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Set up Atto in N8N

Connect payments to a workflow: read an account, start a process when a payment arrives, or send funds as a workflow step. The package provides an Atto action node and an Atto Trigger node for live network events.

For capabilities and workflow examples, see Atto payment workflows for N8N.

Install on self-hosted N8N​

Use an N8N installation that permits community nodes. Its runtime must meet both N8N's requirements and this package's minimum of Node.js 22.22.0. See the package and installation reference.

  1. Open Settings > Community Nodes and select Install.
  2. Enter @attocash/n8n-nodes-atto.
  3. Review and accept the community-node warning, then install.

Restart N8N if the nodes do not appear in the picker.

Read an account without a wallet secret​

  1. Create an Atto API credential. For the public LIVE service, use https://gatekeeper.live.application.atto.cash as Node Base URL. Leave Wallet Secret and API Key blank.
  2. Add a Manual Trigger, then connect an Atto node and select that credential.
  3. Select resource Account, operation Get, and enter a public Atto address in Address. Use your wallet's public address or one from the explorer.
  4. Execute the node to read the account's balance, representative, height, and frontier. An account that is not open returns found: false.

This operation does not sign or publish anything. The credential test checks the Node endpoint only; it does not validate signing material or the Worker service.

Start a workflow from an incoming payment​

Add Atto Trigger and select event Receivable. Choose Manual Addresses for Address Source, then enter the public address in Addresses. This configuration can use the same credential with no wallet secret.

Run the trigger in test mode or activate the workflow to listen for live receivable events. The trigger uses the Node's streaming endpoints and reconnects when a stream closes. You can import the receivable-trigger example; select your own credential and switch its Address Source to Manual Addresses to use it without a wallet secret.

A receivable is an incoming payment waiting to be received by its destination account. The trigger only reports it. To receive funds, connect an Atto node using Receivable > Receive, with signing credentials for that destination. This step publishes a receive transaction, or opens the account for its first payment. See the incoming-to-receive example.

Enable signing only where it is needed​

Sending, receiving, and changing representatives need:

  • Worker Base URL, alongside the Node URL. The public LIVE default for both is https://gatekeeper.live.application.atto.cash.
  • Wallet Secret Type and Wallet Secret in an Atto API credential: a 24-word Atto mnemonic or a compatible private key.
  • The correct Key Index for mnemonic-derived accounts; it defaults to 0.

To send, choose Transaction > Send and set Destination Address, Amount, and Amount Unit. Executing this operation signs and publishes a real payment.

Workflow credentials grant signing access

N8N does not use the CLI/MCP profile or inherit its spending caps and terminal approvals. A workflow with signing credentials can submit transactions when it runs. Use a dedicated wallet, restrict credential and workflow access, and design any approval and spending checks in the workflow itself.

Keep wallet secrets in N8N's encrypted credentials, not chat, exported workflow JSON, or ordinary node parameters. Review execution-data retention before using real funds. The security and operation reference covers credential use and node behavior.

Machine-to-machine payment workflow​

Use the maintained incoming-to-receive workflow to turn an incoming payment into spendable funds. It connects Atto Trigger > Receivable to Atto > Receivable > Receive. The trigger watches the address derived from your credential; the action signs and publishes a Receive transaction, or an Open transaction for an unopened account.

  1. Download the example JSON and import it into N8N.
  2. Select your own dedicated Atto API signing credential in both nodes. The exported credential named Atto Local, with ID 1, is a placeholder.
  3. Check the credential's Wallet Secret Type, Wallet Secret, and Key Index against your intended receiving address. Use Node and Worker URLs for the same network. For LIVE, both public URLs are https://gatekeeper.live.application.atto.cash.
  4. Keep the trigger's Address Source set to Credentials and the action's Secret Source set to Credentials. Review both nodes and their signing access before running the workflow.
  5. When ready to test it yourself, start the trigger in test mode and send a small payment from another wallet on that network. Inspect the trigger item, then the receive action's output. Confirm the receiving account with Account > Get.

The trigger item includes the incoming Send's hash, recipient address, fromAddress, and amount. The receive action returns status: "received", its own transaction hash, the receiving address, amount, and height. Keep the incoming and receive hashes distinct. Account > Get should report found: true and a balance that includes the received amount. An unopened account becomes open after its first successful receive.

The action processes each supplied receivable item. A run with several input items can publish several Receive/Open transactions; the action does not drain other pending funds automatically.

For a paid service, add your own quoting, payment verification, order matching, and result delivery as described in the agent payment guide. Only start the purchased work after checking the payment against the intended order. N8N signing credentials grant the workflow access to this wallet and do not inherit CLI/MCP spending limits.

Next steps​