> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.raydocs.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Quick Start

> Extract data from documents in 3 simple steps

This guide shows the fastest way to extract data from documents using an existing template. Perfect for getting started quickly.

<Note>
  This example assumes you already have a workspace and template set up. For creating templates from scratch, see the [Full Workflow](/api-reference/cookbook/full-workflow) guide.
</Note>

<Tip>
  Building with an AI assistant? Use the [Integrate Raydocs with AI ✨](/guides/llm-quickstart) guide to provide full documentation context.
</Tip>

## Prerequisites

* A Raydocs API token with `sessions-write` ability
* An existing extraction template ID
* Documents to process (PDF, PNG, JPG)

## The 3-Step Process

<Steps>
  <Step title="Upload Files">
    Upload your documents to temporary storage using signed URLs
  </Step>

  <Step title="Create Sessions">
    Create extraction sessions with `auto_extract: true` to start processing automatically
  </Step>

  <Step title="Get Results">
    Poll for completion and retrieve your structured data
  </Step>
</Steps>

## Complete Example

<Tabs>
  <Tab title="Python">
    ```python theme={null}
    import time
    from raydocs_client import RaydocsClient

    # Initialize client
    client = RaydocsClient("your_api_token")

    # Your template ID (from Raydocs dashboard or API)
    TEMPLATE_ID = "550e8400-e29b-41d4-a716-446655440000"

    # ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
    # Step 1: Upload your documents
    # ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
    documents = ["invoice1.pdf", "invoice2.pdf", "receipt.pdf"]

    file_keys = []
    for doc in documents:
        print(f"Uploading {doc}...")
        key = client.upload_file(doc)
        file_keys.append(key)

    print(f"✓ Uploaded {len(file_keys)} documents")

    # ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
    # Step 2: Create sessions with auto-extract enabled
    # ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
    sessions = client.batch_create_sessions(
        template_id=TEMPLATE_ID,
        file_keys=file_keys,
        auto_extract=True  # Extraction starts automatically!
    )

    print(f"✓ Created {len(sessions)} extraction sessions")

    # ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
    # Step 3: Poll for results and retrieve extracted data
    # ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
    for i, session in enumerate(sessions):
        print(f"\nProcessing {documents[i]}...")
        
        # Poll until extraction completes
        while True:
            results = client.get_results(session['id'])
            
            if results:
                result = results[0]
                if result['status'] == 'completed':
                    # Get full result with extracted data
                    full_result = client.get_result(result['id'])
                    print(f"✅ Extraction complete!")
                    print(f"   Extracted data: {full_result['data']}")
                    break
                elif result['status'] == 'failed':
                    print(f"❌ Extraction failed")
                    break
            
            time.sleep(5)  # Wait 5 seconds before polling again
    ```
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="TypeScript">
    ```typescript theme={null}
    import { RaydocsClient } from './raydocs-client';

    async function extractDocuments() {
      const client = new RaydocsClient('your_api_token');
      
      // Your template ID
      const TEMPLATE_ID = '550e8400-e29b-41d4-a716-446655440000';
      
      // ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
      // Step 1: Upload your documents
      // ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
      const documents = ['invoice1.pdf', 'invoice2.pdf', 'receipt.pdf'];
      
      const fileKeys: string[] = [];
      for (const doc of documents) {
        console.log(`Uploading ${doc}...`);
        const key = await client.uploadFile(doc);
        fileKeys.push(key);
      }
      
      console.log(`✓ Uploaded ${fileKeys.length} documents`);
      
      // ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
      // Step 2: Create sessions with auto-extract enabled
      // ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
      const sessions = await client.batchCreateSessions(
        TEMPLATE_ID,
        fileKeys,
        true // auto_extract
      );
      
      console.log(`✓ Created ${sessions.length} extraction sessions`);
      
      // ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
      // Step 3: Poll for results
      // ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
      for (let i = 0; i < sessions.length; i++) {
        console.log(`\nProcessing ${documents[i]}...`);
        
        // Poll until extraction completes
        while (true) {
          const results = await client.getResults(sessions[i].id);
          
          if (results.length > 0) {
            const result = results[0];
            if (result.status === 'completed') {
              const fullResult = await client.getResult(result.id);
              console.log('✅ Extraction complete!');
              console.log('   Extracted data:', fullResult.data);
              break;
            } else if (result.status === 'failed') {
              console.log('❌ Extraction failed');
              break;
            }
          }
          
          await new Promise(r => setTimeout(r, 5000)); // Wait 5 seconds
        }
      }
    }

    extractDocuments();
    ```
  </Tab>

  <Tab title="PHP">
    ```php theme={null}
    <?php

    require_once 'vendor/autoload.php';
    require_once 'RaydocsClient.php';

    // Initialize client
    $client = new RaydocsClient('your_api_token');

    // Your template ID (from Raydocs dashboard or API)
    $templateId = '550e8400-e29b-41d4-a716-446655440000';

    // ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
    // Step 1: Upload your documents
    // ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
    $documents = ['invoice1.pdf', 'invoice2.pdf', 'receipt.pdf'];

    $fileKeys = [];
    foreach ($documents as $doc) {
        echo "Uploading {$doc}...\n";
        $fileKeys[] = $client->uploadFile($doc);
    }

    echo "✓ Uploaded " . count($fileKeys) . " documents\n";

    // ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
    // Step 2: Create sessions with auto-extract enabled
    // ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
    $sessions = $client->batchCreateSessions(
        $templateId,
        $fileKeys,
        true // auto_extract - extraction starts automatically!
    );

    echo "✓ Created " . count($sessions) . " extraction sessions\n";

    // ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
    // Step 3: Poll for results and retrieve extracted data
    // ─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
    foreach ($sessions as $i => $session) {
        echo "\nProcessing {$documents[$i]}...\n";
        
        // Poll until extraction completes
        while (true) {
            $results = $client->getResults($session['id']);
            
            if (!empty($results)) {
                $result = $results[0];
                if ($result['status'] === 'completed') {
                    $fullResult = $client->getResult($result['id']);
                    echo "✅ Extraction complete!\n";
                    echo "   Extracted data: " . json_encode($fullResult['data'], JSON_PRETTY_PRINT) . "\n";
                    break;
                } elseif ($result['status'] === 'failed') {
                    echo "❌ Extraction failed\n";
                    break;
                }
            }
            
            sleep(5); // Wait 5 seconds before polling again
        }
    }
    ```
  </Tab>
</Tabs>

## Understanding the Response

When extraction completes, you get structured data matching your template schema:

```json theme={null}
{
  "id": "result-uuid-here",
  "status": "completed",
  "data": {
    "invoice_header": {
      "invoice_number": "INV-2024-001",
      "invoice_date": "2024-01-15",
      "total_amount": 1250.00,
      "currency": "USD"
    },
    "vendor_info": {
      "vendor_name": "Acme Corp",
      "vendor_address": "123 Business St, City, ST 12345"
    },
    "line_items": {
      "items": [
        {
          "description": "Consulting Services",
          "quantity": 10,
          "unit_price": 100.00,
          "total": 1000.00
        },
        {
          "description": "Travel Expenses",
          "quantity": 1,
          "unit_price": 250.00,
          "total": 250.00
        }
      ]
    }
  },
  "reasoning": {
    "invoice_header": {
      "invoice_number": {
        "reasoning": "Found 'Invoice #: INV-2024-001' in header section on page 1",
        "confidence": 0.95
      }
    }
  }
}
```

## Error Handling

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Rate Limiting (429)">
    If you hit rate limits, implement exponential backoff:

    ```python theme={null}
    import time

    def upload_with_retry(client, file_path, max_retries=3):
        for attempt in range(max_retries):
            try:
                return client.upload_file(file_path)
            except requests.HTTPError as e:
                if e.response.status_code == 429:
                    wait = 2 ** attempt * 10  # 10s, 20s, 40s
                    print(f"Rate limited, waiting {wait}s...")
                    time.sleep(wait)
                else:
                    raise
        raise Exception("Max retries exceeded")
    ```
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Failed Extractions">
    Check the result status and handle failures gracefully:

    ```python theme={null}
    results = client.get_results(session_id)
    if results and results[0]['status'] == 'failed':
        # Log error, retry, or notify
        print(f"Extraction failed for session {session_id}")
    ```
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

## Next Steps

<CardGroup cols={2}>
  <Card title="Full Workflow" icon="sitemap" href="/api-reference/cookbook/full-workflow">
    Create templates and set up complete extraction pipelines
  </Card>

  <Card title="Extraction Schema" icon="code" href="/guides/extraction-schema">
    Design powerful extraction schemas
  </Card>
</CardGroup>