How to add file contents to Microsoft Excel using OCR when a file is uploaded to Dropbox

Step 1: Connect Dropbox and Microsoft Excel to My Apps

(1) After logging into Yoom, select "My Apps" from the left column and click "+ New Connection".

(2) From the list of new connections in My Apps, click Dropbox.
(3) The Dropbox login screen will appear. Log in with your Google or Apple ID, or enter your email address and click "Continue" to log in.

(4) Next, register Microsoft Excel to My Apps. Similarly, click Microsoft Excel from the list of new connections in Yoom.
Note: Microsoft365 (formerly Office365) has plans for home use and general business use (Microsoft365 Business). If you are not subscribed to the general business plan, authentication may fail.
(5) The sign-in screen will appear. Enter your account and click "Next".

Once the connection is complete, Dropbox and Microsoft Excel will be registered in Yoom's My Apps.

This completes the My Apps registration.
Next, let's set up triggers using templates!

Step 2: Setting Up When Files are Created or Updated in Dropbox

(1) Use the template introduced earlier. Click "Try it" on the banner below.

Click on the app trigger "When a file is created or updated in a specific folder".

(2) From the "Select Linked Account and Action" screen in Dropbox, check that there are no errors in the account information linked with Dropbox, keep the trigger action as "When a file is created or updated in a specific folder", and click "Next".

(3) From the "App Trigger API Connection Settings" screen, select the trigger activation interval.
Select the trigger activation interval from the dropdown menu with options of 5 minutes, 10 minutes, 15 minutes, 30 minutes, or 60 minutes.
※ Please note that the shortest trigger activation interval varies depending on the plan.

Scroll down, check the red line, and enter the path and file name of the target folder.

Once the input is complete, click "Test", and if no errors occur, click "Save" at the bottom.
(4) Next, download the file linked with Dropbox.
Click "Download File".

(5) From the "Select Linked Account and Action" screen, check that there are no errors in the account information linked with Dropbox, keep the action as "Download File", and click "Next".

(6) From the "API Connection Settings" screen, check the red line, and enter the folder path and file name.
Once the input is complete, click "Test", and if no errors occur, click "Save".

Step 3: Use OCR Function to Read Text from Images or PDFs

(1) Next, use Yoom's OCR function to read text from images or PDFs.
Click "Read Text from Image/PDF".
※ AI operations are only available in the Team Plan and Success Plan. In the Free Plan and Mini Plan, the operation of the flow bot set will result in an error, so please be careful.
Paid plans such as the Team Plan and Success Plan offer a 2-week free trial. During the free trial, you can use restricted apps and AI features (operations).

(2) From the "Select Action" screen, keep the title as "Read Text from Image/PDF" and the action as "Read Text Information from Any PDF or Image File", and click "Next".

(3) From the "Set Details" screen, select the file attachment method from the dropdown as "Use Retrieved Value" and "Downloaded File".
Check the red line, and directly input the items you want to extract.
For detailed settings, please refer to the help page below.

How to Set "Read Text from Image/PDF"

Once the input is complete, click "Test", and if no errors occur, click "Save" at the bottom.

Step 4: Integrate with Microsoft Excel to Add Records

(1) Next, integrate with Microsoft Excel to add records.
Click "Add Record".

(2) From the "Database Integration" screen, check that there are no errors in the account information linked with Microsoft Excel, and keep the execution action as "Add Record".

Scroll down, and enter the file save location, drive ID, file name (optional), item ID, sheet name, and table range. Drive ID, item ID, and sheet name can be selected from the options as shown in the image below.

• File Save Location: Select from dropdown
• Drive ID: Select from options
• File Name (Optional): Direct input
• Item ID: Select from options
• Sheet Name: Select from options
• Table Range: Direct input

Once the input is complete, click "Next" at the bottom.
(3) From the "Detailed Settings for Database Operations" screen, select from the output.
Once the input is complete, click "Test", and if no errors occur, click "Save" at the bottom.

(4) Finally, click "Turn ON Trigger".

This completes the flow bot "When a file is uploaded to Dropbox, read the file content with OCR and add it to Microsoft Excel".

Other Automation Examples Using Dropbox and OCR Features

At Yoom, we have other examples of automation using Dropbox and OCR features, and we would like to introduce a few of them.

1. When a file is uploaded to Dropbox, read the file content with OCR and add it to Google Sheets

This flow is ideal for those who want to automatically add the content of Dropbox files to Google Sheets. By eliminating the need for manual input, it can help prevent transcription errors. Additionally, automation can save the time of the person in charge.

2. Upload files submitted via Google Forms to Dropbox

By integrating Dropbox with Google Forms, you can eliminate the need to manually transfer files. This can reduce the workload for the person in charge. Additionally, since the files are saved in a designated folder, it becomes easier to find the necessary information.

3. When a file is created or updated in a Dropbox folder, send an email via Gmail

By integrating Dropbox with Gmail, whenever a file is created or updated in Dropbox, the data is automatically sent via Gmail. This can reduce the need to check Dropbox and manually send emails to the responsible parties.

For those who want to check templates using Dropbox, Microsoft Excel, and OCR functionality, please visit the following site.

List of Flowbot Templates Using Dropbox

List of Flowbot Templates Using Microsoft Excel

List of Flowbot Templates Using OCR Functionality

Summary

The system that automatically adds data to Microsoft Excel by utilizing Dropbox and OCR seems to offer many benefits, from streamlining data entry to centralized information management and timely updates! This can improve the accuracy of tasks and is expected to facilitate the smooth progression of overall operations. Additionally, it will be a very useful solution for those involved in tasks that handle large amounts of information. By implementing this system, you can expect to save time and effort while enhancing the quality of your work. Why not consider this as a new option for data processing?