A PDF scraper is a piece of software that extracts content from a PDF document. Scraping data from PDF files is a common practice but a time-consuming one. Using an advanced PDF scraper can help you extract only the data that you want and save you time.
What is a PDF scraper?
A PDF scraper (also known as a PDF parser) simplifies the data extraction process from PDF files.
Note: A PDF scraper is not the same as a web scraper.
A web scraper scrapes content from web pages and the internet whereas a PDF scraper automates data extraction from documents.
There are many things you can do with a PDF scraper:
- Scraping text, graphics, and charts from an existing PDF and pasting the content into another document
- Converting the PDF into a Word or HTML file so that you can perform some text or image extraction on your computer
- Loading the PDF into a web service to clean or transform the data.
Why is PDF scraping important for businesses?
It shouldn't take much time to edit and extract data from a single PDF. However, there are several challenges that you may encounter if you need to extract content from multiple PDFs manually. For example:
- PDF documents can be difficult to edit, especially if they contain tables or images.
- It takes time and effort to perform manual data extraction from documents.
- It can lead to human errors which can cost your company more money.
According to Gartner, poor data quality is responsible for an average of $15 million in losses every year
- Blurry text and images cannot be read properly.
Benefits of using a PDF scraper
A PDF scraper can help automate the data extraction from multiple PDFs at the same time. The parsing tool will scrape all the information simultaneously with no manual intervention.
- It helps to save countless hours of manual data entry work. A survey conducted by the McKinsey Global Institute reported that 60% of workers claimed that they can save around 6 hours per week with automation.
- It helps to convert unstructured data into structured data quickly.
- It increases the productivity of your employees and thus, the business revenue as well.
- Faster data processing can lead to quicker analysis.
- You can use the PDF scraper to send data to other applications instantly.
Examples of PDF scraping
Data are the core of all business processes and every company needs data-driven analysis. That data is used to better understand their target market and their competitors and make better business decisions.
Let's take a look at how PDF parsing can be useful in various industries.
Real estate
Real estate agents receive hundreds of real estate leads from different platforms such as Zillow, Trulia and other third-party sites. The aim of a property broker is to close real estate deals as quickly as possible. To achieve this sales objective, they need to contact potential buyers in a short time frame. The only way to do this is to be able to scrape leads' details quickly.
An automated PDF parser can help to do this job while the agent is out there building long-lasting relationships with buyers.
Read more on how to extract real estate leads and the best way to automate real estate automation
Food
If you operate a food business where customers can place orders online, you will receive a significant number of order confirmation emails containing important details. You'll need to extract key information, such as the customer's contact information and the price of the order, and forward it to the delivery team.
Of course, you can hire someone to do that but there's always a chance that they might miss out on the details, especially during peak hours.
If you use a PDF scraper, you can integrate it with Google Sheets whereby each time you receive an order confirmation, the data will be extracted and sent to Google Sheets in real-time.
Learn more about how you can create your own Grubhub API and DoorDash API
Human Resources
The HR department handles employee records and information on new job applications. Jobs are posted on several platforms, such as LinkedIn, Glassdoor, and the company's website. Manually going through those applications takes time.
Many of these tasks can be automated giving back time to the HR personnel to focus on recruiting the best candidates.
Read more on how to automate LinkedIn job applications and staffing requests
Parseur: The best PDF scraper for automation in 2024
Parseur is a powerful PDF scraper with an AI engine that helps to scrape data from PDFs. The AI parser was built to eliminate manual data entry work and help businesses save time, money and resources.
What does Parseur do best as a PDF scraper?
As a PDF extractor, Parseur leverages AI and machine learning to automate data extraction. Other features include, but are not limited to:
- If you are an accountant and need to extract data from invoices, you just need to send your invoices to Parseur and the data will be parsed instantly.
- The AI parsing software uses machine learning algorithms to ensure the correct template is always selected for your PDF documents.
- Parseur integrates seamlessly with thousands of other applications including Zapier, Make and Power automate.
Common FAQ about PDF scraper
- Can you scrape data from a PDF?
Yes, scraping data from a PDF is a common practice. You can use a PDF scraper to help you.
- How do I scrape data from multiple PDFs?
Yes, by using an advanced PDF scraping tool such as Parseur, thousands of documents can be parsed simultaneously and within seconds.
- Can Python scrape data?
Python is one of the most popular web scraping languages. You can use PyPDF or PDFMiner to scrape data. However, if you are not a developer, you can always use Parseur which is perfect for anyone with zero coding experience.
- What is the best PDF to Excel scraper?
You can use Parseur to convert PDF to Excel automatically.
- Which applications can I integrate with the PDF scraper?
Check out our integration page where you will see all the applications you can connect with.
- Is my data secure when using a PDF scraper?
Yes! Parseur is GDPR compliant and your data is stored securely on an encrypted server. We do not access your data unless we are asked to.
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