PlainBytesExtract Data from PDFs.
Without Repetitive
Copying.
DocumentExtractor is a Windows desktop app for turning similar-layout, text-based PDFs into organized Excel files. Select the fields and tables you need once, then batch-process similar files—entirely on your PC.
7-day free trial · $17.49 one-time purchase · GPLv3 licensed
Visual selection · Batch export to Excel · Offline & private · Watch Demo
Built for Documents You Process Again and Again
If you often need to extract specific data from multiple similar-layout PDFs and gather it into an Excel file, this tool is a good fit.
Invoices
Pull invoice numbers, dates, totals, and line items from supplier invoices that share one layout.
Purchase Orders
Extract order details from purchase orders that share a consistent format into one Excel file.
Delivery Notes
Batch-extract delivery note numbers, items, quantities, and related fields into an Excel file.
Statements
Extract repeating rows and key fields from settlement or account statements.
Business Forms
Batch-extract the fields you specify from business forms that use a fixed template.
Structured Reports
Gather tables and values from reports generated in a stable, predictable format.
What You Get
Configure once on a sample PDF, then reuse the same rules for every similar file in the batch.
Set Anchors, Fields, and Tables in the Preview
Work on the PDF preview: create anchors on text that stays in a relatively fixed position, then select the fields or table columns to extract. You choose what to extract.
- Named fields (amounts, IDs, dates, and more)
- Split columns by headers and detect table rows
- Handles small layout shifts between similar files
Batch Process, Export to Excel
Add many PDFs that share the same layout. A single extraction creates one Excel workbook (.xlsx) you can open in Excel or other spreadsheet apps.
- One extraction rule set for every file to process
- Summary sheet (one row per PDF) plus table sheets
- Progress view with per-file success or failure
Templates, Offline, and Private
Save a setup as a template for the next batch. Files stay on your Windows PC—Extract does not upload documents or change your original PDFs.
- Reusable local templates (.json import / export)
- Extract data without an internet connection
- In-app Help Center for step-by-step guidance
Open Source. Built for Everyday Work.
DocumentExtractor is open-source software licensed under GPLv3. Its source code is publicly available, so you can review it, build it yourself, and contribute to its development.
Build It Yourself
Download the complete source code from GitHub and build the application yourself. No purchase is required.
Get the Official Version
Install through Microsoft Store, receive automatic updates, and support ongoing development.
How to Use
Just three steps to gather data from multiple similar-layout PDFs into an Excel file.
Add Your PDFs
Drop in one or more text-based PDFs. Pick one file as the sample. The same rules will apply to every file in the list.
Define What to Extract
On the preview, mark reference text (anchors), then draw selection boxes around the fields or table headers you need.
Extract and Open in Excel
Click Extract, choose where to save the .xlsx file, and review the results. You can cancel an extraction in progress; successfully extracted data can still be included in the exported file.
Watch a Walkthrough
A short walkthrough: configure on a sample PDF, batch-process files, and review the Excel export.
Is It the Right Fit?
DocumentExtractor is built for text PDFs with a stable layout—not for scanned images or free-form documents.
Works Well When
- PDFs have selectable text (not scanned images)
- Files share a fixed or very similar layout
- You need the same fields or tables from many files
- You want results in an Excel file (.xlsx) on your PC
Not the Right Tool When
- PDFs are scanned and need OCR
- Files are image-only with no text layer
- Every document has a different layout
- Table column-width ratios or internal structures vary frequently between PDFs
Processing stays on your Windows device. Your source PDFs are read only; Extract writes a new Excel file.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about using DocumentExtractor.
What does DocumentExtractor do?
It helps you pull the same fields and tables from many similar text-based PDFs into one Excel file (.xlsx), so you do not copy values by hand. You set the rules once on a sample file, then you can batch-process similar files.
Who is it for?
Anyone who repeatedly receives the same kind of PDF—invoices, orders, delivery notes, statements, forms, or fixed-layout reports—and needs the data in an Excel file. It is a Windows desktop app, not a browser tool.
Which operating systems does DocumentExtractor support?
DocumentExtractor is a Windows desktop app for Windows 10 and Windows 11 (64-bit). You can download and install it from the Microsoft Store, or get the source code on GitHub and build it yourself. Document extraction runs locally and does not require an internet connection.
Is DocumentExtractor open source?
Yes. DocumentExtractor is open-source software licensed under GNU GPLv3. The complete source code is available on GitHub, where you can review it, build it, and contribute to the project.
Why is DocumentExtractor paid on Microsoft Store?
The Microsoft Store version is an official, ready-to-install release with automatic updates. Your purchase also helps support the continued development and maintenance of DocumentExtractor. You can build the application yourself from the open-source code for free.
Can I try DocumentExtractor before purchasing?
Yes. The Microsoft Store version includes a 7-day free trial with access to the application's features. After the trial, you can purchase it for a one-time payment of $17.49.
Does it support scanned PDFs or OCR?
Only text-based PDFs are supported—PDFs where you can select text directly. Scanned or image-only PDFs are not supported.
Can I process multiple PDF files at once?
Yes. Add multiple PDFs to the file list and click Extract. Every file uses the same setup.
Do all documents need exactly the same layout?
Document layouts should be the same or similar. Anchors can handle a certain amount of position shift, but table column-width ratios and internal structure need to stay consistent.
How do I tell the app what to extract?
On a sample PDF, hold Ctrl and drag to select reference text and create an anchor. Then set the fields or tables to extract under that anchor. Details are in the in-app Help Center.
Do I need to save a template before extracting?
No. Custom mode is enough for a one-off batch. Save a template when you will reuse the same rules later. Templates can be imported and exported as .json.
What does the Excel file look like?
One Excel workbook (.xlsx): a Summary sheet (one row per PDF, with field values and Status) and, when you extract tables, a separate sheet for each table.
Are my documents uploaded anywhere?
No. Extraction runs locally on your Windows device. Extract does not modify your original PDF files; it only writes the Excel file you choose.
What if some files fail in a batch?
Other files keep processing, and successfully extracted data can still be exported to the Excel file. Failed items and reasons appear in the progress view (View Details).
Leave repetitive data entry behind—extract PDF data with ease.
Set up once, then batch-extract data from similar-layout PDFs on your Windows PC and export it to an Excel file.
Try free for 7 days · $17.49 one-time purchase · Open-source under GPLv3