Content extraction methods
The Extract information from documents skill (Information Extraction skill) supports three extraction methods—field, table, and Q&A—each suited for different types of document data. Understanding which method to use helps you capture and store the right information in ServiceNow.
The Information Extraction skill uses AI-assisted parsing to extract data from documents (invoices, purchase orders, and contracts) and then populates records in ServiceNow. Select a method or combination of methods that matches the type of information you want to capture and store in ServiceNow tables.
Field extraction
Field extraction captures specific, isolated data points from a document—values that appear exactly once—and maps each to a single field on a ServiceNow record.
Use field extraction for data such as:
- Invoice numbers, purchase order numbers, or document identifiers
- Vendor or customer names
- Dates, such as an invoice date, due date, or contract start date
- Monetary totals or tax amounts
- Addresses or other contact details
You can bundle related single fields into a logical group. For example, a Billing Address group can capture Street, City, State, and ZIP from the same region of a document.
Table extraction
Table extraction captures dynamic, multi-row data from documents where the number of entries varies between documents, such as invoice line items or expense report details. A table acts as a two-dimensional grid of rows and columns that captures a list of related records.
Use table extraction for data such as:
- Invoice or purchase order line items (quantity, description, unit price, total)
- Expense report breakdowns
- Parts lists or bills of materials
- Multi-page flight itineraries or timesheet entries
Q&A extraction
Q&A extraction uses generative AI to answer open-ended, natural language questions about the contents of a document. It is suited for unstructured text that does not fit neatly into a predefined field or table schema. The extraction processes meaning rather than matching a fixed pattern.
Warning: Q&A extraction uses generative AI and may produce inaccurate or incomplete results. Review all AI-generated output before using it to populate records.
Use Q&A extraction for questions such as:
- The reason for termination
- Special shipping or delivery terms
- The designated project manager
- Narrative clauses or conditional language from contracts
You can also use Q&A extraction to categorize documents.
Selecting an extraction method
Use the following guidance to choose the appropriate extraction method.
| Extraction method | When to use | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Field extraction | Use when the data point appears once and has a well-defined type. | A number, date, or name. |
| Table extraction | Use when the document contains a list or grid of repeating items where the row count is unknown or varies across documents. | Line items in an invoice or purchase order. |
| Q&A extraction | Use when the information is embedded in narrative text and requires interpretation rather than pattern matching. | An answer based on contract terms or policy text. |
You can combine multiple methods within a single use case to handle all of the data types present in a document.
Related topics
--- title: Content extraction methods description: The Extract information from documents skill \(Information Extraction skill\) supports three extraction methods—field, table, and Q&A—each suited for different types of document data. Understanding which method to use helps you capture and store the right information in ServiceNow. locale: en-US canonical_url: https://www.servicenow.com/docs/r/intelligent-experiences/content-extraction-methods.html release: brazil topic_type: concept last_updated: "2026-11-06" reading_time_minutes: 2 breadcrumb: [Information Extraction skill, Explore, Content Understanding, Generative AI skills, Enable AI Experiences] --- # Content extraction methods The Extract information from documents skill \(Information Extraction skill\) supports three extraction methods—field, table, and Q&A—each suited for different types of document data. Understanding which method to use helps you capture and store the right information in ServiceNow. The Information Extraction skill uses AI-assisted parsing to extract data from documents \(invoices, purchase orders, and contracts\) and then populates records in ServiceNow. Select a method or combination of methods that matches the type of information you want to capture and store in ServiceNow tables. ## Field extraction Field extraction captures specific, isolated data points from a document—values that appear exactly once—and maps each to a single field on a ServiceNow record. Use field extraction for data such as: - Invoice numbers, purchase order numbers, or document identifiers - Vendor or customer names - Dates, such as an invoice date, due date, or contract start date - Monetary totals or tax amounts - Addresses or other contact details You can bundle related single fields into a logical group. For example, a Billing Address group can capture Street, City, State, and ZIP from the same region of a document. ## Table extraction Table extraction captures dynamic, multi-row data from documents where the number of entries varies between documents, such as invoice line items or expense report details. A table acts as a two-dimensional grid of rows and columns that captures a list of related records. Use table extraction for data such as: - Invoice or purchase order line items \(quantity, description, unit price, total\) - Expense report breakdowns - Parts lists or bills of materials - Multi-page flight itineraries or timesheet entries ## Q&A extraction Q&A extraction uses generative AI to answer open-ended, natural language questions about the contents of a document. It is suited for unstructured text that does not fit neatly into a predefined field or table schema. The extraction processes meaning rather than matching a fixed pattern. **Warning:** Q&A extraction uses generative AI and may produce inaccurate or incomplete results. Review all AI-generated output before using it to populate records. Use Q&A extraction for questions such as: - The reason for termination - Special shipping or delivery terms - The designated project manager - Narrative clauses or conditional language from contracts You can also use Q&A extraction to categorize documents. ## Selecting an extraction method Use the following guidance to choose the appropriate extraction method. |Extraction method|When to use|Example| |-----------------|-----------|-------| |Field extraction|Use when the data point appears once and has a well-defined type.|A number, date, or name.| |Table extraction|Use when the document contains a list or grid of repeating items where the row count is unknown or varies across documents.|Line items in an invoice or purchase order.| |Q&A extraction|Use when the information is embedded in narrative text and requires interpretation rather than pattern matching.|An answer based on contract terms or policy text.| You can combine multiple methods within a single use case to handle all of the data types present in a document. **Related topics** [Use cases for the Information Extraction skill](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/brazil/markdown/intelligent-experiences/cu-use-cases.md)
| title | Content extraction methods |
| description | The Extract information from documents skill \(Information Extraction skill\) supports three extraction methods—field, table, and Q&A—each suited for different types of document data. Understanding which method to use helps you capture and store the right information in ServiceNow. |
| locale | en-US |
| canonical_url | https://www.servicenow.com/docs/r/intelligent-experiences/content-extraction-methods.html |
| release | brazil |
| topic_type | concept |
| last_updated | 2026-11-06 |
| reading_time_minutes | 2 |
| breadcrumb | Information Extraction skillExploreContent UnderstandingGenerative AI skillsEnable AI Experiences |