Smart SharePoint Column Updates Using Document AI

introduction in this test drive, you'll see how cloudfiles document management & sharing docid 3gglz90lgx5zfwkrgm7ra integrates with document ai docid 9sebvqewr6cmi0b ljbsc to intelligently process external files uploaded via the cloudfiles widget into sharepoint — and automatically update their corresponding sharepoint columns the system detects uploads (e g , driving licenses or passports), classifies the document type using ai, extracts key details like holder name, id number, and expiry date, and populates the associated sharepoint metadata columns — all within seconds in order to access this test drive, head over to our salesforce appexchange listing & click on the 'try it' button enter your information to open the test drive org once the test drive is open, navigate to this article within the instructions tab of the test drive instructions to experience this automation in action 1 go to the 'kyc uploads' tab and create a new record no additional input is required — just save the record 2 go to the ‘ external files ’ tab on the record and upload kyc documents ( driving license or passport ) via the cloudfiles widget this will upload the file directly into the connected sharepoint folder 3 observe ai powered updates once uploaded, the documents will be processed using cloudfiles document ai the ai system will classify the file type and update kyc type column extract fields like holder’s name , document number and expiry date and auto update sharepoint columns kyc type , kyc number , kyc holder , kyc expiry refer to the image below for visual understanding of the above steps implementation this demo is powered by salesforce flows salesforce flows + events docid\ rknln6uow5ow7m1aji6xq + flow actions docid\ jklr1skejfyjuev13cko here's how it works behind the scenes file upload into sharepoint via the cloudfiles widget triggers a file uploaded docid\ p yy1ryebu5ecnctf0jhd event this event initiates the process document using ai docid 31ujx1ligtkwfkjuanbzt flow action once processing is complete, a document processed docid\ xrr pnbpocwwcmyg6qgk9 event is published the flow then uses query document docid\ dm3eh gzaocyoqd5y0r8d to extract specific data from the file finally, using set resource property docid 0zoopbzobe0czqmm6spsf , the extracted values are written into the corresponding sharepoint columns cloudfiles handles both the ai based document's data extraction and the document management layer , including file uploads to external storage and metadata updates the below image shows snippets of the flows implemented for this test drive for more information, please refer to document ai tutorials docid\ k89awfijxxjssysaajwcr beyond this test drive this test drive demonstrates how cloudfiles empowers enterprises to intelligently process documents stored in external systems like sharepoint — but the real value lies in how this can be extended across a wide range of crm driven use cases with cloudfiles document ai and seamless external file access, you can build automations that not only extract information but also validate, trigger workflows, and maintain up to date crm records — all without storing the actual files inside salesforce here are some real world applications validate document fields like expiry dates, missing signatures, or outdated content, and trigger automated reminders, tasks, or escalation flows reduce manual review effort by auto tagging, summarizing, and flagging documents based on their contents — without opening a single file set expiry based alerts for compliance documents like kyc, aml, or insurance proofs, ensuring no lapsed documents in the system process vendor documents (like invoices or purchase orders) uploaded to shared folders, extract totals and po numbers, and log them into finance or procurement objects in salesforce auto classify and extract data from external files (e g , sharepoint, onedrive, google drive), and update salesforce records instantly monitor employee onboarding folders to extract and verify resumes, tax forms, or certifications, and update candidate or employee records automatically keep your salesforce environment lean by storing large files in external drives, yet surfacing key metadata, ai outputs, and document summaries within record pages enable legal or sales teams to drop contracts into external folders, extract clause summaries or signature dates, and sync key terms with opportunity or agreement objects with ai powered document management, cloudfiles gives enterprises a scalable, compliant, and intelligent way to manage documents — all within the salesforce