FTP n8n INTEGRATION: AUTOMATE FTP WITH N8N

The Upload action sends files from your n8n workflow to your FTP server. When your workflow generates reports, exports data, or receives files from other sources, this action delivers them to your remote server automatically.

Key parameters:

• Credential to connect with: Dropdown to select your FTP account credentials. Required for server authentication.
• Operation: Set to "Upload" to send files to the FTP server. Required.
• Path: Text field specifying the remote destination path including filename, like /uploads/report-2024.pdf. Required to define where the file lands on the server.
• Binary File: Toggle switch that, when enabled, indicates you're uploading binary data (images, PDFs, archives). Enable this for most file types.
• Input Binary Field: When Binary File is enabled, specify which field in your workflow contains the file data. Defaults to "data". Required when uploading binary files.

Use cases:

• Upload generated PDF reports to a client-accessible FTP folder
• Send processed CSV exports to partner servers
• Push backup archives to remote storage locations
• Deliver transformed images or documents to content distribution points

This action completes the file transfer loop—whatever your workflow produces can be delivered to any FTP server automatically.

The Rename action changes the name or location of files and directories on your FTP server. Beyond simple renaming, you can effectively move files by specifying a different directory path in the new name.

Key parameters:

• Credential to connect with: Dropdown for FTP credential selection. Required for server connection.
• Operation: Set to "Rename" to modify file or directory names. Required.
• Old Path: Text field for the current full path and filename, like /public/documents/old-file.txt. Required to identify what you're renaming.
• New Path: Text field for the desired new path and filename, such as /public/documents/new-file.txt or /archive/processed-file.txt. Required to define the new name or location.
• Options: Expandable section for additional configuration if needed.

Use cases:

• Rename processed files to indicate completion status (e.g., adding "_processed" suffix)
• Move files from incoming to processed folders after handling
• Organize files by adding date prefixes or other identifiers
• Restructure server directories by relocating files programmatically

Use this action to maintain organized file structures and clearly mark file states within your automated workflows.

The List action retrieves a directory listing from your FTP server, returning information about all files and folders at a specified path. Use this to discover what files exist before processing them, or to build file inventories.

Key parameters:

• Credential to connect with: Dropdown for selecting your FTP account. Required for authentication.
• Operation: Set to "List" to retrieve directory contents. Required.
• Path: Text field specifying which directory to list, such as / for root or /uploads/incoming/. Required to define the target directory.
• Recursive: Toggle switch that, when enabled, lists all files and subdirectories recursively. When disabled (default), only immediate directory contents appear.

Use cases:

• Check an incoming folder for new files to process
• Build an inventory of all files on a server for auditing
• Find files matching certain patterns for batch operations
• Monitor directories for changes by comparing listings over time

This action is perfect for workflows that need to conditionally process files or maintain awareness of server contents.

The Download action retrieves files from your FTP server and brings them into your n8n workflow as binary data. This is your go-to operation whenever you need to process, transform, or move files from a remote server into your automation pipeline.

Key parameters:

• Credential to connect with: Select your pre-configured FTP account from the dropdown. This required field authenticates your connection to the server.
• Operation: Set to "Download" to retrieve files from the FTP server. Required to define the action type.
• Path: Specify the full path to the file you want to download, such as /public/documents/file-to-download.txt. This required text field tells n8n exactly which file to retrieve.
• Put Output File in Field: Define the binary data field name where the downloaded file will be stored. Defaults to "data" and is required for the workflow to access the file contents downstream.

Use cases:

• Download daily sales reports from a partner's FTP for processing in your data pipeline
• Retrieve product catalog CSV files from suppliers for inventory updates
• Pull log files from remote servers for analysis and alerting
• Grab backup files for verification or restoration workflows

Use this action when you need file contents inside your workflow—for parsing, transforming, sending elsewhere, or storing in another system like Dropbox or AWS S3.

The Delete action removes files from your FTP server permanently. Essential for cleanup operations, this action keeps your server organized by removing files that have been processed, archived, or are no longer needed.

Key parameters:

• Credential to connect with: Dropdown for FTP credential selection. Required for authentication.
• Operation: Set to "Delete" to remove files. Required.
• Path: Text field specifying the full path to the file to delete, such as /public/documents/file-to-delete.txt. Required and must point to the exact file.
• Options: Expandable section for additional settings if available.

Use cases:

• Clean up source files after successful processing and archiving
• Remove temporary files generated during workflow execution
• Delete outdated backups beyond your retention policy
• Clear incoming folders after files have been imported into your systems

⚠️ Important: Deletions are permanent. Consider adding a rename/move step to an archive folder before deletion, giving you a safety net if you need to recover files.