Process Large Files with PDF.co and Make using Custom API Call Action

Step 1: Create a Scenario

Start by creating a new scenario in Make to set up the automation.

Step 2: Add the Google Drive Module

Add the Google Drive module to the scenario and select the Download a File feature to retrieve the file stored in your Google Drive folder for processing.

Step 3: Configure Google Drive Settings

• Select the "Choose from the list" option to input a File ID.
• Choose "My Drive" as the Drive to be used.
• Specify the folder and file name you wish to process.

Step 4: Add the PDF.co Module

Next, add the PDF.co module to the scenario and select the Make API Call feature.

Step 5: Configure PDF.co Settings

• Connect your PDF.co account: Add your API key from the PDF.co dashboard to Make.
• Specify the API endpoint: Use the v1/pdf/makesearchable endpoint to convert scanned PDFs into searchable text PDFs.
• Input file configuration: Select the option to Upload files and inject as URL param, which pulls files directly from Google Drive.
• Enable asynchronous processing: Set “Yes, forcely enable async mode" option. This ensures smooth processing of large files.
• Disable auto job checks: Set auto job checking to false for asynchronous jobs.
• Use the JSON output for the export type.

Step 6: Run the Scenario

Execute the scenario to send the request to PDF.co. Once processed, add a delay for execution time to ensure the job is complete.

Step 7: Add the Sleep Tools

Use Make’s built-in tools to add a Sleep step for delayed execution.

Step 8: Configure the Delay Settings

Set a delay duration (in seconds) to pause the scenario execution and allow PDF.co to complete processing.

Step 9: Add the PDF.co Job Check

Include the PDF.co Job Check module in the scenario to check the job status and retrieve the output file.

Step 10: Configure Job Check Settings

• Enter the Job ID generated during the PDF.co API Call. This is the ID of the background process running asynchronously.
• Select Download a File as the export type to retrieve the processed file.

Step 11: Run the Scenario

Run the scenario to finalize the process and retrieve the output file. Copy the generated URL to view the result.

Step 12: Review PDF.co Output

The output is a searchable text PDF converted from the scanned PDF document. Note that the URL generated by PDF.co is temporary and expires after 1 hour. To ensure permanent storage, save the file to a cloud storage service such as Google Drive, Dropbox, or OneDrive.

Step 13: Add Google Drive Upload File Module

Integrate the Google Drive module into the scenario to upload the generated file for permanent storage.

Step 14: Configure Google Drive Settings

• Select "Choose from the list" to input the File ID.
• Choose "My Drive" as the drive to use.
• Specify the folder name for the upload.
• Use the Map option to input the file name and data.

Step 15: Run Scenario to Upload File

Run the scenario to upload the processed file to the designated Google Drive folder.

Step 16: Verify in Google Drive Folder

Open the specified Google Drive folder to confirm the file has been uploaded successfully.