How to automate small business bookkeeping with n8n, Pennylane and Qonto

Pennylane (accounting software) and Qonto (an online business bank account) are two French tools often paired together. In many small companies, bookkeeping itself is not the problem: chasing documents is. A supplier invoice left in an inbox, a restaurant receipt nobody photographed, a client transfer never matched to the right invoice. At month end, the accountant asks, and someone spends half a day digging.

If you already use both tools, a good part of the work is done by them. This guide first shows what they do without you, then the three n8n automations I find most useful to fill the gaps. These are workflows to build and test on your own setup: I describe the steps and what to check, not a guaranteed result.

What do Qonto and Pennylane already do together, without n8n?

According to Qonto's official integration page, checked on October 17, 2026:

The practical takeaway: switch this integration on first, from the integrations tab in the Qonto app. Rebuilding in n8n what both vendors already do would waste time and add one more tool to maintain.

Where does n8n become useful?

n8n steps in where the information is in neither Qonto nor Pennylane: in your inbox, in a tracking sheet, in an employee's head. As of October 17, 2026, I found no dedicated Pennylane or Qonto node in n8n's official integration catalog. So you use the HTTP Request node, which calls each tool's API (the interface that lets two programs exchange data). Both vendors publish developer documentation.

Workflow 1: how do you send emailed invoices to Pennylane?

Some suppliers send their invoices as attachments. The idea: an "Invoices" label or folder in your mailbox, and n8n forwarding each PDF.

1. Spot the emails

A Gmail Trigger node (or Outlook) watches new messages with attachments from a list of known senders, or the ones you file under "Invoices". A precise list beats a broad filter: a newsletter with a PDF is not an invoice.

2. Keep only PDFs

A Filter node drops signature images and anything that is not a PDF. Pennylane's documentation says its API import of supplier invoices only accepts PDF files.

3. Send to Pennylane

Two HTTP Request nodes: the first uploads the file, the second creates the supplier invoice linked to it. The Pennylane API documentation says you need the supplier's ID in Pennylane, so keep a small "sender address → supplier" lookup table in a Google Sheet.

4. Keep a record

The workflow adds a "Forwarded" label to the email and a row to a log. If a send fails, the email stays unlabeled and you get an alert.

Simpler variant: if the invoice matches a payment already made on Qonto, the Qonto API lets you attach a file to a transaction (PDF, JPEG or PNG according to its documentation). The native sync then passes it to Pennylane. The tricky part is finding the right transaction: similar amount and date, supplier name in the label.

Workflow 2: how do you remind your team about missing receipts?

This is often the automation that saves the accountant the most time, and the easiest to build.

1. Every Monday, a Schedule Trigger starts the workflow.
2. An HTTP Request lists last week's Qonto transactions. According to Qonto's documentation, each transaction includes the IDs of its attachments: an empty list means a missing receipt.
3. A Filter node keeps debits with no attachment, above a small amount if you want less noise.
4. A Code node groups transactions by person (the card holder, for example).
5. A Gmail or team chat node sends each person their list: date, amount, merchant, and a reminder of how to add the receipt in the Qonto app.

Keep the message short and specific. "You are missing 3 receipts this week: Oct 12, gas station, €64…" works better than a general reminder to "think about receipts".

Workflow 3: how do you mark invoices as paid automatically?

If your client invoices are tracked in Pennylane with the invoice integration, the "paid" status can update on the Pennylane side. But if you track invoices in a spreadsheet, for example for automated unpaid invoice reminders, that spreadsheet needs to know a client has paid.

1. Every morning, an HTTP Request fetches the credits received on Qonto since the day before.
2. A Code node looks for the invoice number in the transfer reference, and failing that, an identical amount from an expected client.
3. Certain match (number found): the row switches to "paid" in Google Sheets. Doubtful match (amount only): you get a confirmation request and nothing changes.

One simple habit changes everything: ask clients to put the invoice number in the transfer reference, and print that request on the invoice. Matching becomes reliable.

How should you handle access and security?

This touches your bank and your books: caution is not optional.

• Minimum permissions. The Pennylane and Qonto APIs use permissions per use (read transactions, upload an attachment…). Grant only what the workflow needs, and never the right to send transfers for these use cases.
• Keys stored in n8n. Access tokens go into n8n's encrypted credentials, never in plain text inside a node or a spreadsheet.
• Test in a sandbox. Qonto offers a test environment for developers. Build there before touching the real account.
• Where n8n runs. Bank data passes through the server. If you self-host, it must be kept up to date: see my article on installing n8n on a server.
• Tell your accountant. They need to know which documents arrive automatically and from where, so nothing gets processed twice.

If you want these workflows without spending your evenings on them, I build them as part of my accounting and admin automation work, with documentation your accountant can read.

What are the limits of this automation?

• It does not replace your accountant. The workflows move documents and update statuses. Bookkeeping entries, VAT and filings remain a professional's job.
• APIs change. Pennylane's documentation announces API changes with cut-over dates. A workflow that works today needs follow-up.
• Ambiguous cases stay human. One transfer for three invoices, a credit note, a partial payment: the workflow should flag them, not guess.
• Not for everyone. With a dozen transactions a month, the native integration and ten minutes of filing are enough.
• Another bank? The workflows here assume Qonto. With another bank, the logic still holds, but access to transactions depends on what the bank offers.

Sources checked on October 17, 2026

• Qonto, Pennylane integration page
• Qonto API documentation: upload an attachment to a transaction
• Pennylane API documentation: import a supplier invoice
• n8n, integration catalog

Frequently asked questions

Is there an n8n node for Pennylane or Qonto?

As of October 17, 2026, I did not find one in n8n's official integration catalog. You use the HTTP Request node, which calls the Pennylane or Qonto API directly with an access token.

Does Qonto sync with Pennylane without n8n?

Yes. According to Qonto, the integration sends transactions and their receipts to Pennylane three times a day, on all plans. Client and supplier invoices go through separate integrations.

Can emailed invoices be sent to Pennylane automatically?

Yes, with a workflow that watches your mailbox, keeps PDFs from known suppliers and sends them to the Pennylane API. Each sender must be matched to the right supplier in Pennylane.

Is it risky to connect your bank to n8n?

The risk is manageable with minimum permissions, keys stored in n8n's encrypted credentials, testing in a sandbox and a server kept up to date. None of these workflows needs the right to send a transfer.

Does automation replace the accountant?

No. It saves them time by giving them complete, up-to-date documents. Bookkeeping, VAT and filings remain their job.