Automate Google Drive Folder Creation for Year and Category-Based File Organization Using n8n

I'm automating my file storage with n8n and Google Drive to better organize scanned documents.

I scan documents as PDF files and upload them directly to Google Drive. The PDFs are then converted to JPG with Stirling PDF for further processing by Gemini, after which they are renamed based on criteria (Date_InvoiceIssuer). While this part works perfectly, I'm struggling with the automatic creation of missing folders in Google Drive. I need the workflow to create the required folders if they don't exist and then move the file into the correct location, structured as follows:
• Main folder: Year (from the invoice date)
• Subfolder: Category (determined by Gemini)

Could someone guide me on how to implement this step within n8n?

Information on your n8n setup

• n8n version: 1.72.1
• Database (default: SQLite): SQLite
• Running n8n via (Docker, npm, n8n cloud, desktop app): npm
• Operating system: Debian 12

Below is an example answer outlining one approach:

---

Step-by-Step Example

1. Detect the Target Folders
   • Use a Google Drive node set to the File/Folder – Search operation to search for the main folder (the Year folder based on the invoice date).
   • Check the output (for example, via a subsequent IF or Set node) to determine if the folder was found.
   • Repeat the process for the subfolder (identified by the Category determined by Gemini).

2. Create Missing Folders
   • If the main folder (Year) isn’t found, add a Google Drive node with:

   • Resource: Folder
   • Operation: Create
   • Folder Name: Use an expression for the invoice year
   • Parent Drive/Folder: Use the appropriate parent (My Drive or another folder)
     • Likewise, if the subfolder is missing (or not under the Year folder), add another Google Drive node to create the subfolder:
   • Resource: Folder
   • Operation: Create
   • Folder Name: Use the Category name
   • Parent Folder: Use an expression that references the created (or existing) Year folder’s ID

3. Move the File
   • Once you have the target folder ID (the subfolder), use another Google Drive node with:

   • Resource: File
   • Operation: Move
   • File: The PDF file (or later the converted JPG file)
   • Parent Folder Parameter: Set to the subfolder ID (using an expression such as {{ $json["id"] }} from the output of your folder creation or search node)

---

Example Workflow Outline

MERMAIDCopied
flowchart TD
    A[Scan/Upload PDF] --> B[Google Drive - Upload file]
    B --> C[Google Drive - Search for Year Folder]
    C -->|Folder exists| D[IF Node: Check Main Folder exists]
    D -->|Yes| E[Google Drive - Search for Subfolder in Year Folder]
    E -->|Folder exists| F[IF Node: Check Subfolder exists]
    F -->|Yes| G[Google Drive - Move file to Subfolder]
    F -->|No| H[Google Drive - Create Subfolder]
    H --> I[Google Drive - Move file to new Subfolder]
    D -->|No| J[Google Drive - Create Year Folder]
    J --> K[Google Drive - Create Subfolder in new Year Folder]
    K --> L[Google Drive - Move file to new Subfolder]

*Note: This flowchart is an outline to visualize the logic. Actual workflows may require additional nodes (like Set or IF nodes) to control flow based on folder existence or creation outcomes.

---

Tips and Considerations

• Expressions: Use n8n expressions to dynamically set names and link outputs (for example, in the Folder Name or Parent Folder fields).

• Credentials: Ensure your [Google Drive credentials] are configured correctly, as per the n8n documentation.

• Execution Order: Since folder creation depends on the presence of prior nodes (e.g., creating a subfolder requires an existing Year folder), ensure nodes are executed in the correct sequence.

• Error Handling: Add error handling to manage scenarios such as conflicts or permission issues with Google Drive nodes (see the n8n Common Issues documentation).