How to Scan Invoices and Rename PDF Files Using Invoice Numbers
Question details
The user needs an efficient workflow to process a batch of scanned invoices by using OCR to identify invoice numbers, subsequently using that data to organize or rename the individual PDF files.
- Product
- PDF Editor
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Processing and archiving hundreds of scanned invoices by automatically organizing or renaming the files based on unique invoice numbers.
- Observed behavior
- Looking for a structured workflow to automatically extract text from specific invoice areas to act as the filename or to split a combined master document.
Ensure that your scanned invoices are of high quality and clear enough for Optical Character Recognition (OCR) to accurately read the invoice numbers.
Split Invoices by Creating Bookmarks from OCR Text
This method processes multiple invoices within a single master document by using OCR to read invoice numbers, adding them as bookmarks, and splitting the file.
This is a reliable approach that utilizes built-in PDF bookmarking and splitting features, making it ideal for handling a large batch of documents without writing any code.
Scan all your physical invoices and combine them into one master PDF document.
Open the combined PDF and execute the Optical Character Recognition (OCR) tool to make the text selectable and searchable.
Navigate through the document, highlight each recognized invoice number, and add it as a new bookmark.
Use the 'Split PDF' function and choose the option to split the document based on top-level bookmarks. This will save each invoice as a separate file named after the invoice number.
Automate Renaming with Custom Scripts
For users comfortable with coding, custom scripting can automate the extraction and renaming process based on predefined page coordinates.
Effortlessly Manage and OCR Invoices with WPS Office
WPS Office provides built-in, highly accurate OCR technology that easily extracts text from scanned documents. Combined with its powerful page management tools, you can efficiently organize, split, and edit your invoice PDFs in a familiar, intuitive interface.
- 1. Open Your Invoices in WPS PDF: Launch WPS Office and open your scanned PDF invoice document.
- 2. Use the OCR Feature: Navigate to the 'Tools' tab and select 'OCR' to convert the scanned images into selectable text.
- 3. Extract or Bookmark Text: Select the invoice number text to either extract it or add it as a bookmark for document navigation.
- 4. Split the PDF: Use the 'Split PDF' tool located in the 'Page' tab to separate your master file into individual invoice documents based on your bookmarks.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can OCR accurately read all invoice numbers?
OCR accuracy depends highly on the original scan quality, font clarity, and document resolution. For the best text recognition results, it is recommended to scan physical invoices at a minimum of 300 DPI.
Do I need programming knowledge to rename PDFs using OCR?
Not necessarily. While using a custom script requires programming knowledge, you can use built-in PDF features like bookmark splitting to manually organize and separate files without writing any code.
What if my invoices have different layouts?
If your invoices have varying layouts, automated scripts that extract text from a specific coordinate area may fail. In such cases, the manual bookmarking and splitting method is much more reliable as it allows you to adapt to layout changes per document.
