TabloraIdentify the source you have
Try selecting a short phrase in a PDF reader. A page with usable text may expose characters directly, while a scanned page can be only an image. Selection is a useful clue, not a complete diagnosis of the file's structure or reading order.
Keep the original file unchanged. If a document has access restrictions or an unusual layout, work from an authorised readable copy and inspect a representative page before committing to a whole-document workflow.
Decide what happens at a page boundary
For a continuing table, check whether every page repeats the same columns and header. A repeated header should not silently become a transaction row. Page totals and carry-forward balances may also need to remain distinct from ordinary data.
For separate tables, keep meaningful sheet names and the relevant source-page notes. Putting unrelated tables underneath each other can create an apparently uniform dataset with incompatible units or definitions.
Check the workbook as data
Compare row counts, header order and a few complete records against the PDF. Then test whether the amount cells behave as numbers. A cell that looks like a price can still be text, and a date can be interpreted differently by the receiving spreadsheet.
Tablora reads PDF tables on iPhone and allows free preview and editing. Pro can export XLSX or CSV, merge a continuing table across pages, or place multiple tables in separate sheets. Those actions still need your review; the app does not establish the correctness of the document's underlying figures.
- Retain the source PDF until review is complete.
- Inspect the first row after every page boundary.
- Distinguish blanks, zero values and subtotals.