AI Suggest Columns: Upload Your Files, Approve the List It Builds
AI Suggest Columns is the step that runs when you process an Extract-mode batch with no columns defined. It reads up to three of your own files, proposes a starter field list with optional format rules, and hands you the list to edit before the batch runs.
5-10s per page · 99% accuracy on printed text · Proposed from your own batch · Edit before you run
What Comes Back in the Suggestion Panel
Point it at a batch with no columns defined and it reads up to three of your files, then lists the fields a spreadsheet would want. Every name is a proposal you can edit, reorder, or drop.
These are the kinds of columns it proposes for common business documents. Each proposal can carry a format rule, and none of them are locked in.
When the Panel Appears, and What It Reads
AI Suggest Columns is a step inside the normal Extract workflow, not a separate mode. It runs on the batch you already uploaded, at the moment you press Process.
Three Conditions That Trigger It
Extract mode. The panel only appears when the batch is being processed in Extract mode. Convert and Word modes never show it.
A batch of two or more files. A single-document batch skips the panel, because a sample of one is just the document in front of you. Type your columns directly instead.
A template with no columns yet. If the selected template already has columns, they are used as-is and the panel stays out of the way.
What the AI Reads and Returns
Up to three files sampled from the batch. The tool picks three at random rather than only the first one, so the proposal reflects more than a single document.
One compact starter list. It proposes the columns most likely to be sorted, reconciled, or exported, and attaches a short format rule where the document shows a clear constraint.
A list you control. Rename, add, delete, or drag to reorder, then press Apply and Process. Your final list is saved to the template for reuse.
Upload, Review, Apply: How the Feature Runs
Upload Without Setup
A new supplier sends invoices in a layout you have not seen. Upload the batch without selecting fields or building a template. When you press Process, the suggestion panel opens before extraction starts.
Review the Proposed Columns
The AI samples up to three files from the batch and returns a column list: Invoice Number, Date, Vendor, Total Amount, Tax, Line Items, Payment Terms. Rename any name that does not fit, add columns it missed, delete the ones you do not want, or drag them into the order your spreadsheet expects. If a column carries a format rule, an info icon beside the name shows it.
Apply and Export
Press Apply and Process. The column list is saved to the template and the batch runs at 5-10 seconds per page. The output is one XLSX where rows are documents and the headers match the list you approved. The same columns are ready for the next batch.
Where the Suggestions Help Most, and Where to Type Columns Yourself
The panel is a fast way to skip the column setup step and start from a usable schema. It is a sample-based proposal, so a few situations still call for a hand-written list.
Where It Helps Most
Unfamiliar or one-off formats. When you do not want to open a document just to learn its field names, the panel gives you a usable list in one pass.
Batches that mix document types. The three-file sample can span more than one layout, so a mixed batch still produces one starter column list instead of three separate setups.
Recurring batches you have not standardized yet. Apply the suggestions once, and the saved template means later batches skip the panel entirely.
When to Type Your Own Columns
Single-document batches. The panel does not appear, so type the column list directly.
Fields that only some documents carry. The proposal is built from a three-file sample. A field that lives only in an unsampled document will not be proposed, so add it before processing.
Highly specialized labels or poor scans. Custom ERP codes and sub-100 DPI scans may not surface in the sample. Define those columns yourself; the same engine reads them.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does the AI Suggest Columns panel appear?
It appears when you process a batch in Extract mode, the batch has at least two files, and the selected template has no columns yet. Upload the batch, click Process, and the panel opens with a proposed list. Single-file batches skip the panel and go straight to manual column definition.
Can I edit, add, or remove the suggested columns before processing?
Yes. Every suggestion is a starting point. Rename a column if the wording does not match your spreadsheet, drag to reorder, add columns the AI did not propose, or delete the ones you do not need. Click Apply and Process when the list is right, and the columns are saved to the template.
Does the AI read every file in my batch, or just a sample?
It samples up to three files from the batch at random and builds one starter field list from what it finds. That list is then applied to every file in the batch. If a document contains a field that did not appear in the sample, add that column before processing so nothing is left out.
Do the suggested columns include format rules?
Some do. When the AI spots a clear constraint, it attaches a short format rule to the column, such as YYYY-MM-DD for a date or number-only for an amount. A small info icon beside the column name shows the rule, and you can edit it before processing.
Are the suggestions reused on future batches?
Yes. Applying the suggestions saves them as a template, and a default template is created automatically if you had not picked one. Future batches that use that template already have their columns and skip the suggestion panel.
What happens if the suggestion fails?
The panel offers Retry and Define manually. Retry asks the AI again with the same sample. Define manually closes the suggestions and lets you type the column list yourself. Both paths lead to the same extraction engine.
Read more: How to Use Custom Column Extraction to define the whole list by hand, the path AI Suggest Columns shortens by proposing it first. · Extract Data from Any Document, Zero Setup for the wider case against per-type setup and template building. · Define Custom Columns for App Screenshots for pulling fields out of dashboards, POS screens, and other UI captures.