Incoming Documents Overview
The SharePoint Connector includes functionality to automatically process and route incoming documents from various sources. This page provides an overview of the incoming documents feature.
What Are Incoming Documents?
Incoming documents are files that arrive from external sources and need to be:
- Matched to Business Central records
- Routed to the correct SharePoint folder
- Optionally processed with OCR
Feature Overview
Capabilities
| Capability |
Description |
| Source scanning |
Monitor folders/endpoints for new files |
| Pattern matching |
Match documents to BC records |
| OCR integration |
Extract text from documents |
| Auto-routing |
Move to correct SharePoint location |
| Record linking |
Associate with BC records |
Common Use Cases
| Scenario |
Description |
| Vendor invoices |
Incoming invoices auto-routed to vendor |
| Customer documents |
Documents matched to customer |
| Email attachments |
Process emailed documents |
| Scanned documents |
Route scanned files |
How It Works
Processing Flow
1. Source (SharePoint folder, API, etc.)
↓
2. Document detected
↓
3. Matching criteria applied
↓
4. OCR (optional)
↓
5. Match found
↓
6. Route to destination folder
↓
7. Link to BC record
Components
| Component |
Purpose |
| Incoming Source |
Where to look for documents |
| Match Criteria |
How to match to records |
| Incoming Documents |
Queue of documents to process |
| OCR Service |
Optional text extraction |
Source Types
Available Sources
| Source Type |
Description |
| SharePoint Folder |
Monitor a SharePoint folder |
| Https File List |
Files from web endpoint |
| API Endpoint |
REST API source |
SharePoint Folder Source
Most common - monitor a SharePoint folder:
- Configure folder path
- Connector scans for new files
- Files processed and moved
Matching Methods
Available Criteria
| Criteria Type |
Description |
| Email Match |
Extract email addresses from content |
| Pattern Match (Regex) |
Match content patterns |
| FileName Pattern Match (Regex) |
Match filename patterns |
| FileName with primary key |
Extract primary key from name |
| Create Document |
Match document content using regex |
Note: OCR is not a separate matching method. It is an option flag (Use OCR Service) that can be enabled on a match criteria record to extract text before matching. The flag only affects content-based criteria -- for the two filename-based types (FileName Pattern Match and FileName with primary key) matching runs on the filename, so the flag has no effect on the match.
Matching Process
- Apply criteria in criteria-ID order (the table's primary key: Table No., Source ID, Criteria ID)
- First match determines destination
- Document routed accordingly
Processing Options
OCR Integration
If OCR is configured:
- Document content extracted
- Text searched for patterns
- Metadata stored
- Better matching possible
Post-Processing
After matching:
| Option |
Description |
| Remove from source |
Delete after import |
| Rename |
Rename during routing |
Getting Started
Setup Steps
- Configure incoming source(s)
- Set up matching criteria
- Test with sample documents
- Enable for production
Prerequisites
| Requirement |
Purpose |
| SharePoint connection |
Access to sources |
| Table mappings |
Destination folders |
| Source folder |
Where documents arrive |
Integration Points
With Table Mappings
Documents are routed using table mappings:
- Match determines which table
- Table mapping provides folder
- Document stored appropriately
With SharePoint
The full flow uses SharePoint:
- Source folder in SharePoint
- Destination folder in SharePoint
- All managed via connector
Benefits
For Users
| Benefit |
Description |
| Automation |
Less manual filing |
| Consistency |
Correct folder every time |
| Speed |
Faster processing |
| Accuracy |
Reduce misfiling |
For Organizations
| Benefit |
Description |
| Efficiency |
Reduced manual effort |
| Compliance |
Consistent filing |
| Searchability |
Documents properly organized |
| Integration |
Linked to BC records |
Limitations
Current Limitations
| Limitation |
Description |
| Pattern matching |
Requires good patterns |
| OCR accuracy |
Depends on document quality |
| Setup complexity |
Needs careful configuration |
