8/2/2025 • Aegis

n8n File Handling: Upload, Download, and Organize Automatically

n8n automation file management workflow cloud storage

📂 Introduction

n8n is a powerful workflow automation tool that lets you build logic for file processing — whether you’re uploading, downloading, renaming, or organizing files in cloud services or local storage. This guide will show you how to handle files efficiently and automatically with real-world examples.

✅ Common Use Cases

  • Automatically download invoices from email attachments and upload to Google Drive.
  • Rename and organize files based on file type or metadata (e.g., dates, tags).
  • Auto-upload generated PDF reports to Dropbox or an FTP server.
  • Handle media files from Telegram or webhooks and sort them into folders.

🧰 Prerequisites

Before you start:

  • Self-hosted or cloud-hosted n8n instance
  • Basic knowledge of nodes and workflows
  • Credentials set up for cloud storage services (e.g., Google Drive, Dropbox, S3)

🛠️ File Download Automation

Example: Download Email Attachment to Local

Input: Email with PDF invoice
Workflow:

  1. IMAP Email Node → Triggers on new email with attachment
  2. Move Binary Data Node → Extracts file
  3. Write Binary File Node → Saves it to a folder (/data/invoices/)
# Output file
/data/invoices/invoice-{{date}}.pdf

☁️ File Upload Automation

Example: Upload to Google Drive

Input: File generated from another node or uploaded via webhook
Workflow:

  1. Webhook Node → Accepts file input
  2. Set Filename → Rename based on timestamp or context
  3. Google Drive Node → Uploads file to correct folder

📌 Tip: Use expressions like {{$now.toFormat("yyyy-LL-dd")}} in filenames.

📁 Organize Files Automatically

Sort Files by Date or Type

Workflow:

  1. Webhook or Read Folder Node → Reads a file or batch
  2. Switch Node → Routes based on file extension
  3. Move Binary Data → Changes file name/path
  4. Write Binary File → Saves in organized folders
/data/reports/2025-07/invoice-1.pdf
/data/images/july/photo-23.jpg

🔄 Rename Files Dynamically

Use the Set or Function node to create logic-based filenames:

return {
  binary: {
    data: {
      fileName: `invoice-${new Date().toISOString().split('T')[0]}.pdf`,
    }
  }
}

📦 Bonus: Compress or Archive Files

Use the Execute Command or n8n-nodes-base.zip custom nodes (if available) to compress files before uploading or archiving them.

🧠 Best Practices

  • Store files in volume-mapped directories for Docker setups
  • Use a consistent folder structure (/data/{type}/{year}-{month}/)
  • Automatically delete old files using a scheduled workflow
  • Sanitize filenames to avoid path errors or overwriting

📈 Real-World Applications

  • Client document management
  • Digital asset pipelines (e.g., media uploads)
  • Secure data archival for compliance
  • Invoice processing & accounting automation

🤝 Need Help with File Automation?

I offer expert setup services for:

  • Google Drive, Dropbox, and FTP integrations
  • Building secure file workflows
  • Automating document management across platforms

👉 Get in touch to simplify your file handling with n8n.

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