Overview
This node uploads documents to the Paperless NGX document management system. It is designed to take binary file data from incoming items and send them as new documents to Paperless NGX via its API. This is useful for automating document archival workflows, such as saving scanned files, PDFs, or other digital documents directly into Paperless NGX without manual intervention.
Typical use cases include:
- Automatically uploading invoices or receipts captured by other nodes.
- Archiving reports or exported files from other systems.
- Integrating document capture in a larger automation pipeline.
Properties
| Name | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Input Data Field Name | The name of the input field containing the binary file data to upload to Paperless NGX (e.g., "data"). |
| Title | Optional title to assign to the uploaded document. |
| Correspondent ID | Optional numeric ID of a correspondent associated with the document. |
| Document Type ID | Optional numeric ID specifying the type/category of the document. |
| Storage Path ID | Optional numeric ID indicating the storage path/location within Paperless NGX. |
| Archive Serial Number | Optional archive serial number to set on the document. |
Output
The node outputs an array of JSON objects, one per input item processed. Each output object contains:
documentId: The identifier returned by Paperless NGX for the uploaded document.message: A success message confirming the upload.filename: The original filename of the uploaded binary data.title: The title assigned to the document (either user-specified or fallback to filename).
If an error occurs and the node is configured to continue on failure, the output will contain an error field with the error message instead.
The node does not output any binary data.
Dependencies
- Requires an API key credential for authenticating with the Paperless NGX instance.
- Needs the URL of the Paperless NGX server configured in the credential.
- Uses the Paperless NGX REST API endpoint
/api/documents/post_document/to upload documents. - The node expects binary data to be present in the specified input field of each item.
Troubleshooting
- Missing or incorrect binary data field: If the specified input data field does not exist or does not contain valid binary data, the node will throw an error. Ensure the field name matches exactly and that the input contains binary data.
- Authentication errors: If the API key or instance URL is invalid or missing, requests will fail. Verify credentials are correctly set up.
- API endpoint errors: If the Paperless NGX server is unreachable or returns an error, the node will throw an exception. Check network connectivity and server status.
- Invalid optional IDs: Providing non-numeric or invalid IDs for correspondent, document type, or storage path may cause the API to reject the request.
- To handle errors gracefully, enable "Continue On Fail" in the node settings to process all items even if some fail.
Links and References
- Paperless NGX Documentation
- Paperless NGX API endpoint used:
/api/documents/post_document/(refer to official API docs for details)