The best way to batch process thousands of documents is with an AI extraction tool like Lido. Lido uses one setup for every document in the batch, handles different layouts automatically, and combines all the extracted data into a single spreadsheet.
In this tutorial, we will walk you through how to batch process thousands of documents using Lido. Simply follow the steps below.
If you don't have a Lido account yet, you can create one for free here.
Once you're logged in, create a New File.
Select the Extract Data button at the top of the sheet.
Upload 10 to 20 documents that show the range of layouts in your full batch. Include your messiest documents, not just your cleanest ones.
Drag and drop the files into Lido, or click to browse.
Enter the columns your downstream system expects, using its exact column names. For an invoice batch going into an ERP, that might be Vendor_Name, Invoice_Number, Date, Line_Item_Description, Quantity, Unit_Price, and Total.
You can also add extra instructions if you'd like (this is optional), such as a standard date format or keeping leading zeros in ID numbers. Once done, click Process All Files.
Check that the output matches the format your downstream system needs. If you want to change the output, update your columns or instructions and process the test batch again.
Lido offers free reprocessing within 24 hours, so you can fine-tune your setup at no extra cost.
Once your test batch looks right, process the rest of your documents with the same setup. You can upload up to 100 files at a time.
For thousands of files, connect a Google Drive or OneDrive folder in the Extract Data window and turn on the Process Files toggle. Lido checks the folder every 5 minutes and processes every new file automatically.
Click Export to Excel to download all your extracted data in one spreadsheet. To automate this step, turn on Export Results, and Lido will send you an Excel or CSV file each day by email or to a Google Drive or OneDrive folder.
For direct connections to systems like NetSuite, QuickBooks, or Business Central, you can use the Lido API. Without the API, importing the results into your ERP usually means uploading the file through its import tool.
If new documents arrive every day, forward them to your dedicated Lido email address. Combined with auto-forward rules in your email app, documents go from sender to spreadsheet without anyone opening or uploading them.
These speeds come from real customer workloads, not lab tests:
US Neurology: 1,000 pages in 1.5 to 1.75 minutes during a live demo.
CorpBill: About 300 invoices in one minute.
Relay: 16,000 Medicaid claims, some over 700 pages each, in five days. This work had previously taken months.
HomeHealTX: A 90-page billing report with 454 line items in about two minutes.
Tribus Solutions: A four-page invoice with 45 line items in about 30 seconds.
Processing 1,000 pages doesn't take 1,000 times longer than one page, because Lido applies the same setup to every page without reconfiguring between documents.
Large document batches usually come from backlogs, growth, or daily high-volume intake. Here's how teams handle each one with Lido:
Clearing a backlog: A California medical lab had 3,300 Explanations of Benefits (50,000 to 60,000 pages) to submit before a state deadline. At five minutes per EOB, manual entry would have taken 275 hours, so the lab batch processed them instead.
Replacing manual data entry: BSGTX, a Texas building supply distributor, had five people extracting data from purchase orders full time, about 80 hours of work per week.
Scaling without new hires: Paper Alternative, a healthcare BPO, is growing from 6,000 to over 10,000 CMS 1500 forms per month, or 70,000 to 80,000 pages. Bobalu Berries handled an 80% jump in transactions without adding AP staff.
Daily high-volume intake: Esprigas, a gas distribution company, processes 27,000 documents per month by routing vendor invoices to Lido with email forwarding rules.
Mixed document types: BDO uses one platform for broker statements, lease agreements, debt agreements, and financial statements. Legacy CPA processes invoices, statements, contracts, payroll reports, and handwritten documents, with 90% to 95% needing no special setup.
Uploading many files at once isn't enough. A true batch processing tool should offer:
One setup for every layout: Template-based tools need a separate template for each layout, so a batch from 50 vendors means 50 templates before you start. With AI-based extraction, tools like Lido need only one setup for all of them.
Combined output: All extracted data should land in one spreadsheet, not hundreds of separate files.
Uninterrupted processing: One unusual document shouldn't stop the other 999 from finishing.
Fair pricing: Per-page pricing ties cost to volume, and Lido's free 24-hour reprocessing means you don't pay twice while refining your setup.
Now that you know how to batch process thousands of documents, you can clear backlogs and handle high volumes without adding headcount.
Lido handles batches of any size. You can upload up to 100 files at a time, or connect a Google Drive or OneDrive folder to process thousands of files automatically. Customers regularly process thousands of documents in a single batch.
Based on customer results, about 1.5 to 2 minutes. Speed depends on how complex the documents are and how many fields you extract.
Yes. One Lido setup works across documents from different vendors, payers, or sources. The AI adapts to each layout automatically, so you don't need a separate setup for each format.
Lido achieves 99.5% to 100% field-level accuracy on clean, typed documents and typically over 95% on scanned or low-quality documents. Free reprocessing within 24 hours lets you fine-tune your setup at no extra cost.
Yes. Forward documents to your dedicated Lido email address, or drop them into a connected Google Drive or OneDrive folder. Lido processes new files automatically and can send you a daily Excel or CSV export.
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