Actions80
- Add Attachment To PDF
- Add Barcode To PDF
- Add Form Fields To PDF
- Add HTML Header Footer
- Add Image Stamp To PDF
- Add Image Watermark To Image
- Add Margin To PDF
- Add Page Number To PDF
- Add Text Stamp To PDF
- Add Text Watermark To Image
- AI-Invoice Parser
- AI-Process Contract
- AI-Process HealthCard
- Classify Document
- Compress Image
- Compress PDF
- Convert HTML To PDF
- Convert Image Format
- Convert JSON To Excel
- Convert Markdown To PDF
- Convert PDF To Editable PDF Using OCR
- Convert PDF To Excel
- Convert PDF To PowerPoint
- Convert PDF To Word
- Convert To PDF
- Convert URL to PDF
- Convert VISIO
- Convert Word to PDF Form
- Create Images From PDF
- Create PDF/A
- Create Swiss QR Bill
- Crop Image
- Delete Blank Pages From PDF
- Delete Unwanted Pages From PDF
- Disable Tracking Changes In Word
- Enable Tracking Changes In Word
- Extract Attachment From PDF
- Extract Form Data From PDF
- Extract Pages From PDF
- Extract Resources
- Extract Table From PDF
- Extract Text By Expression
- Extract Text From Word
- Fill PDF Form
- Find And Replace Text
- Flip Image
- Flatten PDF
- Generate Barcode
- Generate Document Single
- Generate Documents Multiple
- Get Document From Pdf4me
- Get Image Metadata
- Get PDF Metadata
- Get Tracking Changes In Word
- Image Extract Text
- Linearize PDF
- Merge Multiple PDFs
- Overlay PDFs
- Parse Document
- Protect PDF
- Read Barcode From Image
- Read Barcode From PDF
- Read SwissQR Code
- Remove EXIF Tags From Image
- Repair PDF Document
- Replace Text With Image
- Replace Text With Image In Word
- Resize Image
- Rotate Document
- Rotate Image
- Rotate Image By EXIF Data
- Rotate PDF Page
- Sign PDF
- Split PDF By Barcode
- Split PDF By Swiss QR
- Split PDF By Text
- Split PDF Regular
- Unlock PDF
- Update Hyperlinks Annotation
- Upload File To PDF4me
Overview
The node overlays one PDF document on top of another, effectively merging two PDFs by placing the "layer" PDF over the "base" PDF. This operation is useful when you want to add watermarks, stamps, or additional content as a transparent overlay on an existing PDF without altering the original base content.
Common scenarios include:
- Adding a company logo or watermark to official documents.
- Overlaying signatures or stamps onto contracts or forms.
- Combining multiple PDF layers for review or presentation purposes.
For example, you might have a base PDF invoice and want to overlay a "Paid" stamp PDF on top before sending it out.
Properties
| Name | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Base PDF Input Type | How to provide the base PDF file. Options: Binary Data (from previous node), Base64 String (direct content), URL (link to PDF). |
| Layer PDF Input Type | How to provide the layer PDF file. Options: Binary Data (from previous node), Base64 String (direct content), URL (link to PDF). |
| Base PDF Binary Field | Name of the binary property containing the base PDF file (used if Base PDF Input Type is Binary Data). |
| Layer PDF Binary Field | Name of the binary property containing the layer PDF file (used if Layer PDF Input Type is Binary Data). |
| Base PDF Base64 Content | Base64 encoded content of the base PDF (used if Base PDF Input Type is Base64 String). |
| Layer PDF Base64 Content | Base64 encoded content of the layer PDF (used if Layer PDF Input Type is Base64 String). |
| Base PDF URL | URL to the base PDF file (used if Base PDF Input Type is URL). |
| Layer PDF URL | URL to the layer PDF file (used if Layer PDF Input Type is URL). |
| Output File Name | Desired filename for the resulting overlayed PDF file. Defaults to overlayed_output.pdf. |
| Advanced Options | Custom JSON profiles to adjust extra properties for the API call, allowing advanced customization of the overlay process. |
| Binary Data Output Name | Custom name for the binary data field in the node's output. Defaults to data. |
Output
The node outputs the overlayed PDF as binary data under the specified binary data output name (default data). The output contains the combined PDF file with the layer PDF content placed over the base PDF.
The output JSON typically includes metadata about the file, and the binary data represents the final PDF document ready for further processing or saving.
Dependencies
- Requires access to the PDF4me API service to perform the overlay operation.
- Needs an API key credential configured in n8n to authenticate requests to the PDF4me service.
- Internet access is required if URLs are used to fetch the base or layer PDFs.
Troubleshooting
Common issues:
- Incorrect binary property names may cause the node to fail to find the input PDF files.
- Invalid or inaccessible URLs will result in errors fetching the PDFs.
- Malformed base64 strings can cause decoding failures.
- Missing or invalid API credentials will prevent successful API calls.
Error messages and resolutions:
- "File not found in binary property" — Verify that the binary property names match those in the incoming data.
- "Failed to fetch PDF from URL" — Check the URL accessibility and correctness.
- "Invalid base64 content" — Ensure the base64 string is properly encoded without extra characters.
- "Authentication failed" — Confirm that the API key credential is correctly set up and valid.