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Automated digital certificate creator & validator with PDF generation

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Created by: Paolo Ronco || paoloronco
Paolo Ronco

Last update

Last update 7 days ago

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Quick overview

Create personalized digital certificates through an n8n webhook, generate unique certificate IDs, store issued records, produce PDF certificates, email them to recipients, and expose a public endpoint for certificate verification.

How it works

  1. Certificate request — A POST webhook receives the candidate's name, surname, course, and email address.
  2. Unique ID generation — A Code node creates a Certification ID, while Data Table lookups check for collisions before continuing.
  3. Certificate registry — Valid certificate records are stored in an n8n Data Table with candidate name, surname, and Certification ID.
  4. PDF generation — PDF Generator API renders a personalized certificate using the HTML-based certificate definition and workflow data.
  5. Email delivery — Gmail sends the generated PDF certificate as an attachment to the recipient.
  6. Certificate verification — A separate webhook checks a Certification ID against the Data Table and returns its validity and holder name when found.
  7. Verification page — The included HTML page calls the verification webhook and displays the result in a browser interface.

Setup

  1. Import the workflow — Import the included certificate workflow JSON into n8n.
  2. Create the Data Table — Create Name, Surname, and CertificationID fields, then select the table in the insert and lookup nodes.
  3. Configure PDF Generator API — Add credentials to the PDF generation node and review the included HTML certificate design.
  4. Connect Gmail — Configure Gmail OAuth2 credentials in the certificate email node.
  5. Configure the verification page — Replace the placeholder n8n domain in Cerification_Check.html with your public verification webhook URL.
  6. Test both endpoints — Issue a test certificate, confirm PDF/email delivery, and verify its generated ID before activation.

Requirements

  • n8n instance
  • n8n Data Table with Name, Surname, and CertificationID
  • PDF Generator API account and credentials
  • Gmail OAuth2 credentials
  • Publicly reachable n8n webhooks for external creation or verification
  • Web hosting for the included verification page (optional)
  • Custom domain for public certificate verification (optional)
  • Additional certificate metadata fields (optional)

Customization

  • Certificate design — Modify HTML layout, typography, colors, logos, images, text, and branding.
  • Certificate data — Add fields to the creation webhook, Data Table, PDF, and verification response.
  • ID generation — Replace the JavaScript ID algorithm with another identifier format.
  • Email content — Customize Gmail subject, body, sender configuration, and attachment naming.
  • Verification UI — Adapt the included page's branding, language, messages, layout, and endpoint.
  • Integrations — Connect issuance or verification to an LMS, form, portal, CRM, or another workflow.

Additional info

Review authentication, abuse prevention, exposed personal data, and webhook security before production use.