Metadata Browsing

4 minute read Last updated on October 16, 2024

The Metadata Browser is a collection of all the metadata keys generated by the workflow. Metadata keys are grouped by the node or feature that generated them. These keys can be selected and added to certain fields within a workflow. For example, an Advanced OCR may be configured to extract an email address, which can then be used in the “To” field in the Email Out node.

Specifying Metadata Values from Metadata Browser

You can choose to use any metadata associated with documents in the workflow. When you click on the Metadata button within a node configuration window, the Metadata Browser appears, listing all of the metadata available, categorized by what generated the Metadata Key, as shown in the following illustration:

Specifying Values

On the Metadata Browser, you can do the following:

  • Expand the list by clicking on the + sign next to the Metadata Key that you are interested in. For example, if you would like to see OCR Metadata Keys, click on the + sign next to OCR and the expandable list in the above illustration will appear.

  • Depending on where you opened the Metadata Browser from, you can select or drag-drop Metadata Keys into fields within the node.

  • Search for metadata by entering the appropriate text string in the empty Search field on the right-hand side of the window.

Extracting Metadata Generated in Dispatcher Phoenix

The Collect from Dispatcher Phoenix node can import metadata from Dispatcher Phoenix workflows into Dispatcher Stratus . However, note the following:

  • At this time, only file-level and page-level metadata is passed between Dispatcher Stratus and Dispatcher Phoenix.

  • When sharing metadata between Dispatcher Phoenix and Dispatcher Stratus, metadata keys generated by one system will not be available for selection in the other system’s Metadata Browser window. Instead, manually enter the metadata key directly into the field you want to use it in. For example, in the Output Folder node, include the metadata key in your output path.

  • Metadata keys generated in Dispatcher Phoenix and collected by Dispatcher Stratus must be manually edited in Dispatcher Stratus for use in workflows. Conversely, metadata keys flowing from Dispatcher Stratus do not need to be modified in Dispatcher Phoenix.

Differences in the Metadata Browser

The contents of the Metadata Browser window can vary based on how you access it. These differences fall into two main categories: Basic vs Custom and Processing vs Distribution.

Basic vs Custom Metadata Browser

The Metadata Browser can be accessed two ways:

  • By clicking on the Metadata Browser button in the bottom-left corner of the Node Properties Window. This opens the most basic version of the Metadata Browser, which displays a list of Metadata Keys available.

    Specifying Values

  • By clicking on the Select Metadata Key drop-down in the Metadata Route node or by dragging and dropping a Metadata File Naming Component and clicking on the Select Metadata Key drop-down in the Rename node. This opens the Metadata Browser with the additional Custom Metadata checkbox and field at the bottom. The Custom Metadata field allows you to type in your desired Metadata Key instead of choosing from the list of available Metadata Keys.

    Specifying Values

Metadata Browser Syntax

Dispatcher Stratus nodes use two versions of Metadata Value syntax, one for Processing nodes and one for Distribution nodes. The Metadata Browser will display the syntax usable for the node you access it from. For example, if you open the Metadata Browser from the Metadata Route node, it will display the correct syntax. However, if you attempt to copy a Metadata Key from the Metadata Route node to the Box Connector, the Metadata Key will not work in the Box Connector.

Processing Nodes

In Processing nodes, the syntax for Metadata Value takes the following form:

  {ocr:zone.Title}

Note: For Processing nodes, the Metadata Keys will display in this order:

  • Zone Height Value
  • Zone Left Side Position
  • Zone Top Position
  • Zone Width Value
  • Zone Value

Distribution Nodes

In Distribution nodes, the syntax for Metadata Value takes the following form:

  {file:ocr["zone.Title"][0].value}

This syntax allows for additional information to be extracted from certain Metadata Keys.

Note: For Distribution nodes, the Metadata Keys will appear in this order:

  • Zone Value
  • Zone Height Value
  • Zone Left Side Position
  • Zone Top Position
  • Zone Width Value

Form Metadata

When accessing metadata generated from a form, it follows this syntax:

  {form:firstName}
  {form:lastName}

If there are multiple forms within a workflow, metadata is displayed for all of them as {form:xxxxxx}. To ensure that there are no duplicate metadata values, the metadata needs to be modified with the number of the form in order to accurately associate with the correct metadata keys {form[0].xxxxxx}.

Example Form Metadata

You have a workflow with two forms. The forms have the following metadata keys:

Form 1:

  {form.firstName}
  {form.middleName}
  {form.lastName}

Form 2:

  {form.firstName}
  {form.company}
  {form.address}
  {form.contactPhone}

In the Metadata Browser, you can drag and drop any of those metadata keys into a node. To ensure they are pulling the correct information, you will need to add [Form Number] to the metadata, using the following syntax:

Form 1 Metadata:

  {form[0].firstName}
  {form[0].middleName}
  {form[0].lastName}

Form 2 Metadata:

  {form[1].firstName}
  {form[1].company}
  {form[1].address}
  {form[1].contactPhone}