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Getting Started

Learn how to set up Harp, create templates, and start automating your document workflows in minutes.

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Quick StartCreating TemplatesWatch FoldersExcel ExportTroubleshooting

Quick Start

Get up and running with Harp in just a few minutes. Follow these steps to install the app and process your first document.

1. Download and Install

Download Harp for your operating system from our website. Harp is available for macOS, Windows, and Linux.

Download for macOSDownload for WindowsDownload for Linux

2. Set Up Your Watch Folders

Tell Harp which folders to monitor for new documents. You can use any folder on your computer—your Downloads folder, a shared drive, or create a dedicated inbox.

  1. Open Harp and go to Watch Folders
  2. Click Add Folder and select a folder
  3. Choose or create a template for that folder
  4. Toggle the folder to Active

3. Process Your First Document

You're ready to extract data from your first PDF or image.

  1. Drag and drop a PDF or image onto the Harp window
  2. Select a template or use the default extraction
  3. Review the extracted data
  4. Export to Excel or copy to clipboard
For best results, use high-quality scans with clear text. Harp works with both text-based PDFs and scanned images.

Creating Templates

Templates define what data Harp should extract from your documents. Create custom templates to match your specific document types.

Template Structure

Each template consists of fields that define the data points you want to extract. Fields have a name, type, and optional description.

Example: Invoice Template
Template Name: Invoice
Fields:
  - vendor_name (text): Company or person issuing the invoice
  - invoice_number (text): Unique invoice identifier
  - invoice_date (date): Date the invoice was issued
  - due_date (date): Payment due date
  - subtotal (number): Amount before tax
  - tax_amount (number): Tax applied
  - total_amount (number): Final amount due
  - line_items (table): Individual items with description, quantity, price

Creating a New Template

  1. Click Templates in the sidebar
  2. Click New Template
  3. Give your template a descriptive name
  4. Add fields using the field editor
  5. For each field, specify the name, type, and a description to help the AI understand what to extract
  6. Click Save Template

Field Types

Harp supports several field types for different kinds of data:

Available Field Types
text      - Free-form text (names, addresses, descriptions)
number    - Numeric values (amounts, quantities)
date      - Date values (automatically formatted)
boolean   - Yes/No values (checkboxes, true/false)
table     - Repeated rows of data (line items, entries)
list      - Multiple values for a single field

Tips for Better Extraction

Write clear field descriptions to help the AI understand exactly what you need. Be specific about formats and edge cases.

Good vs. Bad Field Descriptions
Good:
  "total_amount: The final invoice total including tax,
   formatted as a number without currency symbols"

Bad:
  "total_amount: The total"

Setting Up Watch Folders

Watch folders automatically process documents as they arrive. Perfect for high-volume workflows and automation.

How Watch Folders Work

When you configure a watch folder, Harp monitors it for new files. When a PDF or image appears, Harp automatically processes it using your specified template and exports the results.

Setting Up a Watch Folder

  1. Go to Settings > Watch Folders
  2. Click Add Folder
  3. Select the folder you want to monitor
  4. Choose the template to use for processing
  5. Configure output options (Excel file location, format)
  6. Toggle the folder to Active
Watch Folder Configuration Example
Watch Folder Settings:
  Input Folder:    ~/Documents/Invoices/Incoming
  Template:        Invoice Template
  Output Folder:   ~/Documents/Invoices/Processed
  Output Format:   Excel (.xlsx)

  Options:
    - Move processed files to: ~/Documents/Invoices/Archive
    - Append to existing Excel file: Yes
    - Process subfolders: No

Workflow Example

A typical automated workflow might look like this:

Automated Invoice Processing Workflow
1. Email rule saves invoice attachments to ~/Invoices/Incoming
2. Harp detects new PDF in watch folder
3. Document is processed with Invoice Template
4. Extracted data is appended to invoices.xlsx
5. Original PDF is moved to ~/Invoices/Archive
6. You review the Excel file at your convenience
Combine watch folders with email rules or scanner software to create fully automated document processing pipelines.

Excel Export

Harp exports extracted data to Excel format for easy analysis and integration with your existing workflows.

Export Options

When exporting, you can choose between several options:

Export Options
Export Formats:
  - Excel (.xlsx) - Recommended for most use cases
  - CSV (.csv) - For legacy system compatibility
  - JSON (.json) - For developer integrations

Export Modes:
  - New file - Create a fresh file for each export
  - Append - Add new rows to an existing file
  - Overwrite - Replace existing file contents

Excel Output Structure

Exported Excel files follow a consistent structure with columns matching your template fields.

Example Excel Output
| vendor_name | invoice_number | invoice_date | total_amount |
|-------------|----------------|--------------|--------------|
| Acme Corp   | INV-2024-001   | 2024-01-15   | 1,250.00     |
| Beta LLC    | INV-2024-002   | 2024-01-18   | 875.50       |
| Gamma Inc   | INV-2024-003   | 2024-01-20   | 2,100.00     |

Handling Table Fields

When your template includes table fields (like line items), Harp creates a separate sheet for the nested data with a reference to the parent row.

Multi-sheet Excel Output
Sheet 1: Main Data
| invoice_id | vendor_name | total_amount |
|------------|-------------|--------------|
| 1          | Acme Corp   | 1,250.00     |

Sheet 2: Line Items
| invoice_id | description     | quantity | price  |
|------------|-----------------|----------|--------|
| 1          | Widget A        | 10       | 50.00  |
| 1          | Widget B        | 5        | 150.00 |

Troubleshooting

Common issues and their solutions.

Poor Extraction Quality

Improving Extraction Accuracy
Problem: Extracted data is missing or incorrect

Solutions:
1. Use higher quality scans (300 DPI recommended)
2. Ensure documents are not skewed or rotated
3. Add more detailed field descriptions in your template
4. Split multi-page documents if extraction is struggling
5. Contact support if issues persist

Watch Folder Not Processing

Watch Folder Troubleshooting
Problem: Files in watch folder are not being processed

Solutions:
1. Check that the watch folder is set to "Active"
2. Verify Harp has read/write permissions to the folder
3. Ensure files are valid PDFs or supported image formats
4. Check if you have available credits in your account
5. Look for error messages in Harp's activity log

Application Won't Start

Startup Issues
Problem: Harp won't launch or crashes on startup

macOS:
  - Right-click the app and select "Open" (first launch)
  - Check System Preferences > Security & Privacy
  - Try: xattr -cr /Applications/Harp.app

Windows:
  - Run as Administrator
  - Check Windows Defender isn't blocking the app
  - Try reinstalling with the latest version

Linux:
  - Ensure the AppImage has execute permissions
  - Run from terminal to see error messages
  - Install required dependencies (libfuse2)
Need more help? Contact support at support@harp.app or visit our community forum.

Ready to Get Started?

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