Why Does a Shared Credential from a Personal Project Fail in n8n Enterprise?

Below is an explanation of what is likely happening and a suggested fix:

Why the Credential Fails When Shared

• Personal vs. Project Credentials:
  When you create credentials in your personal account (or personal project), they are owned and scoped to that context. Even though you can share them, users who aren’t part of that same project context might not have the required permissions to use them as expected.

• Access Restrictions:
  The n8n credential-sharing mechanism is designed so that once credentials are shared, the recipients aren’t allowed to view or edit the underlying details. If the credential was created within your personal context, teammates outside of that context may not have seamless access when they try to use it in their workflows.

How to Fix the Issue

• Store Credentials in a Shared Project:
  Instead of creating credentials in your personal project, create them directly inside a shared project to which your teammates belong. This way, the credential’s ownership aligns with the team’s access permissions and prevents any unexpected behavior.

• Use Project Admin Privileges:
  If you must deal with credentials inside a project, ensure that only project admins share those credentials. This follows the recommended practice in n8n, helping ensure that all project members can use the credentials reliably.

• Review Permissions:
  If credentials must be shared across personal and team contexts, verify that the users receiving the shared credential have the correct access rights. In many cases, it is best to recreate the credential within the context (project) that everyone on the team can access.

By moving your credentials to a shared project, you should see that workflows using those credentials work as expected for all team members.