Using the Collector in Willow360

The Collector is a Windows application that automatically forwards scanned files from scanning devices into Willow360. It acts as the bridge between your physical scanner or MFD and the Willow360 platform, ensuring that scanned documents arrive in the right inbox or workflow without anyone needing to manually upload them.

How the Collector Works

A scanner is configured to save files to a specific folder on a computer that has the Collector App installed. The Collector monitors that folder continuously and forwards any new files it finds into Willow360. Files are processed in cycles with a 30-second interval between each cycle. All files forwarded in the same cycle are grouped into a single job or upload group in Willow360.

The Collector connects to your Willow360 organisation using a one-time security token generated during setup. This token must be copied at the time it is shown, as it cannot be retrieved again. If it is missed, the device must be removed and re-added to generate a new token.

Device names must be unique within your organisation.

Two Hot Folders

The Collector has two hot folders that it monitors:

Personal hot folder: files placed here are forwarded to the Personal Inbox of the default user configured for that Collector device.

Organisational hot folder: files placed here are forwarded to a specified destination. If no destination is configured, files go to the General Inbox. In Dumb mode, the Collector creates subfolders within the Organisational hot folder, one per inbox or workflow, and routes files based on which subfolder they are placed in.

Dumb Mode and Smart Mode

The Collector operates in one of two modes depending on the capability of the scanning device.

Dumb Mode

Used when the scanner cannot produce XML metadata alongside the scanned file. The Collector creates a subfolder inside the Organisational hot folder for each inbox and workflow in the organisation. Files placed in a given subfolder are forwarded to the corresponding inbox or workflow. All files are uploaded in the name of the configured default user.

This mode is straightforward to set up but offers limited routing flexibility and no automatic metadata attachment.

Smart Mode

Used when the scanner or MFD is capable of producing an XML metadata file alongside each scanned file. The Collector reads the XML file, pairs it with the corresponding document, and uses the information in it to determine where the file should go and who submitted it. It can also pass metadata values such as invoice numbers, customer IDs, or other field data directly into Willow360 for use by the External Data action in a workflow.

Smart mode supports XML output from Umango, Papercut, and Drivve. The XML file must include a WillowDestination value containing the MFD code of the target inbox or workflow.

If a file arrives without a matching XML file in Smart mode, the Collector waits for the XML before forwarding.

If the destination is invalid or the user does not have access to the workflow, the file is moved to the Personal Inbox and an error notification is sent.

Setting Up the Collector

The Collector App is downloaded from the Collectors panel in Organisation Settings. During installation, the security token is required to connect the app to your Willow360 organisation.

Once installed, configure the hot folders the Collector should monitor and select the mode that matches your scanning hardware. If using Smart mode, ensure your scanning software is configured to output XML files in a format the Collector recognises (Umango, Papercut, or Drivve).

Example: Invoice Processing with Smart Mode

A finance team uses a networked MFD that produces XML metadata alongside each scan. The MFD is configured to include the invoice workflow's MFD code as the WillowDestination in its XML output, along with the submitting user's email address.

When an employee scans a batch of invoices, the MFD saves the scanned files and their XML files to the Organisational hot folder. Within 30 seconds, the Collector detects the files, pairs each one with its XML, reads the destination and user information, and forwards the files directly into the invoice workflow in Willow360. The files begin processing immediately. The External Data action in the workflow reads the metadata values from the XML and makes them available for use in subsequent actions such as renaming, stamping, and approval routing.