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Plumsail Documents Make integrationAutomate Plumsail Documents with Make.

What if every contract, quote and report built itself from your data? The Plumsail Documents Make integration gives you 38 modules: 1 instant trigger, 33 actions and 4 searches. This guide shows ops teams how to connect the account and build a first working scenario.

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What you can automate

What can the Plumsail Documents Make integration do for you?

The Plumsail Documents Make integration links your Plumsail account to Make so documents get produced, converted and secured inside a scenario, the automation you build in Make as a chain of modules. Each module is one brick: a trigger, an action or a search. You drag them in, map data from one to the next, and nobody opens Word.

Quotes that write themselves. A deal closes in another app, Create document from DOCX template swaps the tokens in double curly braces for the client name and amounts, then Convert DOCX to PDF turns the result into a file you can send.

A clean archive for the email inbox. Customer emails saved as EML or MSG files go through Convert Email to PDF, several attachments get bundled by Merge any files into PDF, and Create Archive packs the lot into one ZIP.

Forms read back into data. A signed application arrives as a fillable PDF; Get Form from PDF returns every filled input as JSON, ready to land in a spreadsheet or a CRM through the next module.

What the page cannot promise: the Make documentation for this app lists no module limits, so check heavy files against your plan (5 MB per file on the Free plan) and test before you switch anything on. If a scenario fails, Make troubleshooting walks through the usual causes.

Many apps also have an n8n node; the n8n vs Make comparison lays out the criteria side by side. To learn the editor properly, the Make training starts from the first module.

Connect

How do you connect Plumsail Documents to Make?

  1. 01

    Create an API key in Plumsail

    In your Plumsail Documents account, open the API keys page from the dashboard and add a new key. Pick Production or Testing mode, give it a name if asked, create it, then copy the value shown in the Secret column.

  2. 02

    Add a Plumsail module in Make

    In Make, drop any Plumsail Documents module into your scenario and click Create a connection. A connection is your Plumsail account linked to Make once, then reused by every Plumsail module you add later.

  3. 03

    Paste the key and save

    Type a label in Connection name if you run several Plumsail accounts, paste the API key you copied, and confirm. From then on, Make can list what your account holds when you fill the module fields.

First scenario

Your first scenario: turn incoming files into protected PDFs

GoalWhen a file arrives from another app, Make converts it to PDF with Plumsail Documents and locks it with a password.

  1. 01

    Start a new scenario

    Go to the Scenarios page, create a new scenario and click the big +. Pick the app where your files land first, such as your cloud storage, and choose its module that watches for new files.

  2. 02

    Add Convert to PDF

    Click the + to the right of that first module, search for Plumsail Documents and choose Convert to PDF. Create the connection with your API key, then map the file coming from the previous module.

  3. 03

    Lock the result

    Add Protect PDF Document after it and map the PDF produced by the conversion. Set the password and the copy or printing restrictions you want the recipient to face.

  4. 04

    Store the protected file

    One more +: add the module of the app where the final PDF should live, like a folder on your drive, and map the protected file into it. Without this step the PDF only exists inside the run.

  5. 05

    Test with Run once

    Drop a sample file where the first module looks, then click Run once. Make runs the scenario one time and shows the bundle each module received, so you can open the output and check the password works.

  6. 06

    Schedule and switch on

    Click the clock on the first module to set how often Make checks for new files. A new scenario defaults to every 15 minutes. Flip the switch to turn the scenario on.

Triggers

The trigger that starts a Plumsail Documents scenario

1 module starts a scenario when something happens in Plumsail Documents. A scheduled trigger is checked by Make on the scenario's schedule; an instant one is called by Plumsail Documents as soon as it happens.

Plumsail Documents1Watch Finished Process

Watch Finished Process

Instant trigger

In MakeCreates a webhook that runs when the process is finished

Starts your scenario the moment a Plumsail Documents process reports that it has finished. A process is the document generation job you set up in Plumsail, so this is how you chain the next step without waiting or checking by hand.

How it fires
instant. Plumsail calls Make through a webhook as soon as the process ends, which is why the module carries the lightning badge and no schedule.
When to use it
a contract generation process runs in Plumsail and the finished document should move on to approval, storage or a customer email right away.
Watch out
the webhook must be created in Make before the connection, and the scenario has to be switched on to catch events.
Modules

Every Plumsail Documents module in Make

Plumsail Documents gives you 37 modules. For each one: what it does for you, when to reach for it, and what to watch out for.

Plumsail Documents1

Add Watermark to PDF Document

Action

In MakeAdd a watermark to PDF Document which can be text, an image, or other PDF

Puts a visible mark on a PDF so anyone who opens it knows its status or where it came from. The mark can be plain text, an image such as a logo, or another PDF laid over the pages.

When to use it
a draft contract goes out for review and must never be confused with the signed version, so it leaves stamped DRAFT.
Watch out
keep the unmarked file mapped somewhere else if you still need a clean copy later.
Plumsail Documents2

Compress PDF Document

Action

In MakeReduces PDF Document's size by compressing images in the document and performing other optimizations if possible

Makes a heavy PDF lighter, mostly by squeezing the images inside it and applying other optimizations where the file allows. Scanned reports and photo-heavy brochures shrink the most.

When to use it
right before an email or an upload step that rejects large attachments.
Watch out
on the Free plan Make handles files up to 5 MB, so a file above that can fail before it even reaches this module.
Plumsail Documents3

Convert CSV to XLSX

Action

In MakeConvert CSV to XLSX Excel File

Turns a raw CSV export into a proper Excel workbook that colleagues can open without fiddling with separators or encoding. The data stays the same; only the container changes.

When to use it
a tool exports orders as CSV and your finance team wants an XLSX file in their shared folder.
Watch out
if you need to read the rows inside the scenario rather than hand over a file, Parse CSV is the better pick.
Plumsail Documents4

Convert DOC to DOCX

Action

In MakeTakes DOC document and converts it to DOCX

Brings an old Word DOC file up to the modern DOCX format. That matters here because the template and merge modules of Plumsail work on DOCX, not on the legacy format.

When to use it
your archive still holds contract models saved as DOC and you want to reuse them as templates.
Watch out
run the conversion once, store the DOCX, and point later scenarios at the new file.
Plumsail Documents5

Convert DOCX to PDF

Action

In MakeThis action takes DOCX document and converts it to PDF

Freezes a Word document into a PDF, so the layout looks the same on every screen and nobody edits the text by accident. It is the natural last step after filling a DOCX template.

When to use it
a quote was just generated from your DOCX model and has to reach the client as a clean, fixed file.
Watch out
for any other format, use Convert to PDF instead of chaining conversions.
Plumsail Documents6

Convert Email to PDF

Action

In MakeTakes EML or MSG file and converts it to PDF

Takes a saved email, either an EML or an MSG file, and prints it to PDF. You get a readable record of the message that fits in any document folder.

When to use it
a customer approves an order by email and legal wants that approval filed next to the contract as a PDF.
Watch out
the module expects the email as a file; a message body pasted as text will not work here.
Plumsail Documents7

Convert HTML to DOCX

Action

In MakeTakes HTML markup, renders it and converts to DOCX document.

Renders HTML markup and hands you back an editable Word document. Headings, tables and bold text you wrote in HTML come out as Word formatting someone can still tweak.

When to use it
a web form or a CMS produces HTML and a colleague needs to edit the text in Word before it goes out.
Watch out
if nobody will edit the file, Convert HTML to PDF saves a step.
Plumsail Documents8

Convert HTML to PDF

Action

In MakeThis action takes HTML markup, renders it and converts to PDF document

Renders your HTML markup and saves the result as a PDF. Handy for receipts, certificates and one-page summaries you already write in HTML.

When to use it
you already build an order summary in HTML and want a PDF version to attach to the confirmation email.
Watch out
pair it with Create HTML from template when the content changes for each customer.
Plumsail Documents9

Convert Images to PDF

Action

In MakeTakes images and converts them to a PDF document

Gathers pictures into a single PDF document. Photos of receipts, scanned pages or site pictures become one file that is easier to send and to archive than a pile of images.

When to use it
a field technician uploads photos of a finished job and the client report needs them in one PDF.
Watch out
images usually come from a search or an iterator one bundle at a time, so gather them before this module.
Plumsail Documents10

Convert JSON to CSV

Action

In MakeConvert JSON to CSV file

Flattens JSON data into a CSV file that any spreadsheet or import tool accepts. Useful when an API answer is full of useful rows but nobody can read it as is.

When to use it
a web service returns a list of subscribers in JSON and your mailing tool only imports CSV.
Watch out
run it once on real data and open the CSV before feeding it to the next tool.
Plumsail Documents11

Convert JSON to XLSX

Action

In MakeConvert JSON to XLSX Excel File

Builds an Excel file straight from JSON data, skipping the CSV detour. The result opens directly in Excel with rows and columns already in place.

When to use it
a manager asks for the figures your scenario already collects as JSON, and wants them as a spreadsheet to share.
Watch out
choose this over Convert JSON to CSV when the file goes to a person, and CSV when it goes to another tool.
Plumsail Documents12

Convert PPT to PPTX

Action

In MakeTakes PPT document and converts it to PPTX

Updates an old PowerPoint PPT file to the current PPTX format, the one the PPTX template module and the PDF conversion expect.

When to use it
the sales deck your team still reuses is still stored as PPT and you want to turn it into a fillable template.
Watch out
open the converted deck once after a Run once test, before you rely on it as a template in a live scenario.
Plumsail Documents13

Convert PPTX to PDF

Action

In MakeThis action takes PPTX document and converts it to PDF

Turns a slide deck into a PDF that anyone can open without PowerPoint. Slides keep their layout and become pages you can print or attach.

When to use it
a personalized proposal deck was just filled from your PPTX template and the prospect should receive a PDF they cannot edit.
Watch out
for Word or Excel files, the dedicated DOCX and XLSX converters keep the flow easier to read.
Plumsail Documents14

Convert to PDF

Action

In MakeTakes a file and converts it to PDF. Refer to documentation for list of all supported file extensions

The catch-all converter: give it a file and it returns a PDF, whatever the source format, as long as Plumsail supports that extension. One module replaces a chain of specific ones.

When to use it
files of mixed types land in the same inbox folder and all of them should end up as PDFs.
Watch out
Plumsail keeps the list of supported extensions in its own documentation, so check it before relying on an unusual format.
Plumsail Documents15

Convert XLS to XLSX

Action

In MakeTakes XLS document and converts it to XLSX

Upgrades a legacy XLS spreadsheet to XLSX, so the XLSX template module and the PDF export can work with it.

When to use it
an older accounting tool still exports XLS files and you want to fill them or turn them into PDFs later in the scenario.
Watch out
test with a real export first using Run once, and open the XLSX before building the rest of the flow on it.
Plumsail Documents16

Convert XLSX to PDF

Action

In MakeThis action takes XLSX document and converts it to PDF

Saves an Excel workbook as a PDF, which is how you send numbers without letting anyone change a cell. Tables, totals and formatting come out as a fixed page.

When to use it
a customer statement is filled from your XLSX template and each client gets their own PDF copy.
Watch out
fill the template first with Create document from XLSX template, then convert, so the PDF shows the final numbers.
Plumsail Documents17

Create Archive

Action

In MakeCompresses and adds files to a ZIP archive

Packs several files into a single ZIP. Recipients download one file instead of ten, and your storage gets one tidy item per case.

When to use it
closing a client file means sending the contract, the invoice and the signed forms together.
Watch out
files usually reach Make one bundle at a time, where a bundle is one item passed from module to module; collect them into a list before this step.
Plumsail Documents18

Create document from DOCX template

Action

In MakeTakes DOCX document and replaces special tokens in double curly braces with specified data.

The heart of the app for many teams: you write a Word model with tokens in double curly braces, like {{client}}, and the module swaps each one for real data from the scenario.

When to use it
every signed deal needs a contract with the right name, address and price, without anyone copying and pasting.
Watch out
spell each token the same way in the template and in your mapping, then check the output with Run once.
Plumsail Documents19

Create document from PPTX template

Action

In MakeTakes PPTX document and replaces special tokens in double curly braces with specified data.

Fills a PowerPoint deck the same way: tokens in double curly braces on the slides get replaced with the data you map. Each prospect can get a deck with their own name and figures.

When to use it
a sales team sends a tailored proposal deck after every discovery call logged in the CRM.
Watch out
check the filled deck with Run once before sending, then chain Convert PPTX to PDF for a file the prospect cannot edit.
Plumsail Documents20

Create document from XLSX template

Action

In MakeTakes XLSX document and replaces special tokens in double curly braces with specified data.

Drops data into an Excel model by replacing tokens written in double curly braces. The model stays yours; only the tokens change from one file to the next.

When to use it
a price calculation sheet should be prepared for each new quote request, with the customer inputs already in place.
Watch out
a token that has no matching data in the scenario leaves a gap, so map every one before testing.
Plumsail Documents21

Create HTML from template

Action

In MakeTakes HTML file or Raw HTML and replaces special tokens in double curly braces with specified data.

Takes an HTML file or raw HTML, finds the tokens in double curly braces and fills them with your data. You get personalized HTML ready for an email body or for a PDF conversion.

When to use it
order confirmations should look designed, with the buyer name and items inserted automatically.
Watch out
follow it with Convert HTML to PDF when the output has to be a file rather than markup.
Plumsail Documents22

Extract text from PDF

Action

In MakeExtract text from PDF document into a text or HTML file

Pulls the words out of a PDF into a text or HTML file, so the rest of the scenario can search, filter or store the content.

When to use it
supplier invoices arrive as PDFs and you want to spot the invoice number with a Regular Expression Match module afterward.
Watch out
open the result of a Run once test before building filters on it, to see what the text really looks like.
Plumsail Documents23

Fill in Merge Fields in DOCX Document

Action

In MakeFills in Merge Fields in DOCX with provided data

Fills classic Word merge fields, the ones created with the mail merge feature, with the data you provide. Existing company templates can be automated without rewriting them with curly braces.

When to use it
HR already keeps offer letters built with Word merge fields and wants them produced from a hiring form.
Watch out
for new templates, the double curly brace approach of Create document from DOCX template is easier to maintain.
Plumsail Documents24

Fill in PDF Form

Action

In MakeFills in PDF form with provided data

Writes your data into the fields of a fillable PDF, the kind official forms and bank documents often come as. The output is the same form, already completed.

When to use it
a registration form from an authority must be filled for each new employee using data from your HR tool.
Watch out
run Get Form from PDF on a blank copy first to see the exact input names the form uses.
Plumsail Documents25

Get Form from PDF

Action

In MakeExtracts form data from a fillable PDF, returning a JSON object where each key represents a form input name and the corresponding value is the input's filled data.

Reads a fillable PDF that someone completed and returns its content as JSON: each input name paired with the value typed in. The answers become data the next modules can map.

When to use it
applicants send back a completed PDF form and their answers should land in a spreadsheet row.
Watch out
it reads fillable PDFs; a scan of a paper form is a different case.
Plumsail Documents26

Get PDF Protection Information

Action

In MakeReturns information whether the PDF document is password protected

Tells you whether a PDF is locked with a password before you try to do anything else with it. A simple yes or no that saves failed runs further down.

When to use it
files from outside partners sometimes arrive protected, and you want to route those to a person instead of the automatic conversion.
Watch out
add a filter right after it, otherwise the check tells you something and nothing acts on it.
Plumsail Documents27

Make an API Call

Action

In MakePerforms an arbitrary authorized API call.

Your way out when no listed module does what you need: it sends any request to the Plumsail Documents API, reusing the connection you already created.

When to use it
Plumsail offers an endpoint that is not wrapped in any of the other listed modules and you still want it in your scenario.
Watch out
you write the request yourself, so keep the Plumsail API reference open while you set it up.
Plumsail Documents28

Merge any files into PDF

Action

In MakeConvert and merge multiple files into a single PDF document.

Converts several files of different types and joins them into one PDF. A Word file, a spreadsheet and a few images can end up as a single document.

When to use it
a loan or rental file needs the application, the payslips and the ID scans in one PDF for the reviewer.
Watch out
the files often arrive as separate bundles, so gather them into one list before this module.
Plumsail Documents29

Merge DOCX

Action

In MakeTakes multiple DOCX documents and merges them into a single file

Joins several Word documents into one DOCX that stays editable. Handy when a report is built from sections produced by different templates.

When to use it
a cover letter, a generated proposal and standard terms should become one Word file the account manager can still adjust.
Watch out
if the combined file does not need editing, Merge any files into PDF gives a final version in one step.
Plumsail Documents30

Protect PDF Document

Action

In MakeAdd password, copy, printing, and other protections to a PDF file.

Locks a PDF with a password and can block copying, printing and other actions. Sensitive documents leave your scenario already secured.

When to use it
payslips or medical reports are sent by email and only the recipient should be able to open them.
Watch out
the password has to reach the recipient another way; sending it in the same email defeats the purpose.
Plumsail Documents31

Regular Expression Replace

Action

In MakeReplaces all strings that match a regular expression pattern with a specified replacement.

Finds every piece of text that matches a pattern and swaps it for the replacement you choose. Good for cleaning phone numbers, masking IDs or fixing formats in one pass.

When to use it
text pulled from a PDF contains account numbers that must be masked before it is stored anywhere.
Watch out
a loose pattern replaces more than you meant, so test it on a real sample with Run once.
Plumsail Documents32

Regular Expression Test

Action

In MakeEvaluate whether provided regular expression matches any part of a given input string

Answers one question: does this text contain a match for the pattern, yes or no? It checks without changing anything.

When to use it
incoming documents should follow a reference format, and the scenario must branch depending on whether the reference is there.
Watch out
it only returns a true or false result; when you need the matching text itself, use Regular Expression Match.
Plumsail Documents33

Start Document Generation Process

Action

In MakeFills a template related to the selected process with the JSON data

Hands your JSON data to a process you already designed in Plumsail, which then fills the template linked to it. The template itself stays managed in Plumsail, not in Make.

When to use it
your team prefers to edit templates and outputs inside Plumsail, and Make only needs to feed the data when an order comes in.
Watch out
pair it with Watch Finished Process in a second scenario to act once the document is ready.
Plumsail Documents34

Convert PDF to Images

Search

In MakeTakes PDF document and converts it to images of specified format (JPEG, PNG, GIF or BMP)

Turns the pages of a PDF into pictures in JPEG, PNG, GIF or BMP format. Thumbnails and previews become easy to publish.

When to use it
a product catalog in PDF should show its pages as images on a website or in a chat message.
Watch out
as a search module, it can return several bundles, one per image, and each module after it runs once per bundle, which counts as more operations on your plan.
Plumsail Documents35

Parse CSV

Search

In MakeParses CSV and returns JSON array with each object corresponding to the CSV row

Reads a CSV and gives you its rows as data: one JSON object per line, ready to map into other apps. No spreadsheet opens along the way.

When to use it
a supplier sends a stock list as CSV and each line should update a product in your shop.
Watch out
every row can become its own bundle, and an operation is counted each time a module runs on one, so a big file adds up.
Plumsail Documents36

Regular Expression Match

Search

In MakeSearches input string for all occurrences of a regular expression and returns all the matches.

Scans a text and returns every piece that matches your pattern, not just the first. Email addresses, invoice numbers or dates can be picked out of messy content.

When to use it
after Extract text from PDF, you want every order reference mentioned in a supplier letter.
Watch out
zero matches is a valid answer, so plan what the scenario should do when nothing comes back.
Plumsail Documents37

Split PDF

Search

In MakeSplit PDF by bookmarks, into equal chunks or by extracting specific pages

Cuts a PDF into smaller documents, by bookmarks, into equal chunks, or by pulling out the pages you name. One bulky file becomes several focused ones.

When to use it
a scanner produces one long PDF with many signed forms, and each form should be filed on its own.
Watch out
the pieces come out as several bundles, so the next modules repeat for each part.
Need help

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FAQ

Plumsail Documents and Make: common questions

01Is the Plumsail Documents Make integration free?
Yes, on the Make side. Plumsail Documents is a standard app, available from the Free plan. That plan allows 2 active scenarios, runs scheduled scenarios at most every 15 minutes, stops a run after 5 minutes, handles files up to 5 MB and includes 512 MB of data transfer. Paid plans drop the interval to 1 minute and remove the active scenario cap. You still need your own Plumsail Documents account with a subscription; its prices sit on the Plumsail pricing page, not in Make.
02What do you need to connect Plumsail Documents to Make?
An active Plumsail Documents account and an API key. You create the key on the API keys page of your Plumsail dashboard, choose Production or Testing mode, name it if asked, and copy the value from the Secret column. In Make, add any Plumsail module, click Create a connection, optionally name it, and paste the key. For the Watch Finished Process trigger, click Create a webhook first, then create the connection.
03Does the Plumsail Documents trigger in Make work in real time?
Yes. Watch Finished Process is an instant trigger: Plumsail calls Make through a webhook as soon as a process finishes, so the scenario starts right away instead of waiting for a schedule. All the other modules are actions and searches, which run inside a scenario started by something else. When that start is a scheduled module from another app, a new scenario checks every 15 minutes by default, and 15 minutes is also the shortest interval on the Free plan.
04What if a Plumsail Documents module is missing in Make?
Use Make an API Call. It sends a request to any endpoint of the Plumsail Documents API with the connection you already have, so features not covered by the 38 listed modules stay reachable. You write the request yourself, based on the Plumsail API reference. Also check file sizes: Make handles files up to 5 MB on the Free plan, and the Make documentation for this app gives no extra module limit to rely on.
05Should you use Make or n8n for Plumsail Documents?
It depends on where the rest of your automations already run. On Make, Plumsail Documents offers 38 modules, including an instant trigger for finished processes and an API call module for anything else, and each module is set up visually with your API key. If your team already works in n8n, check whether a Plumsail node exists there and what it covers before moving. Compare the modules you actually need rather than the tool names.