10 Tasks - Overview
10.1 What are Tasks?
Tasks are the actions that Automatic PDF Processor performs on recognized PDF files. Each profile can contain any number of tasks that are executed in an order you define.
10.1 Task List and Order
Available Task Types (21)
| No. |
Task |
Description |
| 1 |
Rename file |
Renames the PDF file according to a defined pattern |
| 2 |
Copy file |
Copies the PDF file to a target folder |
| 3 |
Move file |
Moves the PDF file to a target folder |
| 4 |
Delete file |
Deletes the PDF file (to Recycle Bin) |
| 5 |
Print |
Prints the PDF file on a printer |
| 6 |
Send email |
Sends the PDF file via email |
| 7 |
Merge PDFs |
Combines multiple PDFs into one file |
| 8 |
Split PDFs |
Splits a PDF into multiple files |
| 9 |
OCR (Text recognition) |
Makes scanned PDFs searchable |
| 10 |
Save attachments |
Extracts embedded attachments from the PDF |
| 11 |
Save extractions |
Exports extracted data as CSV |
| 12 |
Use template |
Fills templates with extracted data |
| 13 |
Change file protection |
Sets or removes password protection |
| 14 |
Compress PDF |
Reduces file size |
| 15 |
Embed attachments |
Embeds files as attachments in the PDF |
| 16 |
Create ZUGFeRD/Factur-X |
Creates electronic invoices according to ZUGFeRD standard |
| 17 |
Convert to PDF/A |
Converts to the archiving format PDF/A |
| 18 |
Remove pages |
Removes specific pages from the PDF |
| 19 |
Stamp/Watermark |
Adds stamps or watermarks |
| 20 |
Insert barcode |
Inserts QR codes or other barcodes |
| 21 |
Replace content |
Replaces text content in the PDF |
Adding and Managing Tasks
In the profile settings, you will find a list of all available task types in the Tasks category. To configure a task:
- Select the desired task type in the list
- Click Add or double-click the entry
- Configure the task in the dialog that appears
- Click OK to add the task to the profile’s task list
Setting the Order
The order of tasks is important as they are executed sequentially. Use the Move Up and Move Down buttons to adjust the order.
Typical Order: 1. Rename file 2. Copy/Move file 3. Send email (if desired) 4. Delete file (if desired)
Tip: Plan the order carefully. A “Delete file” task, for example, should always be at the end, after all other tasks are completed.
Multiple Tasks of the Same Type
You can add multiple tasks of the same type. This is useful when you want to, for example:
- Copy a file to multiple folders
- Send an email to different recipients with different content
- Place different stamps on different pages
10.2 Common Concepts
Many tasks share common settings areas. These are explained here once and apply to all relevant tasks.
General Settings
Each task has a General Settings area with the following options:
- Enabled: Turns the task on or off. Disabled tasks are skipped.
- Name: An optional name for better identification of the task in the list.
- Comment: Space for your notes about the task.
Storage Location
Many tasks (Rename, Copy, Move, OCR, etc.) require specifying a storage location. This consists of:
Directory
The base directory where the file should be stored. You can: - Enter a fixed path (e.g., D:\Archive\Invoices) - Select the folder via Browse… - Use placeholders (e.g., D:\Archive\<Year4>)
Subfolder
Optionally, you can define subfolders that are created dynamically. Use placeholders to create a folder structure based on extracted data:
<Year4>\<Month> creates e.g., 2024\12<RuleId:1(Client)> creates a folder with the extracted client name
Filename
The name of the target file. You can: - Enter a fixed name - Keep the original name with <FileName> - Compose a dynamic name from placeholders
Example: <RuleId:1(Date)>_<RuleId:2(InvoiceNo)>_<FileName> Creates: 2024-12-15_INV-12345_Invoice.pdf
Name Collisions
For cases where a file with the defined name already exists, the following options are available:
| Option |
Description |
| Overwrite |
The existing file is replaced |
| Append number |
Adds a number (e.g., File (1).pdf, File (2).pdf) |
| Append date |
Adds date and time |
| Cancel operation |
The task is not executed, but processing still counts as completed, not as an error |
Placeholders
Placeholders are a central concept in Automatic PDF Processor. They enable dynamic filenames and folder paths.
File Properties
| Placeholder |
Description |
Example |
<FileName> |
Filename (without extension) |
Invoice_Company |
<FileNamePartL:N> |
Left part of filename (N characters) |
with N=8: Invoice_ |
<FileNamePartR:N> |
Right part of filename (N characters) |
with N=7: Company |
<ParentFolderNameOfLevel:N> |
Name of parent folder (level N) |
Inbox |
Date Values (File System)
| Placeholder |
Description |
Example |
<FileCreatedYear4> |
Creation year (4-digit) |
2024 |
<FileCreatedYear2> |
Creation year (2-digit) |
24 |
<FileCreatedMonth> |
Creation month (2-digit) |
12 |
<FileCreatedMonthName> |
Creation month (name) |
December |
<FileCreatedDay> |
Creation day |
15 |
<FileModified...> |
Modification date (same variants) |
- |
Current Date
| Placeholder |
Description |
Example |
<TodaysYear4> |
Current year (4-digit) |
2024 |
<TodaysMonth> |
Current month |
12 |
<TodaysDay> |
Current day |
15 |
PDF Properties
| Placeholder |
Description |
<Author> |
PDF author |
<Title> |
PDF title |
<Subject> |
PDF subject |
<Keywords> |
PDF keywords |
<PageCount> |
Page count |
<PDFCreated...> |
PDF creation date (same variants as file system) |
<PDFModified...> |
PDF modification date |
Prior Variants (Previous Month/Day/Year)
| Placeholder |
Description |
<FileCreatedPriorYear4> |
Previous year of creation date |
<FileCreatedPriorMonth> |
Previous month of creation date |
<FileCreatedPriorDay> |
Previous day of creation date |
<TodaysPriorYear4> |
Previous year |
<TodaysPriorMonth> |
Previous month |
<TodaysPriorDay> |
Previous day |
These are particularly useful for monthly statements that arrive in the following month and should be labeled with the previous month’s name.
Values from your extraction rules can be used as placeholders:
<RuleId:N(RuleName)> where N is the automatically determined ID of the rule.
Example: <RuleId:1(InvoiceNumber)> inserts the invoice number extracted with rule 1.
Tip: Click the Placeholders link above an input field to see and select all available placeholders in the “Extracted Data” menu.
File Date
Many tasks allow you to adjust the file date of the target file. You can choose between:
| Option |
Description |
| Do not change |
The file date remains unchanged |
| Creation date of original file |
Uses the original creation date |
| Modification date of original file |
Uses the modification date |
| PDF creation date |
Date from the PDF metadata |
| Extracted date |
A date extracted with a rule |
| Current date |
Sets today’s date |
Use Case: When archiving invoices by invoice date, you can set the file date to the extracted invoice date. This way, Windows Explorer displays the correct date.
Afterwards (External Program)
After completing a task, an external program can be called automatically. This enables integration with other applications.
Configuration: - Program: Path to the executable file - Parameters: Command line parameters to be passed
Available Placeholders for Parameters: - <DestinationPath> - Full path of the processed file - <DestinationFolder> - Folder of the processed file - <DestinationFileName> - Name of the processed file
Example: Opening the processed file in a PDF viewer: - Program: C:\Program Files\Adobe\Acrobat\Acrobat.exe - Parameters: "<DestinationPath>"
10.2 Tips for Task Configuration
Test with Example Files
Before putting a profile into production: 1. Add representative PDFs on the Example Files tab 2. Use the Result Preview to check the outcome 3. Test the profile with a single file
Follow Logical Order
- Rename before Copy if the new name is used in the target path
- Delete always at the end
Note about OCR: The OCR task creates a new file in the configured target folder. This new file must be processed further with a separate profile that monitors the OCR output folder if needed.
Plan Error Handling
Consider what should happen when a task fails: - Under Subsequent Operations, you can move failed files to a special folder - The Notifications can inform you of errors via email
Combine Tasks Effectively
Scenario: Archiving with Backup 1. Rename file (with placeholders) 2. Copy file (to archive folder) 3. Copy file (to backup folder on network drive) 4. Delete original file
Scenario: OCR Workflow with Two Profiles
Profile 1 - Perform OCR: 1. Perform OCR (output to C:\OCR-Output) 2. Delete original file (optional)
Profile 2 - Process OCR Result: - Monitors: C:\OCR-Output 1. Rename file 2. Move file (to archive)