Rename PDF based on invoice number

The following Shortcut solution will prompt you for a folder containing your current OCR'd PDFs. It will then confirm that they have a .pdf or .PDF extension, and enter a repeat loop for each PDF. In that loop, it sets a variable to the current PDF filename, extracts the OCR text, and then appends that to the just set variable.

Next, it uses a Run Shell Script that uses the Zsh shell to accept the two arguments in the InFile variable. These are referenced as $1 and $2 as PDF and OCR respectively.

Then Perl uses a regular expression to capture the format of the Invoice number which as you have explained, is two digits, a dash, and then from your example, 1 to 5 additional digits. This capture is assigned to the variable inv_number and then follows the rename (/bin/mv) and Zsh hocus pocus to complete the rename. Then it processes the next PDF file, rinse repeat.

I would try this as is with one or two OCR's PDFs in a folder on your Desktop and view the Show results as I have included here. For a production run with more PDFs, you likely will want to remove that Show Results action at the end of the Shortcut.

The original file was named ocr_invoice.pdf and was renamed 19-2456.pdf in the original folder location.

Here is a portion of the original OCR'd PDF:

Tested: macOS 14.0

Consider changing the Filter action to Any. It works either with All or Any but Any seems more appropriate.

You want to enter the following as one contiguous line and let it wrap in the Run Shell Script, do not split it with a return.

inv_number="$(perl -lne 'print $1 if $_ =~ /(?<=Invoice #:)\s*(\d{2}-\d{1,5})/' <<<$OCR)"



I just run my Shortcut again and it renamed a PDF correctly in the designated folder:

You are welcome.