How to encode binary data as base64 in n8n for Odoo integration

Other Questions N8n
1

Hey everyone! I’m having trouble with a workflow in n8n where I need to take an image file from an HTTP request and convert it to base64 format so I can send it to Odoo. I’ve been working on this for hours but can’t get it right.

I’m trying to process binary data from a media download node and transform it into the correct base64 format. Here’s what I’m currently using:

// Extract binary content from previous workflow step
const fileData = $input.first().binary?.attachment;

if (!fileData) {
  throw new Error("Binary content not available");
}

// Convert binary to base64 format
const encodedFile = fileData.data;

// Create timestamp for record
const currentDate = new Date().toISOString().substring(0, 10);

// Prepare output for next workflow step
return {
  json: {
    photo_field: encodedFile,
    date_field: currentDate,
    comment_field: $json.comment_field || "",
  },
  binary: {
    attachment: fileData
  }
};

The binary data I’m working with has these properties:

  • Filename: abc123def456ghi789
  • Path: mediafiles/2025/1/987654
  • Type: jpeg
  • Content-Type: image/jpeg
  • Size: 48.2 kB

Am I handling the base64 conversion correctly? Any suggestions would be really helpful!

2

The encoding looks right, but I think the problem is how Odoo expects the data format. I’ve dealt with similar integrations before - Odoo’s binary fields are picky about how they get data. Your code assumes fileData.data is already base64, which it usually is in n8n, but you should double-check by looking at the actual content type. Add a validation step to make sure the data’s properly encoded before sending it to Odoo. Also, some Odoo setups need binary data without any data URI prefixes - just the raw base64 string. Try sending a small test image first to see if it’s an encoding issue or if Odoo’s having trouble processing what you’re sending.

3

check if your media download node is returning binary data correctly. sometimes the issue isn’t in the conversion but in how the file gets pulled. try adding console.log(Object.keys($input.first())) to see what’s available. also, odoo can be finicky about file size limits on binary fields.

4

you’re missing the base64 conversion step. fileData.data should already be base64, but double-check with Buffer.from(fileData.data, 'base64').toString('base64'). also, odoo sometimes needs the mime type prefix like data:image/jpeg;base64,${encodedFile} depending on which field you’re using.