Use Rules to Automatically Rename Different Document Types
Introduction
Using AutoSplit™ to auto-rename different documents using unique settings for each document type can be time consuming. To avoid repeating the process for each document type, the user can create renaming rules to process multiple file types in the same input. This means that documents with different text layouts and naming requirements can be auto-renamed at once - a specific file naming scheme will be used for each document.
Rules are configured to search input documents for specific text. This could be any plain text, or text following a pattern - such as account /employee/social security numbers, names or dates etc. If matching text is identified, the corresponding rule will be used to rename the file. If multiple rules match the input document, then all of them will be used to rename the document. This allows creating flexible renaming rules that adapt to differences in the document content.
In the tutorial below, we will create two separate renaming rules and use them to rename sample business documents. One file naming scheme will be designed to rename invoices, the other to rename purchase orders. Input documents will be searched for the presence of the text "invoice" or "purchase order". If matching text is identified in an input document, the correct rule will be used to rename it.
search text & output filenames
Input Document Description
The sample files used here are a collection of invoices and purchase orders. The original filenames do not feature any content that is related to each document's content. The goal is to rename them so that invoices are named using the invoice number located within them, and purchase orders are renamed using the relevant customer names. This information is located on the first page of each document. Such file names may be more useful when used by an accounting department or being archived for future use.
The plug-in will identify "INVOICE" or "PURCHASE ORDER" in each document, and use the correct renaming rule to generate an output filename.
input invoices
input purchase orders
Batch Processing Support
Automate this operation with Acrobat's batch processing tool (Action Wizard) to process similar files using the same configuration with only one click.
Prerequisites
You need a copy of Adobe® Acrobat® along with the AutoSplit Pro™ plug-in installed on your computer in order to use this tutorial. Both are available as trial versions.
Step 1 - Open the “Auto-Rename PDF Files” Menu
Start Adobe® Acrobat® and select “Plug-ins > Auto-Rename PDF Files…” from the main Acrobat menu.
open renaming dialog
Step 2 - Add a New Renaming Rule
Press “Add Rule…” to configure a file renaming rule.
add a rule
Step 3 - Configure the Text Search
This renaming rule will be used when matching search text is identified within an input file. Type the text that you want to search for in the "Find what:" entry box. Here, we will search for the word "invoice" to identify invoices.
Optional: use a search expression by checking "Use regular expressions" to find text following a specific pattern. Regular expression syntax is used to format expressions.
Check any necessary processing options such as "Match whole words only" or "Match case". In this example, both are left unchecked ("INVOICE" is uppercase in the sample invoices used here, but the expression would still work if the text case was inconsistent across all files being renamed).
Press "OK" to proceed.
add search text
Step 4 - Add a File Naming Component
Press "Add..." to begin defining a file renaming scheme.
add filename components
Choose a method for adding a filename component. Here, we will demonstrate how to add custom text. Select the "Custom Text..." option and press "Next >>".
use custom text
Enter the custom text that you wish to add to filenames when this renaming rule is used, and press "OK". Here, we will insert "Invoice_".
type custom text
Step 5 - Insert Text From a Specific Page Location into Filenames
Press "Add..." to add another file renaming component.
add another component
Select the "Text From Location" option and press "Next >>".
use text from page
You will be prompted to select a sample file to define the area text should be extracted from. Press "OK" to proceed.
close prompt
Locate and select a suitable file to use, and press "Open".
select sample file
Use the zoom tool to expand a page area. Then use the drawing tool to draw a box around the desired text area by clicking and dragging the cursor.
Press "OK" to proceed.
draw extraction area
Step 6 - Add a Second Renaming Rule
The two filenaming components for this rule are now listed. Repeat the procedure to add more and use the additional buttons to add/edit/remove components. The blue arrow buttons can be used to re-order them.
Press “Add Rule…” to add another renaming rule for the second file type.
add another rule
This renaming rule will be used when the words "purchase order" are identified within an input document (see step 3 above).
Press "OK" to proceed.
type 2nd search text
Step 7 - Add Filename Components
Press "Add..." to configure the filename components to be used.
add renaming components
We will use the same method as steps 4 & 5 above to rename purchase orders with custom text ("PO_"), followed by text extracted from a specific page location. Here, we will extract customer names located within each purchase order in the output filenames. Select a sample file to define the area text should be extracted from, then use the zoom/drawing tools to draw a box around where names are located.
Press "OK" to proceed.
draw 2nd extraction box
A single renaming rule will be used when either "invoice" or "purchase order" is identified within an input document.
check renaming rules
Step 8 - Optional: Move Renamed Files
Save renamed files in a separate location (instead of replacing existing filenames) by checking the "Move successfully renamed files to another folder" option. This activates the "Select Output Folder..." button - press it to specify an output folder for the renamed files.
move renamed files
Locate the desired folder, select it, and press "Select Folder".
select output folder
Step 9 - Confirm/Save Renaming Options
Optionally use the "Save Settings..." button to save this configuration as a *.docren settings file for future re-use. This can be loaded via the "Load Settings..." button.
Click "OK" to use these settings to rename files.
save/confirm settings
Step 10 - Add Files for Renaming
Press “Add Files…” in the “Select Input Files” dialog to select files that need to be renamed. Consider also making backup copies of the input files before processing.
add input files
Select PDF files that need to be renamed and click "Open" once done. Note that files from multiple folders can be added with repeated use of the "Add Files..." button.
select files to rename
Selected PDF files will be listed in the "Select Input Files" dialog. Press "OK" once all necessary files have been selected.
rename selected files
Step 11 - Review and Confirm New Filenames
The software will process input files without renaming them yet, and present "computed" file names in the "Review and Confirm New Filenames" dialog. The documents have been searched for text matching the search rules, and the appropriate one has been used to create a new filename for each document type. Note that no files have actually been renamed at this step.
Review the generated file names and edit them manually by double-clicking on an output filename cell.
Press “Rename” to confirm the renaming process.
review new filenames
Step 12 - Review the Processing Report
Check the renaming statistics. Click “OK” to open a processing report.
open a processing report
The processing report shows detailed information on how many files have been renamed or failed, along with input/output filenames for each document.
Optionally save this report by pressing the "Save..." button. Click "Close" to close it.
save/close the report
Inspect the new filenames (in the output folder, if using) to check that they have been renamed correctly. Invoices and purchase orders now follow an "Invoice_0123456789" or "PO_John Doe" format:
inspect the results
You can find more AutoSplit tutorials here.