From a PDF to a checked spreadsheet: the order of questions that saves the most effort

1. Does the PDF have text?

Search for a word you can see and try to select a line. If neither works, the pages are pictures, and everything below waits for a text layer. The text-layer guide gives the test. A scanned batch can be made searchable by a separate job, from £195 for up to 500 pages, with no accuracy promised.

• Next if there is text: go to step 2. If not: the scanned-PDF guide, then return here.

2. Is it a table or a filled form?

A table or list is read from positions of text or ruled lines. A returned fillable form is read from its form fields. The two have different failure modes and different checks. Microsoft's PDF connector and the pdfplumber project describe the first, and the pypdf documentation describes the second.

3. One layout or several?

One set of rules covers one layout. A list whose sections differ, or forms from several template versions, needs rules for each, and the price changes. Note the page ranges or versions before asking anyone for a quote.

4. Decide the columns and the rules for unusual entries

Write the output columns, then say what happens to "price on request", wrapped lines, checkboxes, blanks and repeated headings. These decisions are the owner's. An extraction without them will make them silently.

5. Reconcile, then sample

Count rows per page or files against rows plus exceptions, then compare a sample you chose first, field by field. The reconciliation guide explains the method and the worked example shows a total that matched while two pages did not. Report counts, never a percentage accuracy.

6. List what could not be read, and decide it

Rows or files that could not be read with confidence go on an exceptions list with their page and reason, not into the data. Agree beforehand how many exceptions would make you stop and re-scope. A named person decides each one.

7. If it arrives every month

Write the rules down once and reuse them. The one-off jobs are from £295 for one list of up to 60 pages and from £245 for up to 200 forms. A standing monthly service from £395 a month extracts each batch by the same rules, reconciles it and reports any layout change or image-only page instead of guessing. Prices are untested proposals and payment follows agreed checks and your sign-off. No job gives legal, medical, financial or tax advice, and the first enquiry never includes confidential or personal documents.