Input
PDF File Input
Reads a PDF — on your own computer, in My files on FlowDoo, or in Google Drive — and returns one row per page with that page's text.
When to use it
Use it as the starting point for any PDF work — pulling text out, extracting tables, or converting and merging documents further down the pipeline.
In a pipeline
PDF File InputPDF Table ExtractExport Excel
Settings
| Setting | Type | Required | Default or hint |
|---|---|---|---|
| PDF File | text | Yes | C:\Reports\invoice.pdf or files/invoice.pdf |
| Page Range | text | — | Leave empty for all pages, e.g. 1-5, 8, 10-12 |
Example
Reading the first two pages of an invoice pack
- PDF File=C:\Invoices\invoices-q3.pdf
- Page Range=1-2
| Page | What is on it |
|---|---|
| 1 | Invoice INV-2041 for Northwind Trading |
| 2 | Invoice INV-2042 for Harbour Foods |
| 3 | Invoice INV-2043 for Cole & Sons |
| Page | Text | Character Count |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Invoice INV-2041 Northwind Trading Total 1,240.00 | 49 |
| 2 | Invoice INV-2042 Harbour Foods Total 860.00 | 43 |
Page 3 onwards is not read at all, because the page range is applied while the file is parsed.
Worth knowing
- It works like File Input, for PDFs only: type the path (C:\Invoices\invoices-q3.pdf, files/invoices-q3.pdf) or press Browse to choose it on your computer through the FlowDoo desktop agent, from My files, by uploading it to My files, or from Google Drive. The dialog on your computer offers PDFs only, and only the PDF you pick is shared.
- Part of the path can come from a Variable node ($FileName), and a * picks the newest matching PDF, e.g. C:\Invoices\invoice_*.pdf.
- Point it at a folder and it reads every PDF in it; connect an Input Folder (PDF) or a Loop and it reads the files they hand over instead of its own path.
- Page Range takes single pages and ranges together, such as 1-5, 8, 10-12; leave it empty for the whole document. It applies however the PDF arrives.
- Other file types are refused with a pointer to File Input; File Input likewise sends PDFs here.