx document management system, allowing users to interact with documents stored in Paperless-ngx. Specifically, for the Document - Read operation, it retrieves documents from the Paperless-ngx API, optionally filtering them by a search query.
Common scenarios where this node is useful include:
- Automating retrieval of documents matching certain criteria for further processing or analysis.
- Integrating Paperless-ngx document data into workflows that require document metadata or content references.
- Periodically syncing or backing up document information from Paperless-ngx.
For example, you could use this node to fetch all documents containing a specific keyword in their metadata or content, then pass those documents downstream for indexing or notification purposes.
Properties
| Name | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Additional Fields | A collection of optional fields to customize the read operation. |
| - Search | A string used to filter documents by a search term. Only documents matching this term are returned. |
Output
The output consists of an array of items, each representing a document retrieved from Paperless-ngx. Each item has a json property containing the document's metadata as returned by the Paperless-ngx API.
The structure of each json object corresponds directly to the API response for documents, including fields such as document ID, title, date, tags, and other metadata.
No binary data is output for the Read operation.
Dependencies
- Requires an active connection to a Paperless-ngx instance via its REST API.
- The node expects credentials providing the API domain and authentication token (an API key or similar) configured in n8n.
- Uses the Paperless-ngx API endpoint
/api/documents/to fetch documents.
Troubleshooting
- Authentication errors: Ensure the API credentials are correctly configured and have sufficient permissions to access the documents endpoint.
- Empty results: If no documents are returned, verify the search query is correct or try removing it to fetch all documents.
- API connectivity issues: Confirm the Paperless-ngx server URL is reachable from the n8n environment.
- Rate limiting or pagination: The node handles pagination automatically, but if many documents exist, consider filtering with the search field to reduce load.