1
2
3
What is a PDF?
PDF (Portable Document Format) is a widely-used file format that preserves document formatting across different devices and platforms. These files can contain text, images, forms, and other types of data, making them ideal for sharing and storing information in a consistent format. PDFs are commonly used in business settings for invoices, reports, and official documentation.
What is Excel?
Excel is Microsoft's powerful spreadsheet software that allows users to organize, analyze, and manipulate data in tabular format. It provides a wide range of functions and features for data management, calculation, and visualization. Excel has become the industry standard for businesses handling numerical data, financial reports, and various types of structured information.
Why would you want to combine PDF data with Excel data
Combining data from PDFs and Excel files can streamline your workflow and create more comprehensive datasets for analysis and reporting.
- Consolidate information from multiple sources into a single, organized dataset
- Automate manual data entry from PDF documents into Excel-based systems
- Create more complete reports by merging historical PDF records with current Excel data
- Standardize data formats across different document types
- Enable better data analysis by bringing all relevant information into one place
Explore and learn more about Parabola
Use Parabola to bring your disparate data and documents together, then tackle your most complex processes with ease
Data transformation
Clean, standardize, and manipulate your data and make it actionable
Data storage
Architect new tables and store millions of rows of data
Data visualization
Build customizable visualizations to uncover new insights
Want to test out this process yourself?
Open the template, sign up, and get started
Pull from PDF file
Pull from Excel file
How to use PDFs with Parabola
Parabola makes working with PDF data simple and efficient through its intuitive interface and powerful features.
- Extract data automatically from PDFs without manual copying and pasting
- Maintain data accuracy with precise extraction capabilities
- Process multiple PDFs simultaneously to save time and reduce errors
Retrieving data from PDFs
Parabola's PDF data extraction functionality enables you to convert PDF documents into structured, analyzable data. The platform can handle various PDF formats and layouts, making it versatile for different business needs.
Key features
- Text and table extraction
- Multi-page document support
- Pattern recognition
- Structured data output
- Batch processing capability
How to use
- Add the Pull from PDF file step to your Flow
- Upload your PDF file
- Configure extraction settings, including column names and keys
- Run the step to extract the data
- Add examples and fine tune your extraction settings for more accurate parsing
How to use Excel with Parabola
Parabola seamlessly integrates with Excel files to provide powerful data processing capabilities.
- Import Excel data directly into your Flow without formatting issues
- Maintain data structure and relationships from your spreadsheets
- Process multiple Excel files simultaneously for efficient automation
Retrieving data from Excel
Parabola's Pull from Excel file step allows users to easily import their spreadsheet data into their Flow. This step handles various Excel file formats and automatically recognizes column headers and data types, making it simple to begin working with your data immediately.
Key features
- Automatic column type detection
- Support for multiple sheets within a workbook
- Preservation of data formatting
- Handling of merged cells
- Error checking and validation
How to use
- Add the Pull from Excel file step to your Flow
- Upload your Excel file
- Select the specific sheet you want to import
- Configure any additional import settings
- Preview your data before proceeding
Combining PDF and Excel data
Once you have both data sources imported into your Parabola Flow, you can combine them using the Combine Tables step. This powerful feature allows you to merge data based on common fields, creating a comprehensive dataset for analysis.
Key features
- Multiple joining methods
- Automatic column matching
- Custom key field selection
- Duplicate handling options
- Preview of combined data
How to use
- After you add your data sources to the Canvas, add the Combine tables step to your Flow
- Drag the arrow from your data sources to the Combine tables step on the Canvas
- Choose the columns to match between the tables
- Configure the join type
- Preview and verify the combined results
Practical use cases and examples
Combining PDF and Excel data in Parabola can solve various real-world business challenges. Here are some practical examples of how this functionality can be applied effectively.
Invoice processing and reconciliation
Automatically extract data from PDF invoices and match it against Excel-based accounting records to streamline reconciliation processes and identify discrepancies quickly.
Customer data enrichment
Merge customer information from PDF contracts with Excel-based CRM data to create more comprehensive customer profiles and improve data accuracy.
Inventory management
Combine PDF shipping manifests with Excel inventory tracking sheets to maintain accurate stock levels and automate order fulfillment processes.
Parabola's ability to combine PDF and Excel data provides a powerful solution for automating data processes and eliminating manual data entry. By using the platform's intuitive interface and robust features, you can create efficient, automated workflows that save time and reduce errors in your data management processes.
