Month: November 2022

Name or Rename PDF Files Based on Content Below a Search Term

In previous blog posts [see 1, 2], we showed how Win2PDF can name (or rename) PDF files based on data contained within a file. This feature has been especially useful for users needing to manipulate invoices, as this twitter user has noted:

Brainsweat. Lots of it. We’ve been talking with a lot of users that are spending a lot of time trying to sort through massive numbers of PDF invoices and renaming them based on content, attaching them to emails, splitting them apart, etc.

We now have a free update (Win2PDF 10.0.141) that expands on the capability to make this happen. Namely, it adds the capability to capture the search field below a search term. Previously it only allowed you to select text that followed after a search term. As many of you may know, it’s not uncommon for the invoice number to reside on a different line, so now both types of searches are possible, as shown below:

To use this feature, you’ll first need to open a sample PDF document in the Win2PDF Desktop App to define the Auto-Name Search Field.

Then, based on the example file shown above, you’d enter in the Content Search Word of “Invoice #”, choose the search direction to be “Search Below”, and it will show you what the found search field is:

After you have defined this search field, you can do a few things.

One, you can use this term to rename a batch of PDF files if they already exist. You simply need to select the Auto-Rename menu option from the Win2PDF Desktop App, and then choose your Auto-Name variables including the “Search Field 1” text as shown below.

Two, instead of renaming existing PDF files, you can set your current printing method to use this Auto-Name method for new PDF files. You’ll just need to go to the Configure Win2PDF Auto-Name Settings page to set up how you’d like the PDF files to be named.

And three, you can use this feature via the command line interface for more advanced users. Previously we used the command line command “getcontentsearch” to find search text that immediately follows the search word. Now we’ve added the “getcontentsearchbelow” command, which finds the search text that is directly below the search word.

Hopefully, this is one additional feature to reduce the amount of brainsweat required for managing your invoices.

New Win2PDF Plug-In Adds a Terms & Conditions Sheet to a PO

We recently created a new Win2PDF Plug-In for a customer and it’s useful enough to share with all Win2PDF users. The Win2PDF Append File Plug-In allows you to append a standard file to any new PDF created using Win2PDF. While this Plug-In can be used for a variety of situations, here’s what the customer wanted:

When members of their accounting team printed a new purchase order (PO), they wanted to easily attach a standard company-specific Terms and Conditions sheet to each PO, like this:

While the Win2PDF Append feature has always been available, the new Plug-In streamlines the process to just a simple check-box. When the Plug-In is installed, a check-box for Append PDF appears on the main Win2PDF File Save Window, as shown here:

By simply checking this Append PDF checkbox on the main screen, the customer can add their Terms and Conditions sheet to POs without having to go through any extra steps. When printing other types of documents that do not need this extra sheet, they just uncheck this box.

To activate this Plug-In, download the Win2PDF Append File Plug-In setup file. Then run the compiled setup program and choose your pre-set file to append (e.g., “Terms and Conditions.pdf”).

While this particular customer had a Terms and Conditions sheet they needed to add to POs, the same Plug-In could be used for a variety of other applications, like:

  • Add a customer contact sheet to certain documents,
  • Add instructions to a specific form that is generated for clients,
  • Add a tax-exemption form to purchase orders,
  • Add payment options, bank details, etc. to invoices, or
  • Add any type of legal certificate or contract or addendum that may be commonly attached.

Do you have something in your PDF workflow that could be improved? If so, let us know.