How Can I Resolve CSV Import Path Issues in n8n?

When running n8n in Docker the file paths you specify refer to locations inside the container—not on your host machine. This means that if you try to use a relative path or an absolute host path (like /docker/n8n-data/…), the container won’t see those files unless you explicitly mount the folder into the container.

What You Can Do

1. Mount the Folder as a Volume
   Ensure the folder containing your CSV file is mounted into the container. For example, if your CSV file resides on your host at /path/to/csv-files, you can run:

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   docker run -it --rm \
     --name n8n \
     -p 5678:5678 \
     -v /path/to/csv-files:/files \
     docker.n8n.io/n8nio/n8n

   Then, inside n8n, reference the file using the container’s path (e.g. /files/yourfile.csv).

2. Use the Correct Absolute Path Inside the Container
   If you’re already mounting a volume (for example, n8n’s persistent data is mounted to /home/node/.n8n), remember that any files you need for import must be in a directory that the container can access. If you place your CSV inside /home/node/.n8n, reference it with that full path.

3. Check Permissions
   Make sure the file is readable by the node user inside the container.

Example Scenario

If you’d like to import a CSV file named data.csv from a local folder, you could:

• Create a folder (if not existing) on your host at /path/to/csv-files and put data.csv in it.

• Start your container with:

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  docker run -it --rm \
    --name n8n \
    -p 5678:5678 \
    -v /path/to/csv-files:/files \
    docker.n8n.io/n8nio/n8n

• In your n8n workflow, where you import the CSV, use the path /files/data.csv.

By following these steps, you ensure that the CSV file is accessible to the container and can be successfully read by your workflow node.