Automatic PDF Processor - Online Help
Comprehensive documentation of all features and settings

1 Introduction

1.1 Welcome to Automatic PDF Processor 2

Automatic PDF Processor is a powerful Windows application for automated processing of PDF documents. The program monitors folders you specify and automatically performs the desired tasks on incoming PDF files.

Typical Use Cases

  • Automatically rename incoming invoices by date and invoice number
  • Sort receipts into a structured folder hierarchy
  • Extract invoice data (date, amount, invoice number) and export as CSV
  • Make scanned documents searchable using OCR
  • Automatically forward PDF files via email to defined recipients
  • Compress large PDF files to save storage space
  • Split multi-page PDFs according to specific criteria
  • Merge individual PDFs into a single document
  • Create ZUGFeRD-compliant electronic invoices
  • Add watermarks or stamps to documents

1.2 Starting the Program

After installation, start Automatic PDF Processor from the Start menu or the desktop shortcut.

Tip: You can configure the program to start automatically with Windows. You can find this setting under Extras > Program Options > General.

1.3 Main Window Overview

The main window of Automatic PDF Processor is divided into several areas:

  1. Menu Bar - Access to all program functions
  2. Profile Toolbar - Quick access for profile management
  3. Profile List - Overview of all created profiles
  4. Log Toolbar - Control of the processing display
  5. Log List - Log of processed files
  6. Status Bar - Current status information

1.4 Basic Principle: Profiles

Working with Automatic PDF Processor is based on profiles. A profile defines:

  • Which folders should be monitored
  • Which PDF files should be processed (filter)
  • Which data should be extracted from the PDFs (extraction rules)
  • Which tasks should be performed (up to 20 different types)

You can create as many profiles as you need. Each profile works independently and can monitor different folders and perform different tasks.

Example: Simple Archiving Profile

A typical profile for automatic invoice archiving might look like this:

  1. Monitored Folder: C:\Inbox\Invoices
  2. Filter: Document text contains “Invoice”
  3. Data Extraction: Extract invoice date and invoice number from text
  4. Task: Rename file using pattern <InvoiceDate>_<InvoiceNumber>.pdf
  5. Task: Move file to D:\Archive\Invoices\<Year>\<Month>\

1.5 Getting Started

1. Create a New Profile

Click New Profile… in the Profile Toolbar or select File > New Profile… from the menu.

2. Set the Monitored Folder

Switch to the Monitored Folders tab and add the folder that should be monitored.

3. Set Filters (optional)

If not all PDFs in the monitored folder should be processed, define appropriate criteria on the Filter tab.

4. Configure Tasks

Switch to the Tasks tab and activate the desired tasks. Configure each task according to your requirements.

5. Save and Activate Profile

Click OK to save the profile. The profile will immediately begin monitoring the specified folder.

Important: Files already present in the folder are initially only indexed (marked as “known”) and not automatically processed. To process existing files retroactively, use the Catch Up button in the Profile Toolbar. Newly added files, however, are processed automatically.

1.6 Processing Workflow

When a new PDF file appears in a monitored folder, the following process occurs:

  1. Detection - The program detects the new file
  2. Filter Check - It is verified whether the file matches the filter criteria
  3. Data Extraction - Defined data is extracted from the PDF
  4. Task Execution - All activated tasks are executed in sequence
  5. Logging - The result is displayed in the Log List

Tip: In the Log List, you can view the status of each processed file. Double-clicking an entry shows details about the processing.

1.7 System Requirements

  • Windows 10 or Windows 11
  • .NET 8.0 Runtime (automatically installed if needed)
  • At least 4 GB RAM recommended
  • For OCR: Additional storage space for language files

1.8 Help and Support

The following resources are available for questions or issues:

  • Online Help: Select Menu > Online Help
  • Tutorials: Step-by-step tutorials on our website
  • Support: info@gillmeister-software.de
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