Why use a naming pattern?
A consistent filename helps you recognize a document without opening it. Instead of scan001.pdf, a pattern can produce 2026-09-20_Invoice_Acme.pdf. File naming changes what the file is called; Folder tree controls where it belongs.
Understand fields and values
A field is a placeholder for information from a document. Document date might become 2026-09-20, Document type might become Invoice, and Person / company might become Acme. Preview labels such as DocType or PersonCompany describe variables, not text that every real document will contain.
Build your first pattern
Open Edit beside Default naming. Use the add button to choose available fields, drag them into your preferred order, and remove unwanted fields with the × button. Keep at least one field. Check the preview, then save your changes.
- Open Edit beside Default naming, or beside a folder’s example file.
- Use + to add the fields you need.
- Drag chips to reorder them; use × to remove a field. Keep at least one.
- Choose the separator and capitalization, and open Document date for its format.
- Review the preview and select Save changes.
Reorder fields
The order of the chips is the order of the filename. Date + Document type + Person / company gives 2026-09-20_Invoice_Acme.pdf. Moving Document type to the beginning gives Invoice_2026-09-20_Acme.pdf. On narrow screens, scroll the row or drag toward its edge to reach fields outside the visible area.
Choose a separator
The separator goes between values: underscore gives Invoice_Acme.pdf, hyphen gives Invoice-Acme.pdf, and space gives Invoice Acme.pdf. Separators inside a formatted date are controlled by the date format, so choosing underscores between fields does not remove the hyphens in 2026-09-20.
Format the document date
Open the Document date chip to select its format. YYYY-MM-DD gives 2026-09-20; DD-MM-YYYY gives 20-09-2026; YYYYMMDD gives 20260920. YYYY means year, MM means month, and DD means day. This changes how the date is written, not which date was extracted.
- Open the Document date chip to choose its format.
- YYYY-MM-DD → 2026-09-20.
- DD-MM-YYYY → 20-09-2026.
- YYYYMMDD → 20260920.
- YYYY = year, MM = month, DD = day. Formatting does not change the extracted date.
Choose capitalization
Keep original case preserves the supplied text. Title case capitalizes words, lowercase gives invoice_acme.pdf, and uppercase gives INVOICE_ACME.pdf. The original file extension is preserved. Use the preview to check how your selected format looks.
- Keep original case — preserves the supplied text.
- Title case — capitalizes words.
- Lowercase — invoice_acme.pdf.
- Uppercase — INVOICE_ACME.pdf.
- The original file extension is preserved.
Add custom information
Create a custom field on the Custom fields page, then select it with the add button in the filename editor. For example, Project = Apollo combined with Document type can give Invoice_Apollo.pdf. Creating Project alone does not add it to a naming pattern.
Default and inherited patterns
Default naming is the starting rule for your workspace. A folder marked Inherited uses the applicable parent pattern or the workspace default. Changing the applicable pattern also changes what inheriting folders will use for future processing.
Give one folder its own pattern
Edit the example file under a folder and save a different pattern. For example, Contracts could use Person / company + Document type + Date, producing Acme_Contract_2026-09-20.pdf, while the default keeps the date first. That folder is marked Custom. Descendants without their own override inherit the applicable parent pattern.
Return to an inherited pattern
Use inherited pattern removes a folder’s custom override so it follows its parent or default again. In the default editor, Use default restores the built-in starting pattern for review before saving. These actions affect naming rules, not the folder’s classification keywords or behavior.
What if information is missing?
Fields without a value are skipped. If your pattern is Date + Document type + Person / company and no company value is available, the result can be 2026-09-20_Invoice.pdf. Do not assume that a sample shown in the preview exists in every document.
Read the preview
The preview shows the selected order, formatting, and file extension using sample or placeholder values. It is not a guarantee of the values AI will extract. Compare the example with your intended naming style before saving.
Save and review
Save changes applies the pattern to future processing. Existing files are not renamed just because you save a pattern. Review a newly processed document to check the real result. If a value is wrong, review the document or custom field description; if its position or appearance is wrong, adjust the naming pattern.