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Connect Citation with n8n

Import a workflow that creates a draft, saves a reference and formats its bibliography.

Before you connect

Importable HTTP workflows. Operator setup is required. This is not a published marketplace integration.

Your Citation operator must configure the MCP address and apply the MCP and automation database migrations. Cloud platforms need a reachable HTTPS address. A localhost address works only for software on that computer.

Each token grants access to one workspace for 1 to 90 days. Read permissions are selected initially. Choose writing and exporting only if your workflow needs them. Save credentials in the platform credential store.

Set up n8n

  1. Download the draft workflow and import it into a new n8n workflow. In Workflow Input, enter the exact Citation origin and replace both request UUID placeholders with different UUIDs. Keep these UUIDs for every retry of that work item.
  2. Create a Header Auth credential. Set its Name to Authorization and its Value to Bearer followed by a space and your Citation workspace token. Select this credential in every HTTP Request node.
  3. Run manually. The workflow creates a draft, saves Virginia Woolf’s A Room of One’s Own as a source, and formats an APA reference. Verify the saved document and source in Citation, then repeat unchanged to check that no duplicate is created.
  4. Import the event page workflow to inspect saved changes. Set its origin and credential. Follow next_cursor while has_more is true. Persist the final checkpoint only after every page and your downstream work succeed.

These templates use built in HTTP Request nodes. They are not a community node. The event template reads one page manually; scheduling and durable checkpoint storage belong to your completed destination workflow. Local engine testing is separate from your n8n account and deployment.

Workflow files

Supported operations

Find and read documents. Create drafts and save version checked edits. Find, read, add and update sources. Format references, check citation metadata, and export saved text or reference files.

The setup package includes an OpenAPI contract with exact input and output schemas. HTTP actions use POST at the following relative path:

Create draft endpoint
/api/automation/v1/actions/create_draft
Create draft request
{
  "request_id": "REPLACE_WITH_A_STABLE_UUID",
  "title": "Research intake",
  "text": "Evidence to review."
}

Use read_document with include_content before changing a draft. Sending text replaces formatting and citation nodes.

Events and retries

The HTTP event feed reports document creation, document updates, source creation and source updates. Events are saved with the same database transaction as the change. A retried request returns the same event IDs. History is retained for 30 days or 100,000 events per workspace, whichever is smaller.

Use after for ascending pages and before for descending pages. Keep the same workspace, event type and order. Save the final checkpoint only after all pages and downstream actions succeed. A 410 error requires resynchronization. This integration does not send outbound webhooks.

Reuse the same request UUID and exact input after an uncertain save. A 409 error means the version or request input changed. Read and review before making a new request. A 429 response includes a retry interval. Expired or revoked tokens return 401.

Manage access

Test API access in Citation settings, then test the connection inside your platform. A successful API test confirms Citation access only. Replace a token to invalidate its previous value while keeping its retry history. Update the platform credential before resuming. Revoke the connection to stop access.