convert PDF to CSV?

PDFs are an important selection for viewing, sharing and preserving information – the proper file format to lock in information. However extracting information from PDFs for additional processing or information evaluation will be extraordinarily difficult.

This is among the major causes that PDF paperwork are sometimes transformed to the CSV (Comma-Separated Values) format. It is a lot simpler to edit, manipulate and analyse information instantly on a CSV file or import the CSV into spreadsheet functions corresponding to Excel or Google Sheets.

On this article we cowl some fashionable strategies of changing PDF information to CSV and likewise take a look at a number of superior strategies meant for extra complicated PDF to CSV conversion use circumstances.

convert PDF to CSV with Adobe Acrobat

Adobe Acrobat is the go-to platform for viewing and managing PDFs.

Whereas it does supply a local CSV export possibility, Adobe’s personal documentation recommends that PDFs ought to ideally be transformed to an Excel format first after which saved as a CSV. This reduces the possibility of formatting errors.

Listed below are the steps:

1. Open Adobe Acrobat. You will want the desktop model of Adobe Acrobat for this methodology.
2. Open and export as Excel. Open the PDF file you wish to convert and click on Instruments > Export PDF > Choose the Excel format (.xlsx) from the drop-down menu.
3. Save as Excel. Click on “Export” and select a location to avoid wasting your transformed file.
4. Open and save as CSV. Open the Excel file, overview the formatting and test for errors the clicking File > Save As and select CSV (.csv) from the drop-down menu.

convert PDF to CSV with Google Docs

For people who haven’t got a paid subscription to Adobe Acrobat, you would strive a barely roundabout approach to convert a PDF doc to CSV utilizing Google Docs.

Listed below are the steps:

1. Add PDF on Google Drive. Click on “New” > File add > and choose the PDF file that you just want to add.
2. Open PDF on Google Docs. Double click on to open the PDF file on Google Drive > Open with Google Docs
3. Convert textual content information into comma-separated values. Open the “Discover and Exchange” dialog field (Ctrl+F or ⌘ + F). Exchange all areas within the textual content with a comma (,).
4. Obtain as .txt and rename to .csv. Click on File > Obtain > Plain textual content (.txt). Rename the file extension of the downloaded file from .txt to .csv to transform the file to CSV.

convert PDF to CSV with on-line converters

The quickest approach to convert PDF information into CSV information is to make use of a devoted on-line converter corresponding to Zamzar or Convertio amongst others. Merely add a PDF and obtain the transformed CSV in a number of seconds.

Listed below are the steps for Zamzar:

1. Add PDF. Click on “Select Information” > and choose the PDF file that you just want to add.
2. Obtain transformed CSV. Click on “Convert Now” > await a number of seconds > and click on “Obtain” to get the transformed CSV file.

convert PDF to CSV utilizing Python libraries

To this point, we have principally checked out strategies that work effectively for one time PDF to CSV conversion use circumstances. They aren’t very best for continuously changing a lot of PDF paperwork to CSV.

Python libraries corresponding to tabula-py and camelot are perfect for batch processing and automating PDF to CSV conversion workflows.

Tabula-py is usually simpler to make use of and sooner, whereas camelot provides extra fine-grained management and may deal with complicated desk buildings higher.

Listed below are the steps to transform PDF information to CSV utilizing tabula-py:

1. Set up tabula-py:

pip set up tabula-py

2. Here is a Python script to transform all pages of a PDF to a single CSV file utilizing tabula-py:

import tabula

# Path to your PDF file
pdf_path = "path/to/your/pdf/file.pdf"

# Convert PDF to CSV
tabula.convert_into(pdf_path, "output.csv", output_format="csv", pages="all")

print("Conversion accomplished. Test output.csv")

3. If you wish to extract tables from particular pages or have extra management over the method, you should utilize the read_pdf() perform:

import tabula
import pandas as pd

# Path to your PDF file
pdf_path = "path/to/your/pdf/file.pdf"

# Learn PDF into an inventory of DataFrames
dfs = tabula.read_pdf(pdf_path, pages="all", multiple_tables=True)

# Mix all DataFrames and save to CSV
combined_df = pd.concat(dfs, ignore_index=True)
combined_df.to_csv("output.csv", index=False)

print("Conversion accomplished. Test output.csv")

Now, let us take a look at the best way to use camelot to transform PDF information to CSV:

1. Set up camelot-py:

pip set up camelot-py[cv]

2. Here is a Python script to transform a PDF to CSV utilizing camelot:

import camelot
import pandas as pd

# Path to your PDF file
pdf_path = "path/to/your/pdf/file.pdf"

# Learn tables from the PDF
tables = camelot.read_pdf(pdf_path, pages="all", taste="stream")

# Mix all tables right into a single DataFrame
combined_df = pd.concat([table.df for table in tables], ignore_index=True)

# Save the mixed DataFrame to CSV
combined_df.to_csv("output.csv", index=False)

print(f"Conversion accomplished. Discovered {len(tables)} tables. Test output.csv")

Camelot provides two parsing strategies: ‘stream’ and ‘lattice’. The ‘stream’ methodology is usually sooner and works effectively for many PDFs, whereas ‘lattice’ is healthier for PDFs with clearly outlined borders.

3. In case you want extra management or wish to course of tables individually:

import camelot
import pandas as pd

pdf_path = "path/to/your/pdf/file.pdf"

# Learn tables from the PDF
tables = camelot.read_pdf(pdf_path, pages="all", taste="stream")

# Course of every desk individually
for i, desk in enumerate(tables):
    desk.to_csv(f"table_{i+1}.csv")

print(f"Conversion accomplished. Extracted {len(tables)} tables.")

convert PDF to CSV utilizing an LLM

In case you’re somebody like me, who is not comfy working with Python libraries or something remotely related to coding/programming, conversational LLMs corresponding to Claude AI or ChatGPT supply a way more straight-forward different.

Listed below are the steps to transform a PDF file to CSV on Claude:

1. Add and add a immediate. Within the dialog field, enter one thing like “convert this PDF file right into a CSV file”

2. Evaluate and obtain. Claude will share the transformed doc in a number of seconds together with a number of insights relating to the unique PDF file.

convert PDF to CSV utilizing Nanonets or IDP software program

All of the strategies we have now coated up to now will most likely battle with changing complicated PDFs to CSVs. And establishing an automatic PDF to CSV conversion system utilizing any of the strategies above won’t be very simple both.

Clever doc processing options, like Nanonets, supply the most effective strategy to changing complicated PDFs into CSVs.

They’re additionally very best for establishing fully automated workflows or direct integrations into ERPs, accounting software program or CRMs (a standard purpose for changing into CSV, within the first place).

Listed below are the steps to transform PDF information to CSV on Nanonets and automate the whole course of:

1. Signup and login. Create your Nanonets account and log in.
2. Choose the workflow. Choose an acceptable workflow. Nanonets provides pre-built workflows for fashionable enterprise paperwork (invoices, receipts, BoLs and so on.) and a zero-shot AI extractor that may “perceive” any complicated doc.
3. Export. Export ends in bulk as CSV. Or combine with ERPs, CRMs or accounting software program instantly.