Use OCR to extract text from PDFs and images uploaded to Box, then add the results to Google Sheets

■Overview

Do you manually transcribe the contents of documents such as invoices and application forms uploaded to Box, one by one? This task is time-consuming and prone to human error, including input mistakes. With this workflow, uploading a file to Box triggers OCR to automatically read the document, and the data is added to Google Sheets, helping you streamline and resolve these transcription challenges.

■Recommended for

• Anyone manually transcribing the contents of PDFs or images saved in Box
• Anyone using Box and Google Sheets to manage documents or enter data
• Anyone looking to improve operational efficiency by automating data transcription from documents with OCR

■Benefits of this template

• Automating the process from uploading files to Box to transcribing data into Google Sheets reduces the time previously spent on manual work.
• Automated processing helps prevent human errors such as transcription mistakes and missing entries, maintaining data accuracy.

■Workflow

1. Connect Box and Google Sheets with Yoom.
2. Select Box as the trigger, set the “When a file is uploaded to a folder” trigger action, and specify the folder to monitor.
3. Set Box’s “Download a file” action as an operation to download the file detected by the trigger.
4. Set the OCR function’s “Extract text from an image or PDF” action as an operation to extract text data from the downloaded file.
5. Set Google Sheets’ “Add a record” action to add the text data extracted by OCR to the specified sheet.

※ “Trigger”: An action that starts the workflow. “Operation”: An action that processes data within the workflow after the trigger starts.

■Customization options

• In the Box trigger settings, choose the folder that will start the workflow when a file is uploaded.
• With the OCR function, you can customize which fields to extract from the target file.
• For the action that adds data to Google Sheets, you can freely configure which text information read by OCR is added to which columns of which sheet, as well as the layout.

■Notes

• Connect both Google Sheets and Box with Yoom.
• AI operations for OCR and audio transcription are available only on the Team and Success Plans. Please note that operations in configured workflows will result in an error on the Free and Mini Plans.
• Paid plans, including the Team and Success Plans, come with a two-week free trial. During the free trial, you can use restricted apps and AI features (operations).