PDF to Excel

[evinothk]

Can a PDF file be converted to Excel using Alteryx tool?

[adamorse]

I think it really depends on the PDF. There's this PDF input macro that works pretty well to convert text/tabular PDF data, but you'll probably have to do some regex / data cleaning / text to columns stuff to handle your specific case before output to Excel.

[AustinRiggs94]

@evinothk  Personally i wouldn't even try to do this because it most cases you will end up with an excel that will be almost impossible to pull from due to most of the data being imposed on the excel sheet rather than filling cells (almost looks like a picture). What i have personally done in the past is write a code in python that pulls text/data from the pdf and inserts it into the excel. You can find a way to do this if you google  "How to automate the boring stuff with python". Doesn't take a lot of coding knowledge either.

[mparraless91]

Hi! I have download the PDF Input but when I try to choose a file it didn´t search anything. 

Thanks for your help.

[dml]

Did you come across any useful examples in Alteryx?

[NancyS]

The PDF Macro is very useful for this case. Please use this link to download. By way of context, it uses R for configuration, you can add some features according to your need.

[PhilippK]

In addition (and more powerful), you can use the commercial Alteryx Designer Add-On "Intelligent Suite":

https://www.alteryx.com/products/alteryx-platform/intelligence-suite

More precisely, the tool category "Text Mining":

 

This allows you to highlight areas in the PDF which you want to convert to text.

[natalia_flood]

Hi!

I am trying to use the Intelligence Suite / text mining to read a 7 page PDF and break it in the columns, but it isn't working. I need help to configure the image template. Can you help me, please?

[PhilippK]

Hi Natalia,

I recommend that you book a 30min session with an Alteryx Expert via the Virtual Solution Center here:

https://community.alteryx.com/t5/Virtual-Solution-Center/tkb-p/vsc

Have a great day

Phil

[lucas_miranda]

Hey everyone! I've just downloaded the pdf input macro, but it seems to be only working for one-page pdfs. When I try to convert a pdf with two or more pages, it doesn't output anything. Does anyone know if it's possible to solve this?

Thank you in advance!