In an email import configuration created with General Email/Connect to Mail, the Automatic Document Processing option uses DocuWare’s Document Processing and Intelligent Document Processing (IDP) to automatically index email attachments with higher accuracy than basic import rules. When enabled, attachments are analyzed and matched to the suitable processing configuration. The extracted values are then returned to General Email/Connect to Mail and written into the import configuration’s index fields before the document is stored.
Here is how those configurations work together:
Import configuration:
Set up in DocuWare Configurations > General Email. The configuration connects DocuWare to the mailbox, defines index fields, and sets the target file cabinet and storage options. Emails with attached e-invoices stored by this configuration are passed to the linked processing configuration.
The Automatic Document Processing option in a General Email import configuration applies only to email attachments; the mail body is stored alongside the attachment only if you enable that option in the import configuration.Processing configuration:
Created in DocuWare Configurations > Document Processing or in DocuWare Configurations > DocuWare IDP. Relevant content is extracted as defined in the configuration and returned to the import job as index values populated in the index fields. Link this processing configuration in the General Email import configuration.
DocuWare Document Processing processes PDF files and e-invoices like XML files or PDFs with embedded XML.
DocuWare IDP, however, processes PDFs only. XML is not supported by IDP.
Information: General email and Connect to Mail
Connect to Mail is the license name that enables the General email area in DocuWare on‑premises. Regardless of the DocuWare version, the following terms all refer to the same thing: a configuration for automatic email import created in the General Email section of DocuWare Configurations:
Connect to Mail configuration
General email configuration
General email / Connect to Mail configuration
Email import configuration
Configuring automatic indexing in DocuWare Cloud and 7.13
Follow these steps to configure the automatic indexing with DocuWare Document Processing or DocuWare IDP.
This article covers only settings specific to the import and indexing of email. For guidance on creating a processing configuration, see the Document Processing help.
Go to DocuWare Configurations > Capture > General Email.
Select an existing email import configuration or create a new one.
In Import Options, click the More options link, and enable the checkbox Automatic processing of documents (for indexing only).
Link one or more processing configurations by selecting an available configuration option from the drop-down list. Depending on your needs, you can set up your General Email configuration with one of the following automatic processing options:
Specific configuration: All attachments are processed with the selected Document Processing configuration.
Automatic selection (Document Processing configuration): Incoming attachments are automatically matched to and processed with the suitable Document Processing configuration. Keep in mind, to allow a Document Processing configuration to be selected automatically from other modules, the identification option must be enabled at the Document Processing configuration level.
Automatic selection (IDP configurations): Each attachment is analyzed and processed automatically by using the most suitable DocuWare IDP configuration.
Automatic selection (Combination of all configurations): Depending on the file format and its properties, the best match is selected out of the Document Processing or DocuWare IDP configurations.
Comparing IDP and Document Processing
DocuWare Intelligent Document Processing (IDP) and Document Processing both extract the data required for indexing in DocuWare. Document Processing focuses on structured and semi‑structured documents, whereas IDP automatically classifies unstructured documents and can handle cluttered layouts and handwritten content. Set up the processing configuration with the module that aligns with your automated email attachment processing needs. See the table below for details:
Document Processing | DocuWare IDP | |
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DocuWare versions |
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More information | ||
Attachment types processed |
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Primary use cases |
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Document splitting |
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Configuring automatic indexing in DocuWare on-premises 7.11 + 7.12
In DocuWare version 7.11 and 7.12, you can use Document Processing configurations to index email attachments. Embedding Docuware IDP is only supported with Docuware version 7.13 and later and DocuWare Cloud.
Set up one separate General E-Mail / Connect to Mail configuration per processing configuration and select the processing configuration manually in the import configuration:
Go to DocuWare Configurations > Capture > General Email.
Select an existing email import configuration or create a new one.
In Import Options, click the More options link and enable the checkbox Automatic processing of documents (for indexing only).
Link the Document Processing configuration by choosing an option in the drop-down list - see below.
Note: Create one import configuration for each processing configuration
In DocuWare on‑premises 7.11 or 7.12, create a separate General Email configuration for each Document Processing configuration that you apply to a mailbox.
Configuring the processing of multiple attachments
When one email contains several attachments and you want to index them with Automatic Document Processing, you have two options:
1. Storing email and attachmens individually
Activate the Store email and attachments individually option in the General email import configuration. With this, DocuWare indexes and stores each attachment as a separate document. This option is recommended.
2. Storing email and all attachments as clipped document
Alternatively, you may activate the Store email and all attachments as one clipped document option in the General email import configuration. In this case, DocuWare indexes and stores the email and all attachments together as one clipped document. The result depends on the attachment formats:
Multiple PDFs or e‑invoice (PDF or XML) files are processed:
The email contains more than one processable file. “Processable” means a PDF or an e‑invoice (PDF or XML). DocuWare cannot run the selected processing configuration on multiple candidates when storing as one clipped document. In such case, the fallback behavior applies, where the clipped document is either stored with the General Email configuration settings or sent to the default tray, as described below.
Only one PDF or e-invoice (PDF or XML) file is processed:
DocuWare runs the selected processing configuration on the processable attachment (PDF or XML file) and stores and indexes the email and all attachments as one clipped document. DocuWare fills these fields by source priority, as described below. If processing with one of the available configurations is not possible, the fallback behavior will apply, is described bellow.
All other attachment types (non-PDF and non-e-invoice):
The email contains no processable file. The clipped document is stored with the General Email configuration settings.
Source priority
Extracted values are returned to General Email / Connect to Mail and applied to index fields. If a field is prefilled by one source, that value overrides lower‑priority sources. DocuWare fills these fields by source priority:
Indexing values predefined by the storage location (read‑only), for example by the store dialog of the file cabinet
Indexing values read out by Document Processing / IDP
Indexing values defined in the General Email / Connect to Mail configuration
Fallback behavior
An e‑invoice attachment is not processed when no Document Processing configuration matches the document or when multiple configurations match. What happens next depends on the setting When automatic processing is not possible, apply the General Email indexing settings:
If enabled: The e‑invoice is stored in the file cabinet defined by the General Email configuration, and those index values are applied.
If disabled: The e‑invoice is routed to the default document tray.
In both cases, a status message is written to the document (e.g., “No matching configuration…” or “Multiple matching configurations…”).
Current limitations & troubleshooting
DocuWare Cloud and DocuWare on-premises 7.11-7.13
There are some limitations for processing attachments via General Email + DocuWare IDP / Document Processing:
Processing Service: Maximum document size is 10MB; XML complexity limits apply.
Index tables: Table fields can only store up to 1000 rows (invoice line items). Large invoices exceeding this limit require special handling.
Multiple email attachments: General email / Connect to Mail can process only one attachment at a time. If an email contains multiple attachments, enable the Store email and attachments individually option in the configuration. This allows each attachment to be stored and processed separately.
Storage format: If you plan to index email attachments with Document Processing or IDP, store the email body in its original format (.eml). This ensures the attachment remains the processing target and prevents the body-text PDF from superseding it.
Indexing: It is not possible to combine Automatic Document Processing and General Email indexing on the same document - e.g., fields via processing and mail body via General Email.