How to Rename PDF Files Based on Content

Imagine a finance team dealing with hundreds of invoices, contracts, or reports daily. These PDF documents often come with generic names like "document(1).pdf," making it nearly impossible to find the right file when needed.

Renaming such PDFs based on their content, such as "Invoice_CompanyName_Date.pdf," can save countless hours of searching and reduce errors. When dealing with large volumes of documents, manually renaming each file becomes a tedious and error-prone task.

Automation can not only streamline this process but also ensure consistency and accuracy—critical for maintaining organized digital records.

In this blog we will look at 3 key methods to rename PDF files effortlessly and discuss when we should use each of these methods along with their pros and cons:

Let's get started!

Renaming PDF Files based on Content using Python

Python offers a powerful and flexible solution for renaming PDF files based on their content. This method is particularly effective for text-based PDFs with a clear and consistent structure.

Imagine you have a folder named Test containing multiple invoice PDFs. These files are generically named, making it difficult to identify the correct document quickly. Here's a visual representation of the files in the Test folder:

What if you could instantly rename all your invoices using the unique invoice numbers listed within each document (as shown in the below image)?

Let’s dive into a Python script that does just that—effortlessly extracting invoice numbers from each file and renaming them accordingly.

Step 1: Import Necessary Libraries

We start by importing the essential libraries: os for file operations, re for regular expressions, and PyPDF2 for reading PDFs.

import os
import re
from PyPDF2 import PdfReader

Step 2: Define the Folder Path

The script points to the folder where your PDFs are stored. In this example, it's the Test folder located in the Downloads directory.

folder_path = os.path.expanduser('~/Downloads/Test')

Step 3: Create a Regular Expression:

The regular expression is designed to match invoice numbers. For instance, in our sample invoice, the invoice number might be in the format "INV-1234."

invoice_regex = re.compile(r'Invoice\s*Number\s*\n?\s*INV-\d+')

To accurately identify text within your documents, you will need to use the appropriate regex patterns. Each file may require a different regex to extract the correct data.

Step 4: Loop Through All PDF Files:

The script iterates through all the PDF files in the Test folder.

for filename in os.listdir(folder_path):
    if filename.endswith('.pdf'):

Step 5: Extract Text from Each PDF:

For each PDF, the script extracts the text from all pages. This text is then used to search for the invoice number.

pdf_path = os.path.join(folder_path, filename)
with open(pdf_path, 'rb') as pdf_file:
    pdf_reader = PdfReader(pdf_file)
    text = ''
    for page in pdf_reader.pages:
        text += page.extract_text()

Step 6: Search for the Invoice Number:

The script uses the regular expression to find the invoice number within the extracted text.

match = invoice_regex.search(text)
if match:
    invoice_number = match.group(0).split()[-1]

Step 7: Rename the PDF File:

If an invoice number is found, the file is renamed accordingly. For example, the file named document(1).pdf will be renamed to Invoice Number_INV-0003.pdf.

new_filename = f"Invoice Number_{invoice_number}.pdf"
new_filepath = os.path.join(folder_path, new_filename)
os.rename(pdf_path, new_filepath)
print(f"Renamed {filename} to {new_filename}")

When executed successfully, the code will display a list of all the current file names and their corresponding new names, similar to the following example.

And after running the script, the files will be renamed based on their content:

Download Full Code:

Just as we extracted invoice numbers to rename PDF files, we can also extract other details such as dates, vendor names, and more. By leveraging this information, you can create a naming system that reflects the key attributes of each document, making organization and retrieval even easier.

Renaming PDF Files Using Adobe Plugins

Adobe plugins provide a convenient solution to batch rename PDF files based on content directly within Adobe Acrobat. By utilizing these plugins, you can automate the renaming process based on the content within each file, such as invoice numbers, dates, or vendor names.

This approach seamlessly integrates with your existing Adobe tools, transforming disorganized files into a well-structured system and simplifying document management without the need for additional software or code. Let’s explore how Adobe plugins can enhance your file organization with minimal effort.

Step 1: Open the “Auto-Rename PDF Files” Menu

Begin by closing all open PDF documents to avoid file access conflicts. Launch Adobe Acrobat, and go to Plug-ins > Auto-Rename PDF Files… from the main menu.

Step 2: Add a New Naming Component

Click “Add…” to create a new naming component. This defines the structure of your new filenames. Below are the different options presents in the plugin:

Step 3: Select the “Text by Search” Option and Enter Search Expression

Choose the “Text By Search” option, then click “Next.” This lets you specify which content within the PDF will be used for renaming. In the "Find Text" dialog, enter a search expression to locate the text that will be used as part of the filename.

Invoice\s*Number\s*\n?\s*INV-\d+

Enter the regex expression to find the Invoice Number from the document just like we did in last method using python code.

Confirm your search settings, such as “Match whole words only” or “Match case,” to ensure accuracy. Click “OK” to finalize the setup.

Step 4: Add Files for Renaming

Press “Add Files…” to select the PDF files you want to rename. You can add files from multiple folders if necessary. Once all files are selected, click “OK.”

Step 5: Review and Rename Files

The software will display a preview of the new filenames. Review them, and if everything looks correct, press “Rename” to apply the changes.

The plug-in can be configured to search each PDF file for both invoice number and date, and use it in the new file names. The renaming settings can be saved and reused later on the different set of files. 

Rename file based on content using GenAI IDP softwares

IDP (Intelligent Document Processing) software offers a sophisticated approach to renaming PDF files by analyzing their content. IDP is better suited than Python scripts or Adobe plugins because it can handle a wider range of document types and complex patterns with minimal manual intervention.

Additionally, it integrates seamlessly into existing workflows, offering scalability and consistency that surpass simpler, single-purpose solutions.

Rename PDF file using Nanonets GenAI

For a large volume of documents, the most efficient way to rename and organize PDFs is to use Intelligent Document Processing (IDP) tools like Nanonets to automate the renaming process. Here’s how it works:

1. Upload Files: Upload your PDFs to the IDP software.
2. Set Naming Rules: Define the rules and conventions for renaming the files based on their content or metadata.
3. Automate Renaming: The software will automatically scan the internal content, apply the naming rules, and rename the files accordingly.

Here is a demo of the Nanonets Rename PDF workflow in action.

Using IDP software for renaming PDFs saves significant time and reduces the risk of errors. It ensures consistency in naming conventions and helps maintain an organized DMS, enhancing overall productivity and efficiency. This automated approach is ideal for businesses dealing with a high volume of documents.

You can follow the below steps to rename PDFs in bulk based on their content using Nanonets -

• Sign up / login into https://app.nanonets.com.
• Choose a pre-trained model based on your document type / create your own document extractor within minutes.
• Verify the data extracted by Nanonets. Your data extraction model is ready now.

• Once you have created your model, go to the workflow section of your model.
• Go to the export tab and select "Export files to Google Drive" and connect your google account.
• Choose the Drive folder where you want to send the renamed PDF.
• Specify a renaming format for your files based on the data extracted by Nanonets. I have specified a format here to rename files based on invoice date, seller name, and invoice amount as follows - {invoice_date}_{seller_name}_{invoice_amount}.pdf

• Choose your export trigger and test using a file.
• Click on "Add Integration" and you are good to go.

Nanonets leverages AI & ML capabilities to only extract relevant data accurately from documents - essentially turning a flat scan into a searchable PDF with structured data. This makes renaming PDFs or any other documents based on content pretty straightforward & scalable.

Nanonets can handle documents with unknown or new layouts/formatting with ease. Its algorithms learn continuously and keep getting better with time. Do you want to rename multiple documents that come in various file formats, different layouts and/or multiple languages? Nanonets can handle it all.

Looking to create Rename PDF workflows on Nanonets? Check out Nanonets Rename PDF tool or use below action buttons to start creating your end to end workflow.

Final Thoughts

Renaming PDF based on their content can dramatically improve document management efficiency. With disorganized file names, locating specific documents becomes a challenging and time-consuming task. Standardizing file names to reflect content can simplify retrieval and reduce errors.

While custom Python scripts and Adobe plugins offer viable solutions, intelligent document processing software solutions Nanonets stands out by providing a seamless, automated approach to renaming PDFs.

By integrating Nanonets into your workflow, you can streamline the renaming process, enhance productivity, and maintain an organized, efficient document management system.