Convert Google Forms responses to PDFs and email them to clients using n8n
Why automate Google Forms responses?
Handling form responses manually can be time-consuming and prone to error. With n8n, you can automatically convert each Google Forms submission into a polished PDF summary and email it to your client instantly. This saves time, maintains consistency with your naming conventions, and ensures your clients receive professional summaries without delay.
Step‑by‑Step: Build the Automation
- Trigger: Use a Google Sheets node set to “Watch Rows” to detect new form responses.
- Retrieve Data: Add a “Get Many” node to fetch the full details of the new row(s).
- Format HTML: Use a function/HTML node to structure form data into a styled layout:
- Convert to PDF: Use an HTML‑to‑PDF node, save it in Google Drive or S3 (optional).
- Send Email: Set up an email node – Autogenerated email subject like “Your Form Submission Summary” – attach the PDF, and include a short HTML/text summary in the body.
- Apply Naming & Folder Structure: Use consistent conventions like `form-responses/{{date}}_{{name}}.pdf` to save the file.
<h1>Form Response Summary</h1>
<ul>
<li>Name: {{ $json.name }}</li>
<li>Email: {{ $json.email }}</li>
<!-- add all relevant fields -->
</ul>
💡 Advanced Tips & Variations
- Conditional Routing: Send different email templates based on form responses using an IF node.
- Branding: Embed your logo and custom CSS in the HTML template for a branded PDF look.
- Archiving: Save PDFs in a shared Drive/S3 bucket and include links in the outgoing email.
- Error Handling: Add a separate branch for failed conversions or email sends and log the errors.
Need Help Automating?
If you’d like expert help building or scaling automations like this, our Conversantech team is here.