Transforming Files
Files.com can convert files from one file type to another, or transform a file's contents by running a TransformScript against it. Use the Transform action from the File Manager or from Preview to transform files as needed. You choose where to save the resulting file. File transformations can also be triggered programmatically through the API, an SDK, or the AI Assistant.
Transform a file when you have it in one format and need it in another, such as converting a spreadsheet a partner sent as .xls into .csv for a downstream system, turning a PDF into an editable .docx, converting and resizing an image, or running a TransformScript to reshape a file's contents on the way to a new format.
How Transformations Work
When you transform a file, you select an input file and choose where to write the new file. For Document Conversion and Image Conversion, you also choose the output format; for TransformScript, the script itself determines it.
Transforming a file creates a new file and leaves the original unchanged. If a file already exists at the chosen destination, the Overwrite existing file option determines whether the new file replaces it. With the option turned off, the new file won't overwrite a file that already exists.
Document conversion transformations let you convert standard business file format documents into other types of documents. All of the data in the input file is included in the output file.
Image conversion transformations allow you to convert between image types and also change the dimensions of the output file.
TransformScript transformations are for changing text-based files containing structured data. Using TransformScript allows you to filter data, re-arrange fields, calculate and add new data to the output file during the transformation.
Document Conversion
You can convert documents, spreadsheets, and presentations between formats. The file's extension determines which output formats are available.
Spreadsheet file types can be converted either with a standard Document Conversion, allowing you to create csv or pdf or xlsx output files, or with TransformScript, which supports csv, edifact, hl7, json, ndjson, urlencoded, x12, xlsx, xml, or yaml output.
| File Type | Input Formats | Output Formats |
|---|---|---|
| Document | pdf, doc, dot, docx, docm, dotx, dotm, wps, rtf, djvu, docxf, epub, fb2, fodt, odt, ott, oxps, stw, sxw, wpt, md | docx, pdf, rtf, txt |
| Spreadsheet | xls, xlt, xlsx, xlsm, xltx, xltm, xlsb, et, ett, fods, ods, ots, sxc, csv, tsv | csv, pdf, xlsx |
| Presentation | ppt, pps, pot, pptx, pptm, potx, potm, dps, dpt, fodp, odp, otp, ppsm, ppsx, sxi | pdf, pptx |
Image Conversion
You can convert an image from any of the input formats below to any of the output formats, and resize it at the same time.
| File Type | Input Formats | Output Formats |
|---|---|---|
| Image | 4fr, arw, cgm, cr2, crw, dcr, gif, heic, heif, ico, icon, jpeg, jpg, k25, kdc, mrw, nef, png, psd, rw2, sf2, sr2, srf, svg, tga, tif, tiff, wbpm, webp, xcf | jpg, jpeg, png, webp, gif, tif, tiff |
Resizing While Converting
You can optionally resize the image as part of the conversion by supplying a width, a height, or both, in pixels.
When you supply only one dimension, Files.com preserves the aspect ratio. When you supply both, the image fits within that box while preserving the aspect ratio.
TransformScript
Instead of converting a file to a fixed output format, you can provide a TransformScript to reshape the file's contents. The output extension is determined by your script, and the destination filename extension must match what the script produces.
| File Type | Input Formats | Output Formats |
|---|---|---|
| TransformScript | csv, edifact, hl7, json, ndjson, urlencoded, x12, xlsx, xml, yaml, yml, plus spreadsheet formats that convert on input: xls, xlt, xlsm, xltx, xltm, xlsb, et, ett, fods, ods, ots, sxc | csv, edifact, hl7, json, ndjson, urlencoded, x12, xlsx, xml, yaml |
Permissions Required
Transforming a file requires read permission on the input file and write permission on the destination folder.
Background Execution
Transformations run as asynchronous (backgrounded) operations. The new file does not appear at the destination until the transformation completes, and it is added atomically.
In the web interface, Files.com shows in-progress work under Actions In Progress.