VeryPDF Table Extractor OCR Review: Accuracy, Speed, and Best Use Cases

How to Convert Scanned Tables to Excel Using VeryPDF Table Extractor OCR

Converting scanned tables into editable Excel spreadsheets saves time and reduces manual data entry errors. This guide walks through a clear, step-by-step process using VeryPDF Table Extractor OCR, plus tips to improve accuracy and a simple workflow for batch processing.

What you need

• VeryPDF Table Extractor OCR installed (Windows).
• Scanned PDF or image file(s) containing tables.
• Microsoft Excel (or another spreadsheet app that reads XLS/XLSX/CSV).

Step 1 — Prepare your scans

1. Ensure legibility: Scans should be at least 200–300 DPI; 300 DPI is ideal for OCR.
2. Correct orientation: Rotate pages so tables are upright.
3. Crop unnecessary margins: Remove large blank areas to help detection.
4. Use a clean format: Prefer black text on white background; reduce noise if possible.

Step 2 — Open VeryPDF Table Extractor OCR

1. Launch the application.
2. Choose the input file: click “Open” or drag your scanned PDF/image into the workspace.

Step 3 — Configure OCR and table detection settings

1. Language: Select the document language(s) to improve character recognition.
2. Detection mode: Choose automatic table detection for most documents. If tables are complex, use manual or custom detection tools offered by the app.
3. Output format: Select Excel (XLS/XLSX) or CSV depending on your needs.
4. Advanced options (if available):
   • Enable “Deskew” to straighten slightly rotated scans.
   • Turn on “Noise removal” for grainy images.
   • Adjust threshold/line detection sensitivity if your tables have faint borders.

Step 4 — Review and correct table structure

1. After detection, preview the extracted table in the app.
2. Use the editor to:
   • Merge or split detected cells.
   • Correct misaligned columns or rows.
   • Redraw table boundaries if the auto-detection missed lines.
3. Check header rows and column types (dates, numbers, text) and adjust as needed.

Step 5 — Export to Excel

1. Click “Export” or “Save As” and choose XLS/XLSX.
2. Choose a destination folder and file name.
3. If prompted, select formatting options (preserve fonts, cell formats, or export plain values).
4. Open the exported file in Excel and verify:
   • Numeric values are recognized as numbers (not text).
   • Dates are in the correct format.
   • No cells are merged incorrectly.

Step 6 — Clean up in Excel (quick checklist)

• Use Text to Columns to split combined fields if needed.
• Convert text numbers to numeric format: select column → Data → Text to Columns → Finish, or use VALUE() function.
• Standardize date formats: use DATEVALUE() or Format Cells → Date.
• Remove stray characters with Find & Replace (e.g., non-breaking spaces).
• Apply filters and validate totals to ensure extraction accuracy.

Batch processing workflow

1. Place multiple scanned files in a single folder.
2. In VeryPDF, use the Batch or Folder processing feature.
3. Set consistent OCR and output settings for all files.
4. Run the batch job and review a sample output to confirm settings before processing all files.

Tips to improve accuracy

• Prefer higher-quality scans (300 DPI, straight, good contrast).
• If tables have no borders, ensure consistent spacing between columns—manual boundary adjustment may be needed.
• Select the correct OCR language(s) for multi-language documents.
• For repeating document layouts (forms, invoices), create a template or use custom extraction rules if the software supports them.

Troubleshooting common issues

• Poor OCR for handwritten or low-contrast text: rescan or increase DPI.
• Misaligned columns: manually redraw boundaries in the editor.
• Numbers imported as text: convert in Excel using VALUE() or Text to Columns.
• Large files causing slow processing: split into smaller files or process in batches.

Example workflow (quick)

1. Scan at 300 DPI → Save as PDF.
2. Open in VeryPDF Table Extractor OCR → Auto-detect tables.
3. Review & correct structure → Export to XLSX.
4. Open in Excel → Convert types, format, validate.

Using VeryPDF Table Extractor OCR streamlines converting scanned tables into usable Excel spreadsheets. With good source scans and a brief review step, you can achieve high accuracy and save considerable manual effort.