Work & OperationsDone with Claude Cowork Jul 1, 2026
Sort 400 PDFs into folders
A user had Claude Cowork read 400 PDF files and sort them into different folders.
- What They Did
- The user put all the PDFs in one local folder, selected that folder in Claude Cowork, and gave a plain-language instruction saying how many files were there, what text to look for, and which matching files should be moved into one or more subfolders. They said Cowork handled text-based PDFs, could also group related PDFs for merging, and after sorting they could ask it to generate an XLSX index showing what went where.
- How It Went
- They reported Cowork sorted 400 PDFs without trouble; in the more detailed follow-up they described the same workflow on 382 files. The source gives no measured accuracy, speed, or examples of mistakes, only that it worked for text rather than image content.
- Worth Knowing
- Their main tip was to be very explicit in the prompt, like briefing a smart new coworker; they only made a reusable skill if it was something they wanted to repeat.
Try it yourself with Claude Cowork
Read the PDFs in [folder path] and sort them into subfolders by [criteria, e.g. client, document type, or year]. First show me the proposed folder names and a sample of how files would be assigned, and wait for my OK. Then move the files, never delete anything, and finish with a list of any files you couldn't classify.