PDFs are everywhere: bank statements, invoices, forms… you name it. We all know how useful the PDF format is, but when you need to move data from a PDF file to another format, like CSV, that’s where the frustration begins. Having to choose between manual data entry and using an inefficient converter feels like being stuck between a rock and a hard place. Both options can drain your time, energy, and productivity. Luckily, there is a third option, one that’s much simpler and reliable: converting PDF to CSV using Mailparser, the leading email parsing solution.
In this blog post, we show you how to use Mailparser to turn your PDFs into editable CSV spreadsheets quickly, without formatting or data inaccuracies, and in bulk if needed. Let’s start.
Convert PDF to CSV Easily and Accurately
Save hours of tedious data entry, prevent errors, and streamline your workflows.
No credit card required.
Why Converting PDF to CSV Can Be Challenging
While there are various tools to convert PDF to CSV, most of them have limitations. For example, Adobe Acrobat may get the job done, but it doesn’t really offer customization options for pre-processing your data. This lack of flexibility can lead to messy results, requiring significant manual cleanup afterward.
As for free online converters, they can work well for a one-off need. They’re quick and accessible, but they may fall short when dealing with more complex layouts. Plus, most of the time they can’t batch-process multiple files, forcing you to process each PDF individually, which is time-consuming.
So let’s discover how Mailparser helps you convert PDF files to CSV spreadsheets quickly, accurately, and in bulk.
Convert PDF to CSV Easily and Accurately
Save hours of tedious data entry, prevent errors, and streamline your workflows.
No credit card required.
How to Convert PDF to CSV With Mailparser
To learn how to convert PDF to CSV using Mailparser, watch this short video tutorial:
For a more detailed walkthrough of how to use Mailparser, follow this step-by-step guide:
1. Create an inbox in Mailparser
First, sign up for a free trial account. This only takes a moment, and you’re not required to enter your credit card details.
You will see a prompt to create an inbox where your PDFs will go to get processed. Click on the button ‘Create Your First Inbox’ and type a name for it. Mailparser will then generate a unique email address for your inbox.
2. Send an email with your PDF attached
Second, forward an email with your PDF attached to your Mailparser inbox. You will get this message:
Click on ‘Add Parsing Rules to Extract Data from Email Attachment’ and then on ‘Select & Continue to Set Up Parsing Rules’.
3. Create parsing rules
Mailparser’s Automatic Setup will try to identify the data fields in the sample PDF. Let’s take a look:
When it comes to PDFs with simple layouts and clear data fields, the Automatic Setup can do the job with little to no input from you. Each data field has a parsing rule built to identify and extract it. You can always edit each parsing rule and add more if needed.
4. Download your CSV file
Alright it’s time to download your CSV file. Go to the Downloads section on the left-hand panel, click on the button ‘Create First Download Link’, and then select the CSV format. Type a name for your file and check the download settings to make sure everything will be the way you want.
Lastly, click on ‘Save’ to get your download link. Click on the link and save your CSV file. Done!
Let’s open our CSV file with Google Sheets and check the parsed data from five PDF files:
So this is how you convert PDF to CSV using Mailparser. No technical knowledge is needed, and you can process multiple PDF files at the same time. So you can move on directly to more important tasks instead of spending hours inputting data manually or using an inefficient tool.
After following this guide, you will be able to move data from PDF to CSV quickly, accurately, and even in bulk should the need arise.
Why Use Mailparser?
You want to choose the right tool for your PDF to CSV conversion needs. So allow us to explain how Mailparser is different from most other tools, and why it is likely to be a great match for you.
Process multiple PDFs at the same time
Forget about uploading PDF files one at a time. Instead, you can send multiple emails, each with a PDF attachment, to your Mailparser address. So all PDFs will be processed in accordance with the parsing rules. You can then download all the parsed data as one CSV file, saving so much time and effort.
Boost your productivity
Removing hours of manual data entry means you can do a lot of things much faster and easier than before. Here are some common examples:
- Financial analysis: Quickly sort and filter transaction data to track expenses or forecast budgets.
- Data reconciliation: Match invoices, bank statements, or records with internal systems for error-free reporting.
- CRM: Upload customer data into a CRM tool for better contact management.
- Sales performance tracking: Analyze sales data to evaluate team or product performance.
- KPI reporting: Automate CSV preparation for importing into dashboards or reporting tools like Power BI or Tableau.
This enhanced productivity translates into improved results that are achieved faster.
Achieve unmatched accuracy
What sets Mailparser apart from other data extraction tools is how customizable it is. By building parsing rules, you get to determine exactly how each data field should be extracted and structured. As shown in the previous section, you preview the parsing results and refine them if needed with additional filters.
Thanks to this, you won’t have bad surprises after processing your PDF attachments. Likewise, you can say goodbye to embarrassing data entry errors that require a lot of extra work to be rectified. In short, you get accurate data that you can use right away.
Streamline your workflows
Another of Mailparser’s standout features is how easily it can fit within your cloud stack. In other words, Mailparser allows you to export parsed data to the cloud application you use thanks to its thousands of integrations. As a result, you can streamline a lot of workflows that involve moving data from emails to a business system.
Common Case Study: Converting PDF Bank Statements to CSV Spreadsheets
Suppose you’re a financial manager who receives PDF bank statements monthly. You need to organize all the table data into a CSV spreadsheet for reconciliation and analysis purposes. But you are dealing with multiple accounts and hundreds of transactions, which makes inputting data manually tremendously long and error-prone.
So you try a few PDF to CSV converters but are let down by the formatting issues and data inaccuracies. However, with Mailparser, it’s a different story. After setting it up to extract the transaction summary from a sample PDF, you can now batch-process multiple PDFs within minutes.
Instead of spending hours entering data, you simply forward the bank statements to your Mailparser inbox, process them all at once, and download a clean, structured CSV file. You can then upload it to your accounting software and start the reconciliation process.
As a result, you have massively reduced the time and effort required for reconciliation and reporting. Additionally, data accuracy has improved a lot, and you have more time for financial analysis, leading to more informed decisions.
Frequently Asked Questions
CSV is a plain text format designed for storing tabular data. Excel (XLS), on the other hand, is a binary format that stores not only data but also additional elements like formatting, formulas, macros, and images. CSV files are compact, easy to edit, and accessible with any text editor. In contrast, Excel offers robust tools for data manipulation and analysis. CSV files can be opened with Excel, and Excel files can be saved as CSV.
You can sign up for a 30-day free trial and try all of Mailparser’s core features for free. That way, you can decide if it’s the right tool for your parsing needs with no upfront commitment.
Yes, we take data security very seriously. We use bank-level encryption and our system is compliant with the latest web security standards. For more details, feel free to read this page.
In Conclusion
Converting PDFs to CSV is more than just a way to organize your data — it’s a gateway to better productivity, improved accuracy, and streamlined workflows. While traditional tools can handle basic tasks, they often fall short for professionals who need to process high volumes of data regularly. Mailparser, on the other hand, lets you convert PDFs to CSV spreadsheets quickly, accurately, and even in bulk.
Hundreds of businesses use Mailparser to transform email attachments into structured data that’s ready to be used, shared, analyzed, and integrated with business systems. Beyond processing PDF attachments, Mailparser can also extract data from an email’s body, subject line, sender, and recipient, allowing for a lot of use cases. Chances are there are multiple data entry processes within your organization that you can automate using Mailparser, so why not give it a try? Sign up for a free trial and build your tailored PDF to CSV converter within minutes. You will save hours of tedious work, prevent errors, and boost your productivity to new levels.
Convert PDF to CSV Easily and Accurately
Save hours of tedious data entry, prevent errors, and streamline your workflows.
No credit card required.
