Personalize and Send Certificates at Scale using PDF.co and n8n

Step 1: Set Up Your Google Sheet

Create a spreadsheet with these columns or download the Students Record Sample:

• Student Name (e.g., "John Smith")
• Student Email (e.g., "john@email.com")
• Course (e.g., "Advanced JavaScript")
• Completion Date (e.g., "June 30, 2025")
• Send Date (e.g., "June 30, 2025")
• Status (e.g., "Pending")

Step 2: Schedule Trigger

• Node: Schedule Trigger
• Settings:
  • Trigger Interval: Custom (Cron)
  • Expression: 0 0 1 * * (runs monthly on 1st)
  • Or customize for your needs

Success Looks Like: Trigger fires on schedule.

Step 3: Get Student Records

• Node: Google Sheets → Get Row(s)
• Settings:
  • Document: Select your certificate spreadsheet
  • Sheet: Sheet1 (or your sheet name)

Success Looks Like:

[
  {
    "Student Name": "John Smith",
    "Student Email": "john@email.com",
    "Course": "Advanced JavaScript",
    "Status": "Pending"
  }
]

Step 4: Loop Over Items

• Node: Loop Over Items → Split in Batches
• Settings:
  • Batch Size: 1

Success Looks Like: Records process one at a time.

Step 5: Filter Pending Records

• Node: IF Condition
• Settings:
  • Condition: {{ $json.Status }} equals Pending
  • Only TRUE path gets connected (FALSE path stays empty)

Success Looks Like: Only pending certificates continue processing.

Step 6: Generate Personalized PDF Certificates

• Node: PDF.co → Add Text/Images to PDF
• Settings:
  • Url: Link to the certificate template.
    • We recommend storing the PDF template in the PDF.co Built-in storage.
    • Tip: Use the PDF Inspector tool to easily find and fine-tune the placement of text and images on your certificate.
    • Import this sample project in the tool to explore how it works.
  • Text Annotations:
    • Student Name: {{ $json['Student Name'] }}
    • Course: {{ $json.Course }}
    • Date: {{ $json['Completion Date'] }}
  • Advanced Options:
    • File Name: {{ $json['Student Name'] }}_{{ $json.Course }}.pdf

Success Looks Like:

{
  "url": "https://pdf-co-temp-files.s3.../certificate.pdf...",
  "name": "John_Smith_Advanced_JavaScript.pdf"
}

Step 7: Download PDF

• Node: HTTP Request
• Settings:
  • Method: GET
  • URL: {{ $json.url }} (from PDF.co output)
  • Authentication: None

Success Looks Like: PDF binary data in response.

Step 8: Save a Certificate Copy to Google Drive

• Node: Google Drive → Upload
• Settings:
  • Input Data Field: data
  • Folder: Select "Certificates" folder
  • Drive: My Drive

Success Looks Like: Certificate appears in Google Drive Folder.

Step 9: Email Certificates to Students

• Node: HTTP Request - PDF.co Email API
• Settings:
  • Method: POST
  • URL: https://api.pdf.co/v1/email/send
  • Headers:
    • Content-Type: application/json
    • x-api-key: YOUR_PDF_CO_API_KEY
  • Body Parameters:
    • url: {{ $('PDFco Api').item.json.url }}
    • from: your-email@domain.com
    • to: {{ $('Students Record').item.json['Student Email'] }}
    • subject: {{ $('PDFco Api').item.json.name }}
    • bodytext: "Congratulations! Your certificate is attached."
    • smtpserver: smtp.gmail.com (For Google-hosted Email)
    • smtpport: 587
    • smtpusername: your-email@domain.com
    • smtppassword: Create app password at https://myaccount.google.com/apppasswords

Success Looks Like: Email sent confirmation response.

Step 10: Update Delivery Status

• Node: Google Sheets → Update Row
• Settings:
  • Document: Same spreadsheet
  • Column to Match: row_number
  • Value to Match: {{ $('Students Record').item.json.row_number }}
  • Status: "Sent"

Success Looks Like: Spreadsheet’s Status column shows "Sent" status.

Step 11: Rate Limit Protection

• Node: Wait
• Settings:
  • Amount: 1-3 seconds
  • Unit: seconds

Success Looks Like: Workflow pauses between each certificate.

Step 12: Loop Back

• Connection: Wait node → Loop Over Items (input)
• This creates the loop that processes the next record