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Extract text from documents and images using AI vision (OCR). Use the Advanced Document Extraction action when a previous step in your Workflow outputs a file — such as a PDF attachment or a downloaded document — and you need that content as text for later steps like Extract Information or Generate Text.
Use Advanced Document Extraction when your document has complex layouts like tables or multi-column structures, poor scan quality, non-Latin scripts with diacritics, or when accuracy is very important.
1

Add the action

In the Workflow builder, click + between blocks and search for Advanced Document Extraction or OCR, then select it from the action library.
Action library with Advanced Document Extraction selected
Advanced Document Extraction action added to the Workflow
2

Select the document

In the Document field, reference the file you want to read. Use # to reference variables from a previous step.Common sources include:
  • Image uploads from a Manual trigger file input (images are not auto-parsed like PDFs and Word docs)
  • Email attachments from an Email trigger
  • Downloaded files from Download File from URL or integration download actions (Google Drive, SharePoint, Box, etc.)
  • Files inside a Loop when processing multiple attachments or documents one at a time
3

Use the output in later steps

The action outputs the extracted text as a single text variable. Reference it in subsequent actions to summarize, categorize, extract fields, or generate a response.

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Supported file types

TypeFormats
DocumentsPDF, Word (.doc, .docx), PowerPoint (.pptx), Keynote (.key)
ImagesPNG, JPEG, WEBP, GIF
If the file type isn’t supported, the action stops the Workflow with an error. Convert the file to a supported format before passing it in.
Under Advanced Settings, add Custom Instructions to tell the AI what to focus on or how to format the output. For example:
  • Extract all table data as markdown tables
  • Focus on the invoice number, date, and line items only
  • Preserve headings and bullet lists from the original document
Custom instructions are useful when you need a specific structure rather than a full verbatim transcription.
Pair Advanced Document Extraction with Extract Information to turn unstructured document text into structured fields you can send to CRM actions, spreadsheets, or email steps.