> ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.keyflow.space/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Read File ### **Overview:** The `Read File As Text` block allows users to extract the contents of a file as UTF-8 text, facilitating further processing within workflows. This versatile tool is perfect for tasks that require retrieving text from files, including those generated dynamically during runtime. **Supported file types include** .pdf, .csv, .txt, .html, .json and .docx *** ### Inputs & Outputs | I/O | Feature | Type | Simple Explanation | | ------ | --------------- | ------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | input | `file_name` | file | The specific file you wish to read for its textual content. | | output | `file_contents` | string | The extracted contents of the specified file formatted as a UTF-8 string. | *** ### Use Cases Consider how this block could streamline your processes: * **Analyzing Reports:** When reviewing annual performance metrics stored in PDF format, this block enables quick retrieval of necessary data points from the document. * **Database Updates:** If you have a CSV containing customer information and need it imported into your database efficiently, utilize this tool to extract that information seamlessly. * **Form Processing:** Imagine collecting user feedback collected through HTML forms; use this block to directly read and interpret responses from those files. * **Archiving Documents:** For essential documents like contracts or invoices saved in various formats (like JSON or DOCX), extracting critical details become straightforward with this functionality. In summary, whenever there's a requirement for extracting text-based information from files into an easily manageable format for processing or analysis, the `Read File As Text` block serves as an invaluable resource!