Test and process documents

Once your parser is configured, the next job is to test it carefully and then process real documents with confidence.

Testing vs processing

In SimplyParse, these are two different stages:

• Test Parser is where you verify the parser on a sample or trial document.
• Process is where you run actual documents through the parser and store the results for review.

Both stages matter. Testing reduces mistakes before you move to production usage.

When to use Test Parser

Use Test Parser whenever you:

• just created a parser
• changed fields or schema structure
• adopted a template and want to test it on your own document
• added validation rules
• are unsure whether a new document variant will behave correctly

How to test a parser

1. Open the parser.
2. Go to Test Parser.
3. Use the existing sample document or upload a file.
4. Run the test.
5. Review the output.

Look for:

• missing fields
• wrong values
• wrong nesting or list structure
• validation warnings or failures
• values that are technically present but not operationally useful

Best testing workflow

Use this progression:

1. test on the original sample
2. test on one real document
3. test on a few realistic variations
4. fix the schema or rules
5. repeat until output is stable

This is much safer than uploading a large batch immediately.

What to do if results are wrong

If the parser output is not usable, go back to the parser configuration and refine:

• field selection
• field types
• nested structure
• validation rules

Treat testing as part of parser design, not as a final checkbox.

Processing real documents in the dashboard

When testing looks good, process documents from the parser screen.

Step 1: Upload files

Click Upload and add one or more files.

Supported browser uploads include PDF, PNG, JPG, JPEG, and WEBP, with a 10 MB limit per file.

Step 2: Start processing

Click Process.

The dashboard starts processing in the background.

Step 3: Review results

Open View data to inspect the extracted entries.

Multi-entry documents

Some documents contain multiple grouped entries that belong in separate parsed results.

If your schema includes a unique field and the workflow is appropriate, you can enable Process as multiple entries during upload.

Use this only when you intentionally want the document grouped into multiple entries rather than treated as a single extracted record.

What to review in View data

After processing, review:

• extracted data values
• validation state
• source metadata
• document status
• processing details
• whether the result is usable for the next business step

Do not just check whether parsing completed. Check whether the output is actually correct and complete.

Recommended rollout approach

For a new parser, use this rollout pattern:

1. one sample document
2. three to five real documents
3. a small batch
4. broader production usage

This gives you time to catch common issues before the parser is exposed to many document variations.

Good operating habits

• Save schema changes before testing.
• Test after every meaningful change.
• Use realistic documents, not only ideal samples.
• Start small before scaling.
• Review failures and near-failures, not only successful outputs.

Next steps

• If you need to improve the parser itself, read Create a parser.
• If you want stronger quality checks, read Validation rules.
• If you want to automate ingestion outside the dashboard, read Webhooks or the async API.