Get started with Document Converter Services

Nutrient Document Converter Services (DCS) is a self-hosted server solution that converts more than 100 file types to PDF using SOAP-based APIs. This guide explains the installation and initial setup process.

Prerequisites

Before installing DCS, verify that your environment meets the following requirements:

  • Windows Server (2016 or later recommended)
  • Administrative privileges on the server
  • Windows service account with local administrator rights
  • Download the DCS installer

Optional components for advanced features:

  • Ghostscript 10.04.0 (32-bit or 64-bit) for PDF/A conversion, OCR, and post-processing

For detailed installation instructions, refer to chapter 2 of the administration guide. Follow the instructions in the guide and the link to Installing Prerequisites & Dependencies to ensure all components are configured correctly.

Installation steps

Follow the steps below to install DCS.

1. Download the installer

Go to the trial/download page, fill in the required information, and click Submit. You’ll receive an email with a download link.

2. Run the setup

Download the installer from the link provided in the email. Execute setup.exe from your download location. The installation wizard guides you through the process.

3. Choose installation mode

The installer presents several configuration options:

  • Install only the Conversion Service on this computer — Select this option for pure API use from .NET, Java, PHP, Ruby, or other platforms without SharePoint integration.
  • Install the Conversion Service on this system and the SharePoint front-end on the entire farm — Select this option for SharePoint farm deployments.
  • Install the SharePoint front-end on the entire farm — Select this option to point to an existing Conversion Service.

Accept the default installation path unless your organization requires a specific location.

4. Specify the service account

Provide the Windows account credentials for running DCS.

Requirements for the account:

  • Local administrator privileges on the server
  • “Log on as a Service” permission (granted automatically by the installer)

5. Handle prerequisites

The installer validates required components and displays any missing dependencies with a red X indicator. Resolve missing prerequisites and rerun the installer for optimal results.

If you plan to use PDF/A conversion, OCR, or advanced post-processing features, select the option to download and install Ghostscript during setup.

6. Install Ghostscript (optional)

For PDF/A conversion and OCR capabilities, install Ghostscript manually:

  1. Download Ghostscript 10.04.0(opens in a new tab) (32-bit or 64-bit to match your system).
  2. Install Ghostscript on each server running DCS.
  3. If Ghostscript isn’t in the default path, configure the path:
    • Open Muhimbi.DocumentConverter.Service.exe.config
    • Set Ghostscript.Path to the full executable path
    • Restart DCS

7. Start and verify the service

  1. Verify that DCS Windows service is running.
  2. Use the built-in diagnostics tool to validate converters and verify the setup.

To check the service status:

Terminal window
Get-Service -Name "Muhimbi Document Converter Service"

Test your first conversion

After installation, test the service with a conversion.

Accessing the WSDL

The web service is available at:

http://localhost:41734/Muhimbi.DocumentConverter.WebService/?WSDL

Replace localhost with your server name or IP address for remote access.

Testing with the diagnostics tool

The diagnostics tool validates all installed converters:

  1. Open the DCS administration interface.
  2. Navigate to Diagnostics.
  3. Select a converter type (for example, WordProcessing).
  4. Run the validation test.

A successful test confirms that the service is ready to process conversions.

Next steps

Now that DCS is installed and running, explore these common use cases:

Troubleshooting

If you encounter issues during installation or setup:

  • Service fails to start — Verify the service account has local administrator privileges.
  • Missing converters — Check that all prerequisite components installed successfully.
  • Connection errors — Confirm Windows Firewall allows traffic on port 41734.
  • Ghostscript not detected — Verify the path in Muhimbi.DocumentConverter.Service.exe.config.

For detailed troubleshooting steps, refer to validating converters and troubleshooting errors or contact our Support team(opens in a new tab).

Additional resources