Split PDF by Text using n8n action

PDF4me Split PDF by Text divides PDF documents based on detected text patterns and content through n8n automation workflows. Process PDFs via n8n triggers, binary data, base64 strings, or public URLs to automatically find specific text strings, split documents at text locations, and organize files using detected content for intelligent file naming. This solution is ideal for invoice separation, contract splitting, batch document processing, content-based organization, automated filing, and text-based document sorting workflows that require accurate text detection with intelligent document splitting and seamless integration.

Setup

Add the PDF4me "Split PDF by Text" node to your n8n workflow and configure the required parameters. For initial setup instructions, see our n8n Integration Guide.

Prerequisites:

• PDF4me API credentials
• n8n workflow access

Get Your API Key

Configuration:

1. Add PDF4me node to workflow
2. Select "Split PDF by Text" action
3. Configure input parameters (see below)

Parameters

Complete list of parameters for the Split PDF By Text action. Configure these parameters to control text-based PDF splitting.

Important: Parameters marked with an asterisk (***) are required and must be provided for the action to function correctly.

Parameter	Type	Description	Example
Input Data Type***	String	PDF Input Format Selection • Choose the format of your PDF data input • PDF4me supports multiple input types • Options: Binary Data, Base64 String, or URL	Binary Data
Binary Property Name	String	Binary PDF File Input (Required if Binary Data) • Reference PDF file from previous n8n node or file upload • PDF4me processes binary PDF files with automatic format detection • Required when Input Data Type is "Binary Data"	data
Base64 Document Content	String	Base64 Encoded PDF Input (Required if Base64 String) • Provide PDF data as base64 encoded string • PDF4me automatically decodes and processes the PDF content • Required when Input Data Type is "Base64 String"	UEsDBBQABgAI...
File URL	String	Public PDF URL Input (Required if URL) • Provide a public/open permission URL to the PDF file • PDF4me downloads and processes the file from URL • Required when Input Data Type is "URL"	https://abc.com/sample.pdf
Text to Search***	String	Text Search Specification • Specify the exact text string to search for within the PDF • PDF4me uses this text as the split point for dividing the document • Case-sensitive matching for precise text detection	page 1, line 10.
Split Text Page***	String	Split Position Selection • Choose where to split the PDF relative to the detected text • Options: After (split after the page), Before (split before the page) • PDF4me provides flexible split positioning	After
File Naming***	String	Output File Naming Convention • Choose how generated split PDF files should be named • Options: Name As Per Order (sequential), Name As Per Page (with page numbers) • Helps organize output files	Name As Per Order
File Name***	String	Output Filename Specification • Specify the name for the generated split PDF file • Must include .pdf extension • PDF4me ensures unique naming and format validation	output.pdf
Output Binary Field Name***	String	Binary Data Mapping • Define the variable name for accessing generated split PDF data • Used in subsequent workflow actions • Essential for workflow data flow	data

Advanced Options

The following parameters are available in the Advanced Options section and are optional:

Parameter	Type	Description	Example
Custom Profiles	String	Custom Configuration Profiles • Set additional options using custom profiles • JSON-like format containing predefined parameters • Supports outputDataFormat, preserveMetadata, etc. • Optional for specialized requirements	{ "outputDataFormat": "base64", "preserveMetadata": true, "optimizeForPrinting": false, "compressionLevel": "medium" }

Output

Output Parameters

Parameter	Type	Description	Example
success	Boolean	PDF4me text split operation status indicator - Boolean flag indicating the success or failure of the PDF text split process. PDF4me returns true for successful operations and false for any errors, enabling robust error handling in automated workflows	true
message	String	PDF4me text split operation status message - Human-readable status message providing details about the text split process result. Includes success confirmation or error details for troubleshooting	PDF split by text successfully
fileName	String	PDF4me generated split PDF filename - The complete filename of the successfully generated split PDF document with proper .pdf extension. PDF4me ensures unique naming and validates file format compliance for seamless integration with downstream processes	text_split_output.pdf
mimeType	String	PDF4me output MIME type - MIME type of the generated PDF file, always "application/pdf" for PDF documents. Useful for content type validation and proper file handling in web applications	application/pdf
fileSize	Number	PDF4me split PDF file size in bytes - The exact size of the generated split PDF file in bytes, provided by PDF4me for storage planning, bandwidth optimization, and file transfer monitoring. Essential for enterprise document management and workflow automation	125430
docName	String	PDF4me document name reference - The name of the processed split document for reference and tracking purposes. This matches the fileName for consistency in document management workflows	text_split_output.pdf
textSplitCompleted	Boolean	PDF4me text split completion confirmation - Boolean flag confirming that the PDF text split operation has been successfully completed. Useful for verifying that the text-based split was applied correctly	true
textMatchesFound	Number	PDF4me text matches detected count - The number of text matches that were successfully found and used as split points in the PDF document. Useful for tracking text detection effectiveness and split accuracy	3
filesGenerated	Number	PDF4me split files generated count - The number of individual PDF files that were successfully generated from the text split operation. Useful for tracking split completeness and document segmentation results	4

N8N Action Response

The PDF4me Split PDF by Text API returns a response that can be viewed in multiple formats. Choose the view that best fits your needs:

JSON

JSON Response Format

The raw JSON response from the API:

[
  {
    "success": true,
    "message": "PDF split by text successfully",
    "fileName": "text_split_output.pdf",
    "mimeType": "application/pdf",
    "fileSize": 125430,
    "docName": "text_split_output.pdf",
    "textSplitCompleted": true,
    "textMatchesFound": 3,
    "filesGenerated": 4
  }
]

Table

Table View

Response data in a structured table format:

Parameter	Value
success	true
message	PDF split by text successfully
fileName	text_split_output.pdf
mimeType	application/pdf
fileSize	125430
docName	text_split_output.pdf
textSplitCompleted	true
textMatchesFound	3
filesGenerated	4

Schema

Schema View

The data structure and types of the response:

1 item
success: ☑ true
message: AB PDF split by text successfully
fileName: AB text_split_output.pdf
mimeType: AB application/pdf
fileSize: # 125430
docName: AB text_split_output.pdf
textSplitCompleted: ☑ true
textMatchesFound: # 3
filesGenerated: # 4

Type Indicators:

• AB = String
• # = Number
• ☑ = Boolean

Binary

Binary Data View

The actual split PDF file data and metadata:

data
─────────────────────────────
File Name: text_split_output.pdf
File Extension: pdf
Mime Type: application/pdf
File Size: 122.5 KB

Binary Data Access:

• n8n Binary Object: $binary.data.data
• Base64 Content: Available for direct use
• File Operations: Ready for download, email, or storage

Use Cases

Document Processing and Content Management

• Split large documents at specific text markers or section headers to create organized, manageable files for different departments or processes
• Process legal documents by splitting at specific clause markers or section dividers to create individual files for each legal section
• Automate the separation of reports and manuals based on chapter titles or section headers for better content organization

Business Process Automation

• Split invoice batches by searching for specific text patterns like "Invoice #" or "Payment Due" to create individual invoice files for each transaction
• Process contracts and agreements by splitting at specific text markers like "Section" or "Article" to create separate files for each section
• Automate the organization of financial documents by splitting at text patterns like "Quarterly Report" or "Annual Summary" for different reporting periods

Content Distribution and Workflow Management

• Split confidential documents at specific text markers to create separate files for different stakeholders based on access requirements
• Process training materials by splitting at text patterns like "Module" or "Lesson" to create individual learning modules for different audiences
• Automate the organization of technical documentation by splitting at text markers like "API Reference" or "User Guide" for different user types

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