Generate school report card PDFs and email them to parents with Gmail

This n8n workflow automates the complete lifecycle of student report card generation — from fetching raw marks data to delivering polished PDF reports directly to parents via email.

It is designed to be scalable, idempotent, and production-ready, making it suitable for schools, coaching institutes, and EdTech platforms.

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🔄 Workflow Overview

The workflow follows a structured pipeline:

1. Fetch student data
2. Filter and loop through records
3. Calculate results and generate report
4. Convert to PDF
5. Send email
6. Update database

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🧠 Node-by-Node Explanation

1. ▶️ Run Workflow Manually (Manual Trigger)

This is the starting point of the workflow.

• Used for testing and manual execution
• Can be replaced with:
  • Cron (scheduled runs)
  • Webhook (trigger via form submission)

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2. 📥 Get row(s) (Data Table)

Fetches student records from the n8n Data Table.

• Filters only rows where Status is empty
• Ensures only students who haven't received reports are processed
• Acts as the primary data source

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3. 🔁 Loop Over Students (Split In Batches)

Processes students one at a time.

• Prevents overload and improves stability
• Useful for handling large datasets
• Enables controlled execution flow

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4. 🚫 Skip Already Sent (IF Node)

Checks if a report has already been sent.

• Condition: Status != "Sent"
• If already sent → skips the record
• Prevents duplicate emails and reprocessing

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5. 📊 Calculate Grade and Remarks (Code Node)

Core logic of the workflow.

What it does:

• Extracts subject marks
• Calculates:
  • Total marks
  • Maximum marks
  • Percentage
• Assigns grade based on percentage:
  • A+, A, B, C, D
• Generates:
  • Dynamic teacher remarks
  • Subject-wise pass/fail status
  • Attendance evaluation

Why it's powerful:

• Fully dynamic logic
• Easy to customize grading system
• Adds intelligence to raw data

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6. 🧾 Build HTML Report Card (Code Node)

Generates a complete report card UI using HTML + CSS.

Includes:

• School header
• Student details
• Subject-wise table
• Total marks & grade
• Attendance stats
• Teacher remarks
• Signature section

Output:

• Clean HTML string
• Styled for A4 PDF export

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7. 📄 Convert HTML to PDF (HTML to PDF Node)

Converts the generated HTML into a downloadable PDF.

• Uses external API (e.g., HTML to PDF)
• Returns a public PDF URL
• Ensures consistent formatting across devices

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8. 📧 Send a Message to Parents (Gmail Node)

Sends the report card to parents via email.

Email includes:

• Personalized greeting
• Student name & exam details
• Quick performance summary
• Link to download/view PDF

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9. ⏱️ Wait 3 Seconds (Wait Node)

Introduces a delay between emails.

• Prevents API rate limits
• Improves deliverability
• Important when sending bulk emails

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10. ✅ Update row(s) (Data Table)

Updates the student record after successful delivery.

Updates:

• Report_URL → PDF link
• Sent_At → timestamp
• Status → "Sent"

Purpose:

• Ensures tracking
• Prevents duplicate processing
• Maintains clean workflow state

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💡 Key Features

• 🎯 Fully automated end-to-end workflow
• 🧠 Smart grading and remark generation
• 🧾 Professional PDF report card design
• 🔁 Duplicate-safe processing
• 📦 Scalable for bulk operations
• 🛠️ Easily customizable

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🧩 Requirements

• n8n Data Table (or Google Sheets alternative)
• Gmail OAuth2 credentials
• HTML → PDF API (HTML to PDF)

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🛠️ Customization Ideas

• Add WhatsApp delivery (Twilio / Exotel)
• Add school branding (logo, colors)
• Include rank, topper list, or analytics
• Replace manual trigger with webhook/form

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🎯 Use Cases

• Schools & educational institutions
• Coaching centers
• EdTech platforms
• Automated reporting systems

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🔥 Pro Tip

You can turn this into a SaaS product by:

• Adding a frontend form for schools
• Connecting a database (Supabase / Airtable)
• Charging per student/report generated