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

# What is a schema?

> A schema names the fields Abacus Docs should extract from a document.

A **schema** is an output contract. You name the fields you care about; Abacus Docs fills those fields when it processes a document or a [batch](/guides/batch-processing).

The sidebar label is **Schemas** (`/structs/`). The list page title is **Output Schemas**.

## What a schema contains

Each field has:

* A **name** and a stable **field id** (used in the grid, CSV, and API).
* A **type** — text, number, date, boolean, enum, or a **table** with columns.
* An optional **description** that tells the extractor what the value looks like.
* Optional **location hints** (page, zone, nearby labels) so the extractor looks in the right place.

A completed extraction shows each value with a **confidence** and a **source page**. You can edit a cell later; the edit is stored as an override and appears in the grid and exports.

<Note>
  Transcription (the full text of the document) is separate from schema fields. Every processed document gets a transcription. Schema fields appear only after you apply a published schema.
</Note>

## Lifecycle

| Status       | Meaning                                                              |
| ------------ | -------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| **Draft**    | Work in progress. Not used for live extraction until you publish.    |
| **Active**   | Published. Batches and **Apply schema** can use the current version. |
| **Archived** | Soft-deleted. Hidden from pickers.                                   |

Publishing creates an immutable **version**. Later edits stay on the draft until you publish again. See [Publish, versions, and the test set](/schemas/publish-and-versions).

## Two processing modes

Every schema is either **Document** (variable layouts such as contracts) or **Form** (fixed layouts such as IDs and licenses). The mode chooses the extraction engine and the field-count cap. See [Form vs Document mode](/schemas/form-vs-document).

## Where schemas are used

* **My Documents** — apply a schema on the document viewer, then reprocess.
* **Batch Processing** — pick a default schema when you create a job; every file in the batch uses that version (you can reassign a document later).
* **Black Hole** (selected organizations) — a participating schema receives auto-filed documents into its default batch.

<Card title="Open the builder" icon="table" href="/schemas/builder">
  Create a schema, upload a sample, and add fields in the three-column builder.
</Card>