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Extract Metadata from Word using Make

Extract Metadata is a Make module by PDF4me that reads a Word document's built-in and custom properties, title, author, subject, keywords, creation date, modification date, and returns them as structured JSON. Use it for document cataloging, compliance audit trails, or populating a content management system without opening each file manually.

What this module does

PDF4me Extract Metadata from Word reads built-in properties (title, author, subject, keywords, company, creation date, modification date, page count, word count) and any custom document properties from a Word file, returning them as a structured JSON object inside your Make scenario.

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How Do I Authenticate My Make Scenario?​

Every PDF4me module in Make requires a valid Connection. Create or select one that holds your PDF4me API key so the scenario can authenticate metadata extraction requests securely.

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Important Facts You Should Not Miss​

Built-in and custom properties both included
Standard fields like title, author, and subject return alongside any custom document properties your organization has added, all in one JSON response.
Works with .doc and .docx
File Name must carry the correct extension so the module reads properties from either the legacy .doc format or the modern .docx format correctly.
Empty properties return as empty, not errors
A document property that was never filled in (like an unused Company field) comes back as an empty string rather than failing the module.
Make PDF4me Extract Metadata module for Word documents

Map File Name and Document, then run the scenario to receive built-in and custom Word document properties as JSON.

Parameters​

Required: Connection, File Name, and Document must all be provided.

ParameterRequiredWhat it doesExample
ConnectionRequiredPDF4me API connection. Click Add and paste your API key if connecting for the first time.My PDF4me connection
File NameRequiredFilename of the Word document with proper extension (.doc or .docx), used for processing identification.document.docx
DocumentRequiredWord file buffer mapped from a preceding module such as Dropbox, Google Drive, or SharePoint.[Buffer from Get File]

Output Fields​

FieldTypeWhat it contains
MetadataObjectContainer object with all extracted document properties, both built-in and custom.
TitleStringThe document title property.
AuthorStringThe document author property.
SubjectStringThe document subject property.
KeywordsStringThe document keywords/tags property.
CreatedDateStringThe document creation timestamp.
ModifiedDateStringThe document last-modified timestamp.
PageCountNumberTotal number of pages in the document.
WordCountNumberTotal word count in the document.
SuccessBooleanTrue if metadata extraction completed successfully; false if it failed.

How Do I Set Up Extract Metadata in Make?​

  1. Add PDF4me → Extract Metadata to your Make scenario.
  2. Select Connection (or click Add to create one with your PDF4me API key).
  3. Map File Name to the filename with extension (.doc or .docx).
  4. Map Document to the binary content from the source module: Dropbox, Google Drive, or SharePoint.
  5. Run the scenario. The Metadata object appears in the output, ready to map into a catalog, compliance log, or CMS.

Typical Setups​

Workflow ExamplesCommon Make scenario patterns using Extract Metadata.
Document library cataloging
  1. A Dropbox Watch Folder trigger fires when a new Word document is uploaded to the library.
  2. Extract Metadata reads title, author, keywords, and dates from the file.
  3. An Airtable Create Record step indexes the document with the extracted properties for searching and filtering.
  4. Tags are generated automatically from the Keywords property for the document catalog.
Compliance audit trail
  1. A scheduled trigger lists all controlled documents in a compliance folder.
  2. An Iterator loops through each file, Get File → Extract Metadata.
  3. A Filter flags documents whose ModifiedDate falls outside the expected review window.
  4. Flagged documents and their metadata are logged to a compliance audit report.
CMS population from uploaded documents
  1. A document lands in a staging folder connected to Make.
  2. Extract Metadata reads the title, author, subject, and keywords.
  3. An HTTP module POSTs the extracted properties to the CMS API to create a new content record.
  4. The original document is moved to an archive folder once the CMS record is confirmed created.

Practical Tips​

File Name extension must match the real format
A .docx file mapped with a .doc extension (or vice versa) can cause the module to misread properties. Map the source filename directly rather than hardcoding an extension.
Empty properties are normal, not errors
Documents created without filling in Title, Subject, or Company return those fields as empty strings. Handle empty values in downstream Filters rather than assuming every field is populated.
CreatedDate reflects the file, not the content
CreatedDate and ModifiedDate come from the document's file-level properties, they can differ from dates mentioned inside the document body itself.
Custom properties depend on the template
Only documents built from templates with custom document properties will return them. A plain Word file created without a template typically has none.
This module reads properties, it does not edit them
Extract Metadata is read-only. To change a document's title or author property, use a Word editing module instead.
Pair with an Iterator for folder-wide audits
To audit an entire folder of documents, loop the module inside a Make Iterator rather than calling it once per manually selected file.

Cheat Sheet​

FieldValue
ModuleExtract Metadata (Word)
ConnectionPDF4me API key
Supported extensions.doc, .docx
Key output fieldsMetadata.Title, Author, Subject, Keywords, CreatedDate, ModifiedDate
Empty property behaviorReturns empty string, not an error
Custom propertiesIncluded when present in the source template

Common Questions​

What document properties does Extract Metadata return?+
It returns built-in properties such as title, author, subject, keywords, company, creation date, modification date, page count, and word count, plus any custom document properties defined in the file template.
Does it work with both .doc and .docx files?+
Yes. Map the correct extension in File Name and the module reads properties from either the legacy .doc binary format or the modern .docx XML-based format.
Can I use this for compliance audit trails?+
Yes. Creation date, modification date, and author fields are commonly logged to a compliance database to evidence when a controlled document was created and last changed. See <a href="https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/office/vba/api/word.document.builtindocumentproperties" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Microsoft's Word document properties reference</a> for the full built-in property set this module reads from.
What happens if a property was never set in the document?+
Properties that were never filled in, such as an empty Subject or Company field, return as empty strings rather than causing an error, so downstream logic should handle blank values gracefully.

Industry Use Cases & Applications​

  • Document Audit Trails: Extract modification dates and authors for compliance audit evidence
  • Version Control Tracking: Monitor document versions using creation and modification timestamps
  • Author Verification: Validate document authors match authorized personnel lists
  • Retention Policy Enforcement: Check creation dates against retention schedules for archival decisions
  • Controlled Document Management: Track document properties for ISO/quality management compliance

Same Task on Other Platforms​

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