Write Custom Instructions for AI File Renaming

The built-in instructions are suitable for a descriptive filename. Custom Instructions are useful when you need a document type, supplier, issue date, or other fields in a defined order.

A prompt tells the naming model what to return. It cannot make an absent date or an unreadable invoice number available, and it does not validate extracted values.

State the fields, their order, the output language, and the separators. Say how to handle absent information and ask for the filename without its extension. Keep instructions focused on information the file can contain.

Return an English filename in this structure:
DOCUMENT-DATE_SUPPLIER_INVOICE-NUMBER
Use YYYY-MM-DD for the invoice issue date and underscores between fields.
Use only values explicitly present in the document. If a field is missing or unclear, use UNKNOWN.
Do not substitute the file creation date for the invoice date.
Return only the filename, without its extension.

This is a prompt template, not an observed processing result. UNKNOWN is a requested fallback; inspect whether the model followed the instruction. For a different document type, replace the requested fields instead of leaving invoice-specific language in the prompt.

1. Open the Custom Instructions selector in Rename settings.
2. Create an instruction, give it a recognizable name, and enter the prompt.
3. Save it and select it for the batch.
4. In an Auto Flow row, select the saved instruction in that row’s settings.

When a custom instruction is selected, ordinary Format and Output Language are disabled. Put those requirements in the prompt itself. Select the built-in RenameClick instructions again to use the usual format controls.

See the instruction editor and limits for the full reference.

Specify whether you need an invoice issue date, due date, or another date printed in the document. A prompt that asks only for the date leaves that choice unclear.

File creation and modification dates describe the file on disk. They can differ from the event or issue date. Format tokens for file dates do not extract a date from the document body.

Text PDFs provide available text up to the configured context limit. Scanned PDFs use the first page visually. If the required field appears only on another scanned page, this workflow may not see it.

Compare the requested fields with the file. Check spelling, dates, identifiers, missing values, and separators. Edit a one-off suggestion; change the prompt and retry when several files show the same misunderstanding.

If names are too broad, define the fields more precisely. If names are too long, remove fields you do not need. More instructions do not automatically mean better results.

Keep categorization separate. Custom Instructions define the filename; the selected sorting preset decides the destination.

See category presets for the full reference.