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Paperless NGX

Interact with the Paperless NGX API
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Overview

This node integrates with the Paperless NGX API to create a new custom field in the system. Custom fields allow users to extend metadata on documents or other entities by defining additional data points tailored to their needs.

Typical use cases include:

  • Adding boolean flags, dates, numeric values, or URLs as extra attributes.
  • Creating select-type fields with predefined options for consistent categorization.
  • Assigning ownership and fine-grained view/change permissions to control access.

For example, you might create a custom field named "Reviewed" of type Boolean to track document review status, or a "Priority" select field with options like "High", "Medium", and "Low".

Properties

Name Meaning
Note Informational notice that owner and permissions fields require numeric IDs. Users and Groups can be retrieved via separate API calls using this node.
Name The name of the custom field to create (required).
Data Type The data type of the custom field (required). Options: Boolean, Date, Document Link, Float, Integer, Monetary, Select, String, URL.
Select Options If Data Type is "Select", define one or more selectable options by specifying their display labels.
Extra Data For non-select types, additional JSON data relevant to the custom field can be provided.
Owner User ID Numeric user ID to assign as the owner of this custom field.
Set Permissions JSON object defining view and change permissions, each containing arrays of user and group IDs who are granted those permissions. Default is empty arrays for all.
Note (Permissions) Additional informational note about looking up user and group IDs for permissions. No creation or modification of users/groups is supported by this node.

Output

The node outputs JSON data representing the newly created custom field as returned by the Paperless NGX API. This typically includes:

  • The unique identifier of the custom field.
  • The name and data type.
  • Any select options if applicable.
  • Ownership and permission details.
  • Other metadata related to the custom field.

No binary data output is produced by this node.

Dependencies

  • Requires an active connection to the Paperless NGX API, configured via an API key credential.
  • The base URL of the Paperless NGX instance must be set in the node credentials.
  • To set owner and permissions, numeric user and group IDs must be obtained separately, e.g., by querying the Users and Groups endpoints with this node.

Troubleshooting

  • Invalid or missing API credentials: Ensure the API key and instance URL are correctly configured in the node credentials.
  • Incorrect user/group IDs: Owner and permissions fields require valid numeric IDs. Use the node to fetch existing users and groups before assigning.
  • Unsupported data type or malformed select options: Verify that the data type matches allowed values and that select options are properly formatted.
  • API errors due to insufficient permissions: The API user must have rights to create custom fields and assign ownership/permissions.
  • JSON parsing errors in Extra Data or Set Permissions: Ensure these fields contain valid JSON structures.

Links and References

Discussion