Until now, when a document was only available as a PDF, you had to convert it outside Gino and then run a new import with the resulting Word file. This extra step slowed things down and added unnecessary handling.
With this update, Gino lets you convert certain PDFs into Word documents directly during import.
⚙️ How it works
A new checkbox, "Convert PDF file to Word", appears in step 3 of the import options.
This option is only displayed for PDF files.
For multiple imports, each PDF has its own checkbox, independent of the other documents.
The checkbox is unchecked by default.
An information icon ⓘ displays the following message: "The file will be automatically converted to Word. This conversion may alter the formatting, and comments will be removed."
The checkbox can be changed until you click "Confirm".
Upon confirmation:
checked PDFs are converted and then imported as .docx files
only the Word file is created in the destination folder
the original PDF is not kept
the name entered during import is kept
--> The resulting document then behaves like any standard imported .docx document.
Unchecked PDFs are imported as usual, with no change in behavior.
Scanned PDFs can also be converted:
the generated .docx then contains the content as an image
If a PDF is password-protected, the conversion fails, an error message is displayed and the import is cancelled.
For PDFs containing interactive forms, the conversion is done on a "best effort" basis, meaning that:
filled-in fields become static text
the form structure is lost
✅ Why it's useful day to day
No more back-and-forth with an external tool to convert your PDFs.
You get an editable document in Gino faster.
You stay in control, document by document, during multiple imports.
Things stay simple: PDFs you don't convert follow the usual process.
You can also process scanned PDFs, although the result is limited to an image in the Word file.
💡 A few concrete use cases
Contract received as a PDF: a user imports a PDF contract and checks the conversion option to get a Word version ready to work on in Gino.
Multiple import of mixed documents: a user imports several files at once and chooses to convert only some of the PDFs, leaving the others in their original format.
Processing a scanned PDF: a user imports a scanned document and converts it to get a Word file containing the document as an image.
Importing a completed PDF form: a user converts a PDF with filled-in fields, accepting that the information will become static text in the Word document.
Gino tip
Turn this option on when you need an editable document in Gino, but keep in mind that conversion may change the formatting and remove comments. For scanned PDFs or interactive forms, always check the result after import.
Want to know more? Reach out to your project manager!