operation

Generate PDF

Directus Flow operation to generate generic PDFs from JSON using pdfme

Generate PDF

Directus Flow operation that generates PDF files from JSON templates using pdfme.

Flow Operation

Features

Generic pdfme template rendering from JSON
template.basePdf is the source of truth for page size and margins
Optional full-page backgrounds through a single background_image value
Output to Directus Files or raw base64 response
Dot notation support in schema names, for example user.first_name
Built-in local Roboto-Bold registration from fonts/Roboto-Bold.ttf
Built-in plugins for text, images, shapes, dates, form controls, tables, and barcodes

Installation

Local extension:

cd extensions/directus-extension-generate-pdf
npm install

Then restart Directus so it reloads the extension.

To rebuild the published extension files after changing src/:

npm run build

Operation

Extension package: @cesarechazu/directus-extension-generate-pdf
Operation ID: generate-pdf-operation
Display name: Generate PDF

Inputs

template: pdfme template object
inputs: object or array of objects used by template fields
generate_options: optional object passed to pdfme.generate()
background_image: optional image source used as full-page background. Accepts data:image/..., a same-host /assets/<file_id> URL, or a Directus file ID
filename: output filename
title: Directus file title
storage: Directus storage adapter
folder: optional Directus folder
store_file: store the PDF in Directus Files, defaults to true
return_base64: include PDF base64 in the operation response, defaults to false

Response

file_id: Directus file ID when the PDF is stored
filename: generated filename
title: Directus file title used for the stored asset
storage: Directus storage adapter used for the output
stored: whether the PDF was uploaded to Directus Files
folder: Directus folder ID when provided
asset_url: asset URL when the file was stored and PUBLIC_URL is configured
mime_type: always application/pdf
bytes: generated PDF size in bytes
pages: number of generated pages (based on inputs)
warnings: non-fatal warnings collected during generation
base64: optional PDF base64 when return_base64 is true

Supported Schema Types

Text: text, multiVariableText
Media: image, svg
Layout and shapes: table, line, rectangle, ellipse
Date and time: dateTime, date, time
Form controls: select, radioGroup, checkbox
Barcodes: qrcode, japanpost, ean13, ean8, code39, code128, nw7, itf14, upca, upce, gs1datamatrix, pdf417

Notes

Page size and margins must be defined in template.basePdf.
This operation does not override page size or margins with separate fields.
generate_options is for PDF metadata, color mode, and fonts. It does not control page size, margins, or schema positions.
background_image accepts data:image/..., a URL on the same host as Directus PUBLIC_URL under /assets/, or a Directus file ID (recommended).
URLs on other hosts are rejected. In this version, external background images must be uploaded to Directus first and then referenced by asset URL or file ID.
Background images are validated as supported image files (png, jpeg, webp, gif) before being embedded.
If a background is provided and basePdf is blank-object mode, it is inserted as a full-page static background.
If a schema name is user.first_name, the operation can resolve it from nested input data such as { "user": { "first_name": "John" } }.

Fonts

Default fallback font is Roboto.
Roboto-Bold is auto-registered from fonts/Roboto-Bold.ttf when the file is present.
You can still define custom fonts in generate_options.font.

Hello PDF Example

Template:

{
  "basePdf": {
    "width": 210,
    "height": 297,
    "padding": [10, 10, 10, 10]
  },
  "schemas": [
    [
      {
        "name": "highlight_box",
        "type": "rectangle",
        "position": { "x": 20, "y": 42 },
        "width": 170,
        "height": 42,
        "borderWidth": 1,
        "borderColor": "#0F172A",
        "color": "#F8FAFC",
        "radius": 2
      },
      {
        "name": "title",
        "type": "text",
        "position": { "x": 20, "y": 24 },
        "width": 120,
        "height": 12,
        "fontSize": 24,
        "fontName": "Roboto-Bold"
      },
      {
        "name": "body",
        "type": "text",
        "position": { "x": 26, "y": 52 },
        "width": 170,
        "height": 24,
        "fontSize": 12
      },
      {
        "name": "separator",
        "type": "line",
        "position": { "x": 20, "y": 96 },
        "width": 170,
        "height": 1,
        "color": "#CBD5E1"
      },
      {
        "name": "qr_label",
        "type": "text",
        "position": { "x": 20, "y": 104 },
        "width": 30,
        "height": 6,
        "fontSize": 8,
        "content": "QR"
      },
      {
        "name": "qr_code",
        "type": "qrcode",
        "position": { "x": 20, "y": 112 },
        "width": 30,
        "height": 30,
        "content": "https://directus.io/docs",
        "backgroundColor": "#FFFFFF",
        "barColor": "#111827"
      },
      {
        "name": "ean_label",
        "type": "text",
        "position": { "x": 60, "y": 104 },
        "width": 90,
        "height": 6,
        "fontSize": 8,
        "content": "EAN-13"
      },
      {
        "name": "ean_code",
        "type": "ean13",
        "position": { "x": 60, "y": 112 },
        "width": 90,
        "height": 18,
        "content": "2112345678900",
        "backgroundColor": "#FFFFFF",
        "barColor": "#111827",
        "textColor": "#111827",
        "includetext": true
      },
      {
        "name": "footer",
        "type": "text",
        "position": { "x": 20, "y": 150 },
        "width": 170,
        "height": 10,
        "fontSize": 10
      }
    ]
  ]
}

Inputs:

{
  "title": "Hello PDF",
  "body": "This document shows text, a shape, a divider line, a QR code, and an EAN-13 barcode generated from JSON.",
  "qr_code": "https://directus.io/docs",
  "ean_code": "2112345678900",
  "footer": "Useful for receipts, labels, certificates, or simple printable layouts."
}

Example Result

Multi-page inputs:

[
  { "title": "Page 1", "body": "First page" },
  { "title": "Page 2", "body": "Second page" }
]

Invoice Example

Template:

Show Template JSON

{
  "basePdf": {
    "width": 210,
    "height": 297,
    "padding": [10, 10, 10, 10]
  },
  "schemas": [
    [
      {
        "name": "header_box",
        "type": "rectangle",
        "position": { "x": 20, "y": 18 },
        "width": 170,
        "height": 28,
        "borderWidth": 0,
        "borderColor": "#0F172A",
        "color": "#F8FAFC",
        "radius": 2
      },
      {
        "name": "invoice_title",
        "type": "text",
        "position": { "x": 24, "y": 24 },
        "width": 80,
        "height": 12,
        "fontSize": 22,
        "fontName": "Roboto-Bold",
        "content": "INVOICE"
      },
      {
        "name": "company_name",
        "type": "text",
        "position": { "x": 24, "y": 34 },
        "width": 70,
        "height": 6,
        "fontSize": 9,
        "content": "Example Labs LLC"
      },
      {
        "name": "invoice_number_label",
        "type": "text",
        "position": { "x": 132, "y": 24 },
        "width": 25,
        "height": 6,
        "fontSize": 9,
        "content": "Number"
      },
      {
        "name": "invoice_number",
        "type": "text",
        "position": { "x": 160, "y": 24 },
        "width": 30,
        "height": 6,
        "fontSize": 9,
        "fontName": "Roboto-Bold"
      },
      {
        "name": "issue_date_label",
        "type": "text",
        "position": { "x": 132, "y": 32 },
        "width": 25,
        "height": 6,
        "fontSize": 9,
        "content": "Date"
      },
      {
        "name": "issue_date",
        "type": "text",
        "position": { "x": 160, "y": 32 },
        "width": 25,
        "height": 6,
        "fontSize": 9,
        "fontName": "Roboto-Bold"
      },
      {
        "name": "due_date_label",
        "type": "text",
        "position": { "x": 132, "y": 40 },
        "width": 25,
        "height": 6,
        "fontSize": 9,
        "content": "Due"
      },
      {
        "name": "due_date",
        "type": "text",
        "position": { "x": 160, "y": 40 },
        "width": 25,
        "height": 6,
        "fontSize": 9
      },
      {
        "name": "customer_box",
        "type": "rectangle",
        "position": { "x": 20, "y": 56 },
        "width": 82,
        "height": 42,
        "borderWidth": 1,
        "borderColor": "#CBD5E1",
        "color": "#F8FAFC",
        "radius": 2
      },
      {
        "name": "seller_box",
        "type": "rectangle",
        "position": { "x": 108, "y": 56 },
        "width": 82,
        "height": 42,
        "borderWidth": 1,
        "borderColor": "#CBD5E1",
        "color": "#FFFFFF",
        "radius": 2
      },
      {
        "name": "bill_to_label",
        "type": "text",
        "position": { "x": 24, "y": 60 },
        "width": 30,
        "height": 6,
        "fontSize": 8,
        "content": "Bill To"
      },
      {
        "name": "customer_name",
        "type": "text",
        "position": { "x": 24, "y": 68 },
        "width": 70,
        "height": 8,
        "fontSize": 12,
        "fontName": "Roboto-Bold"
      },
      {
        "name": "customer_tax_id",
        "type": "text",
        "position": { "x": 24, "y": 78 },
        "width": 70,
        "height": 6,
        "fontSize": 9
      },
      {
        "name": "customer_address",
        "type": "text",
        "position": { "x": 24, "y": 86 },
        "width": 70,
        "height": 8,
        "fontSize": 8
      },
      {
        "name": "from_label",
        "type": "text",
        "position": { "x": 112, "y": 60 },
        "width": 20,
        "height": 6,
        "fontSize": 8,
        "content": "From"
      },
      {
        "name": "seller_name",
        "type": "text",
        "position": { "x": 112, "y": 68 },
        "width": 70,
        "height": 8,
        "fontSize": 11,
        "fontName": "Roboto-Bold"
      },
      {
        "name": "seller_tax_id",
        "type": "text",
        "position": { "x": 112, "y": 78 },
        "width": 70,
        "height": 6,
        "fontSize": 9
      },
      {
        "name": "seller_address",
        "type": "text",
        "position": { "x": 112, "y": 86 },
        "width": 70,
        "height": 8,
        "fontSize": 8
      },
      {
        "name": "items_header_box",
        "type": "rectangle",
        "position": { "x": 20, "y": 108 },
        "width": 170,
        "height": 10,
        "borderWidth": 0,
        "borderColor": "#E2E8F0",
        "color": "#E2E8F0",
        "radius": 1
      },
      {
        "name": "items_header_line",
        "type": "line",
        "position": { "x": 20, "y": 118 },
        "width": 170,
        "height": 1,
        "color": "#CBD5E1"
      },
      {
        "name": "description_header",
        "type": "text",
        "position": { "x": 24, "y": 111 },
        "width": 78,
        "height": 6,
        "fontSize": 8,
        "fontName": "Roboto-Bold",
        "content": "Description"
      },
      {
        "name": "qty_header",
        "type": "text",
        "position": { "x": 110, "y": 111 },
        "width": 15,
        "height": 6,
        "fontSize": 8,
        "fontName": "Roboto-Bold",
        "content": "Qty"
      },
      {
        "name": "price_header",
        "type": "text",
        "position": { "x": 130, "y": 111 },
        "width": 20,
        "height": 6,
        "fontSize": 8,
        "fontName": "Roboto-Bold",
        "content": "Price"
      },
      {
        "name": "discount_header",
        "type": "text",
        "position": { "x": 150, "y": 111 },
        "width": 16,
        "height": 6,
        "fontSize": 8,
        "fontName": "Roboto-Bold",
        "content": "Disc."
      },
      {
        "name": "total_header",
        "type": "text",
        "position": { "x": 170, "y": 111 },
        "width": 18,
        "height": 6,
        "fontSize": 8,
        "fontName": "Roboto-Bold",
        "content": "Total"
      },
      {
        "name": "invoice_items",
        "type": "table",
        "position": { "x": 20, "y": 120 },
        "width": 170,
        "height": 64,
        "content": "[]",
        "showHead": false,
        "repeatHead": false,
        "head": ["Description", "Qty", "Price", "Disc.", "Total"],
        "headWidthPercentages": [50, 12, 14, 10, 14],
        "tableStyles": {
          "borderColor": "#CBD5E1",
          "borderWidth": 0.2
        },
        "headStyles": {
          "fontName": "Roboto-Bold",
          "alignment": "left",
          "verticalAlignment": "middle",
          "fontSize": 8,
          "lineHeight": 1,
          "characterSpacing": 0,
          "fontColor": "#0F172A",
          "backgroundColor": "#E2E8F0",
          "borderColor": "#CBD5E1",
          "borderWidth": { "top": 0, "right": 0, "bottom": 0, "left": 0 },
          "padding": { "top": 2, "right": 2, "bottom": 2, "left": 2 }
        },
        "bodyStyles": {
          "fontName": "Roboto",
          "alignment": "left",
          "verticalAlignment": "middle",
          "fontSize": 8,
          "lineHeight": 1,
          "characterSpacing": 0,
          "fontColor": "#111827",
          "backgroundColor": "#FFFFFF",
          "alternateBackgroundColor": "#F8FAFC",
          "borderColor": "#E2E8F0",
          "borderWidth": { "top": 0, "right": 0, "bottom": 0.1, "left": 0 },
          "padding": { "top": 2, "right": 2, "bottom": 2, "left": 2 }
        },
        "columnStyles": {
          "alignment": {
            "1": "center",
            "2": "right",
            "3": "right",
            "4": "right"
          }
        }
      },
      {
        "name": "totals_line",
        "type": "line",
        "position": { "x": 120, "y": 194 },
        "width": 70,
        "height": 1,
        "color": "#CBD5E1"
      },
      {
        "name": "subtotal_label",
        "type": "text",
        "position": { "x": 130, "y": 200 },
        "width": 30,
        "height": 6,
        "fontSize": 9,
        "content": "Subtotal"
      },
      {
        "name": "subtotal",
        "type": "text",
        "position": { "x": 165, "y": 200 },
        "width": 25,
        "height": 6,
        "fontSize": 9
      },
      {
        "name": "discount_total_label",
        "type": "text",
        "position": { "x": 130, "y": 208 },
        "width": 30,
        "height": 6,
        "fontSize": 9,
        "content": "Discount"
      },
      {
        "name": "discount_total",
        "type": "text",
        "position": { "x": 165, "y": 208 },
        "width": 25,
        "height": 6,
        "fontSize": 9
      },
      {
        "name": "tax_label",
        "type": "text",
        "position": { "x": 130, "y": 216 },
        "width": 30,
        "height": 6,
        "fontSize": 9,
        "content": "Tax"
      },
      {
        "name": "tax",
        "type": "text",
        "position": { "x": 165, "y": 216 },
        "width": 25,
        "height": 6,
        "fontSize": 9
      },
      {
        "name": "total_label",
        "type": "text",
        "position": { "x": 130, "y": 226 },
        "width": 30,
        "height": 7,
        "fontSize": 10,
        "fontName": "Roboto-Bold"
      },
      {
        "name": "total",
        "type": "text",
        "position": { "x": 165, "y": 226 },
        "width": 25,
        "height": 7,
        "fontSize": 10,
        "fontName": "Roboto-Bold"
      },
      {
        "name": "payment_box",
        "type": "rectangle",
        "position": { "x": 20, "y": 244 },
        "width": 170,
        "height": 34,
        "borderWidth": 1,
        "borderColor": "#CBD5E1",
        "color": "#F8FAFC",
        "radius": 2
      },
      {
        "name": "payment_note",
        "type": "text",
        "position": { "x": 24, "y": 250 },
        "width": 116,
        "height": 12,
        "fontSize": 9
      },
      {
        "name": "bank_reference",
        "type": "text",
        "position": { "x": 24, "y": 264 },
        "width": 116,
        "height": 8,
        "fontSize": 8
      },
      {
        "name": "payment_qr",
        "type": "qrcode",
        "position": { "x": 150, "y": 250 },
        "width": 24,
        "height": 24,
        "backgroundColor": "#FFFFFF",
        "barColor": "#111827"
      }
    ]
  ]
}

Inputs:

Show Inputs JSON

{
  "invoice_number": "INV-0001",
  "issue_date": "2026-02-28",
  "due_date": "2026-03-15",
  "customer_name": "Ada Lovelace",
  "customer_tax_id": "Tax ID: 20-12345678-9",
  "customer_address": "12 Analytical Engine St, London",
  "seller_name": "Example Labs LLC",
  "seller_tax_id": "VAT ID: GB-99887766",
  "seller_address": "42 Computing Ave, Manchester",
  "invoice_items": [
    ["Discovery workshop and architecture review", "1", "$600.00", "$0.00", "$600.00"],
    ["Custom flow development", "8", "$120.00", "$80.00", "$880.00"],
    ["PDF template implementation", "3", "$150.00", "$0.00", "$450.00"],
    ["QA and browser validation", "2", "$90.00", "$0.00", "$180.00"],
    ["Deployment and handoff session", "1", "$220.00", "$20.00", "$200.00"]
  ],
  "subtotal": "$2,310.00",
  "discount_total": "$100.00",
  "tax": "$464.10",
  "total_label": "Total",
  "total": "$2,674.10",
  "payment_note": "Please transfer the balance before the due date. Scan the QR to open the payment portal or use the bank reference below.",
  "bank_reference": "Reference: INV-0001 | IBAN: GB82 WEST 1234 5698 7654 32",
  "payment_qr": "https://pay.example.com/invoices/INV-0001"
}

Invoice example result

Generate Options Example

{
  "title": "Invoice INV-0001",
  "subject": "Professional services invoice",
  "author": "Example Labs LLC",
  "creator": "Directus Flow: Generate PDF",
  "producer": "pdfme",
  "keywords": ["invoice", "directus", "billing", "pdf"],
  "colorType": "rgb",
  "lang": "en"
}

License

MIT (MIT)