How Do You Extract Text Data From PDF Files?

How Do You Extract Text Data From PDF Files?

This really depends what you’re looking for in terms of extracting PDF data. You’ll need an OCR tool, but there are many different types and variables and it depends on your individual needs. OCR technology is actually super complex to develop and even harder to fine tune to actually work for complex documents. Our brains are hard wired to read text - after years of learning to read we can interpret weird handwriting or rotated texts. Computers don't work like this - t rely on relational/spatial awareness to figure out text. For example, t see that two characters are next to each other and assume it's a word. This is why there are companies that have come out with OCR that identifies text as you write it (handwriting tools) because t can see the order that you're writing the letter and when you take breaks /pauses in writing, meaning t know when a letter starts and ends. Back to the fact that we LEARN to read and understand text after years - in order for OCR technology to work it needs to incorporate machine learning at least partially in order to learn how text looks over time just like our brains do. ML engineers are paid well and highly skilled, thus the lack of good & free OCR tools. If you're going to pay for a tool, make sure the company has ML/AI trained engineers on staff (not just a mention on their website) but still uses spatial/relational tools (templates, etc.) because that will mean good quality OCR that works out of the box (not only after months of training the ML system) but improves over time. Further, if comparing SaaS to desktop platforms, generally speaking SaaS platforms are better as t tend to be cheaper than desktop solutions and have better service/support after purchase. My pick is OCR Gateway for all of the above reasons.