> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.cassidyai.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Extract information

> Extract specific data points from text using AI, with support for structured fields and lists.

Extract specific pieces of information from text using AI. Define the fields you want to extract and the AI pulls them from the source content. Use this to parse emails, documents, or any unstructured text into structured data.

<Steps>
  <Step title="Add the action">
    In the Workflow builder, click **+** between blocks and select **Extract Information** from the action library.

    <Frame>
      <img src="https://mintcdn.com/cassidy/UO0c6HH8Ick4vNlS/images/reference/extract-information-img-0.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=UO0c6HH8Ick4vNlS&q=85&s=e36d6e495dae013da1fc0a6631703837" alt="Action library with Extract Information highlighted" width="950" height="462" data-path="images/reference/extract-information-img-0.png" />
    </Frame>

    <Frame>
      <img src="https://mintcdn.com/cassidy/UO0c6HH8Ick4vNlS/images/reference/extract-information-img-1.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=UO0c6HH8Ick4vNlS&q=85&s=714709842afe97a9f71e85097b9c7a13" alt="Extract Information action added to the Workflow" width="1008" height="1074" data-path="images/reference/extract-information-img-1.png" />
    </Frame>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Enter the source text">
    In the **Source Text** field, provide the text you want to extract information from. Use **#** to [reference variables](/guides/prompt-engineering#workflow-prompts) from previous steps or the trigger.

    <Frame>
      <img src="https://mintcdn.com/cassidy/UO0c6HH8Ick4vNlS/images/reference/extract-information-img-3.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=UO0c6HH8Ick4vNlS&q=85&s=d0be721875c2c77cf86499dc8d5dfbfe" alt="Source Text field with variable reference" width="1010" height="242" data-path="images/reference/extract-information-img-3.png" />
    </Frame>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Add extraction fields">
    Under **What to Extract**, click **+ Add Field** to create each field you want to extract from the source text.

    <Frame>
      <img src="https://mintcdn.com/cassidy/UO0c6HH8Ick4vNlS/images/reference/extract-information-img-4.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=UO0c6HH8Ick4vNlS&q=85&s=4f16da0db2dfb140441fdfaf5bb4029d" alt="What to Extract section with Add Field button" width="1010" height="280" data-path="images/reference/extract-information-img-4.png" />
    </Frame>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Configure individual fields">
    For each field, configure the field name, type, description, and whether it's required. For detailed information on setting up fields, see [Structured Output Fields](/workflows/advanced/structured-output-fields).

    <Frame>
      <img src="https://mintcdn.com/cassidy/UO0c6HH8Ick4vNlS/images/reference/extract-information-img-5.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=UO0c6HH8Ick4vNlS&q=85&s=1e393fc4c644d14a42353baf3237e2ec" alt="Field settings showing name, type, and description" width="1004" height="1142" data-path="images/reference/extract-information-img-5.png" />
    </Frame>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Configure advanced options (optional)">
    Under **Advanced Options**, you can:

    * **Select the AI model** — Choose which model to use for the extraction. Each model has different strengths — see [Choose an AI model](/guides/choose-ai-model) for guidance.
    * **Add additional extraction instructions** — Provide specific guidance or context to help the AI extract information more accurately.

    <Frame>
      <img src="https://mintcdn.com/cassidy/UO0c6HH8Ick4vNlS/images/reference/extract-information-img-6.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=UO0c6HH8Ick4vNlS&q=85&s=075f75a1d063a084b0760d5273e3dc81" alt="AI model selector in Advanced Options" width="1012" height="220" data-path="images/reference/extract-information-img-6.png" />
    </Frame>

    <Frame>
      <img src="https://mintcdn.com/cassidy/UO0c6HH8Ick4vNlS/images/reference/extract-information-img-7.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=UO0c6HH8Ick4vNlS&q=85&s=a212ed0de2b2429ce4bcf7c82ba4d670" alt="Additional extraction instructions field" width="1010" height="258" data-path="images/reference/extract-information-img-7.png" />
    </Frame>
  </Step>

  <Step title="Reference the output in later steps">
    In subsequent Workflow steps, reference the specific fields from this action's output using the field names you defined. Each extracted field becomes its own variable.

    <Frame>
      <img src="https://mintcdn.com/cassidy/UO0c6HH8Ick4vNlS/images/reference/extract-information-img-8.png?fit=max&auto=format&n=UO0c6HH8Ick4vNlS&q=85&s=f3e86018867ffe72452c388c6072c043" alt="Referencing extracted fields as variables in a later step" width="1490" height="1120" data-path="images/reference/extract-information-img-8.png" />
    </Frame>
  </Step>
</Steps>

<Tip>Extracted fields become individual variables you can reference in later steps — making this action ideal for feeding structured data into other actions like [Update HubSpot Record](/integrations/hubspot/workflows) or [Send Email](/reference/actions/send-email).</Tip>

## Related

* [Create Summary](/reference/actions/create-summary)
* [Categorize Text](/reference/actions/categorize-text)
* [Structured Output Fields](/workflows/advanced/structured-output-fields)