# Extract Document Text

The **Extract Document Text** block extracts text from supported documents and images using **OCR** (Optical Character Recognition). This is useful when you need to validate or reuse text from scanned PDFs or image files inside an automation flow (for example, extracting text from a scanned contract before checking an approval keyword). This feature is available starting from **Release 2025.1.486.**

**Note:**

- To use this block, **cloud blocks must be activated for your tenant in the** [**add-ons**](https://portal.leapwork.com/app/addons) **section of Customer Portal**. Make sure this is enabled before adding the block to your flows.

- The screenshot on this page uses the **Elegance Design**, introduced in **2025.3**. If you are using an earlier version, your layout may look different.

When fully expanded, the **Extract Document Text** block displays the following properties:

## Quick-start

1. Drag **Extract Document Text** onto the canvas.
2. Connect the block in the flow and specify **Source type**, then provide the file in **File Input**.
3. Run the flow when it’s ready.

## Building block parameters

### Parameters

- **Block header**: The green input connector triggers the block to start executing. The green output connector triggers when the text has been successfully extracted. You can rename the block by double-clicking the header text and typing a new title.

- **File Input**: Defines the document/image to extract text from. Users must select a supported file type when importing a document.
  - **Source type**: Selects where the input file comes from. The block recognizes the file type once the file is provided.
    - **Data file**: Extracts text from a file stored in Leapwork as a Data File.
      - **Select file to extract text**: The file picker/drop area used to provide the input file (for example `.pdf`, `.jpeg`, `.png`). Selecting **Import New File** opens a window where you can upload the document.
    - **Local path**: Extracts text from a file referenced from a specified local path.
      - **Path to file**: Specifies the local path to the file to extract text from. This field is used when **Source type** is set to **Local path**.

- **Text fields**: Stores key–value pairs that can be inserted as dynamic tokens into **Path to file** via **Insert token**. Click **Add field** to define one or more fields, then use **Insert token** in **Path to file** to reuse them.
- **Extracted text**: Returns the recognized text from the document or image. If the PDF contains multiple pages, the text is extracted from all pages and combined in order.

- **Failed**: Triggers if the block cannot extract text (for example unreadable/low-quality scans, unsupported format, password-protected/encrypted PDFs, or corrupted files).

- **Default timeout**: Controls whether the block uses the default timeout from the flow settings or a custom timeout value.

- **Timeout (sec)**: Sets the maximum time spent extracting text before giving up and triggering **Failed**. This field is used when **Default timeout** is not selected.

**Note:** All cases have a **global timeout** configured in the **Settings** panel. This is unrelated to the timeout of a single building block. However, a running case will automatically be cancelled if it runs for longer than the global timeout.

## Resources

| **Topic** | **Description** |
| --- | --- |
| [Flows FAQ](https://docs.leapwork.com/faq/latest/leapwork-flow-faq/flows-faq) | Common questions about creating, running, and managing flows in Leapwork. |
| [Flows Troubleshooting](https://docs.leapwork.com/troubleshooting/latest/leapwork-flow-troubleshooting/flows-troubleshooting) | Guidelines and solutions for identifying and fixing issues that occur when building or running flows in Leapwork. |
| [Customer Portal Add-ons](https://docs.leapwork.com/leapwork-flow/latest/customer-portal/add-ons) | Customer portal section to activate your cloud blocks. |