---
title: "Updating the Extraction Schema using CLI"
slug: "updating-the-extraction-schema-using-cli"
updated: 2025-07-09T09:20:25Z
published: 2025-07-09T09:20:25Z
canonical: "knowledge-base.rossum.ai/updating-the-extraction-schema-using-cli"
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://knowledge-base.rossum.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Updating the Extraction Schema using CLI

In [this article about configuring the captured fields](/help/docs/first-fields-customization-steps), we have learned that to non-trivially modify the sidebar (and what information is exported from the platform), we need to alter the extraction schema. The schema object specifies the **set of data points** that are extracted from a document, organized in sections. One queue always has just one schema associated with it.

The best way to manage a queue schema is the [in-app extraction schema editor](/help/docs/extraction-schema-editor-in-rossum).

However, sometimes it may be helpful to use the API to edit the schema – particularly when automating schema changes or managing the schema as an Excel spreadsheet. Then, it is time to use the [rossum command line tool](/help/docs/setting-up-rossum-tool).

First, you need to find out the id of the schema in question by listing the queues using the rossum queue list command:

```plaintext
$ rossum queue list

  id  name                 workspace  inbox                      schema    users  connector

----  -----------------  -----------  -----------------------  --------  -------  -----------

8962  Received invoices         8277  inbox@example.com           46697    11829
```

In this case, the schema id is 46697.

Download the schema first:

```plaintext
rossum schema get 46697 --format xlsx -O mySchema.xlsx
```

Modify the Excel file as needed - for example, update the field labels, change which fields are required, or [add a new custom field](/help/docs/adding-a-custom-field-using-api). Depending on your preferences, you may find it easier to work with a JSON file rather than an Excel spreadsheet. Replace the filename extension xlsx with json when executing the Rossum commands.

Finally, upload the schema back to the queue:

```plaintext
rossum schema update 46697 --rewrite mySchema.xlsx
```

After a successful update, the new schema will be applied to **all the documents in your queue**.

You can check out the article on [how to add a custom field to your schema](/help/docs/adding-a-custom-field-using-api).

> [!NOTE]
> 📘 In the past, we recommended creating a new schema object every time a datapoint id is created or deleted. Because of that, a new schema object with a new id was created. It is not necessary to follow this recommendation anymore.
> 
> If you need to create a new schema object, you can still do so by omitting the `--rewrite` command. A schema object created like this will have a new schema id, so make sure to get its up-to-date id again first before doing other actions with the schema.