Identify invoices in batches and enter them into Excel tables

Key points of this article

First determine whether each PDF is a digital file or a scan. If you can select text, you can export it directly. Scans need to be OCR recognized first.
When there are a large number of invoices, it is easier to locate errors by processing them one by one, unifying the headers and then summarizing them than processing them all at once.
The exported Excel columns may not be aligned, so you must check the tax number, amount, tax amount and date item by item before inputting.
The amount must be checked using a formula: the tax-exclusive amount plus the tax amount should be equal to the total price and tax, and inconsistent lines should be reviewed separately.
Invoices contain sensitive content such as tax numbers and buyer information. Before processing, the storage location should be arranged according to the confidentiality requirements of the company or individual.

When reimbursing, accounting, or doing monthly statistics, you often have to face a whole folder of invoices: some are PDFs of electronic invoices, and some are PDFs generated after taking photos or scanning. For each invoice, you have to manually copy the invoice date, seller, amount, and tax amount. With too many copies, copying becomes slow and error-prone. This article is written for financial personnel, self-employed individuals and administrative positions who need to sort out multiple PDF invoices. It explains how to identify the key information in the invoices and enter them into the same Excel sheet.

After reading, you will have a process that can be used repeatedly: first distinguish the file type, then identify, export, unify headers, summarize, and finally use the amount formula to check. This method does not rely on the fixed operations of a specific software. As long as you have a PDF editing tool and Excel, you can follow it.

How to import a batch of PDF invoices into Excel? Conclusion in one sentence: first classify, then identify and export parts one by one, and finally summarize them in a unified way

Processing them one by one and summarizing them in a unified manner is currently a sound approach. Invoice layouts vary greatly, and one-time batch conversion can easily cause field misalignment. Therefore, it is recommended to process them separately by file type, check each copy after exporting, and then merge it into the master table.

your situation	Recommended practices	reason
PDF can select text and is a file directly downloaded from electronic invoices.	Open it directly with a PDF editing tool, export to Excel, and then check the columns	No recognition is required, the text itself is readable, it is fast and there are fewer errors.
Text cannot be selected in the PDF, which is generated by scanning or taking a photo.	First use OCR to identify, then export to Excel	The scanned copy is just a picture, and the text in the picture must be converted into editable content first.
The number of invoices is small, less than a dozen	After processing one by one, manually paste the key fields directly into the summary table	When the number of copies is small, manual verification is efficient enough and the process is simple.
There are many copies of invoices and the layouts are mixed.	Group by layout, unify headers for each group and then summarize	Fields in the same layout are in the same position, making it easy to check and correct.
Needed for reimbursement or declaration	After entry, check each item with the original, and the amount will be recalculated using a formula.	The recognition results need to be confirmed manually, and the key figures cannot be just based on the machine output.

Before you start: Confirm these points first

Taking a few minutes to prepare before you start can save a lot of rework time.

Confirm file type. Open a PDF and try to drag and select a piece of text with your mouse. If it can be selected, it means it is a digital file; if it cannot be selected, it can only be selected in a frame on the whole page. Most of them are scanned documents or pictures, and OCR needs to be done first. This judgment determines which path to use later. Mixed folders are very common and must be judged one by one and cannot be processed uniformly by folder.
Determine the fields to be entered. Commonly used fields include invoice code, invoice number, invoice date, seller name, buyer name, tax-exclusive amount, tax rate, tax amount, and total price and tax. After the fields are determined, first create a table header in Excel, and all subsequent exported data will be organized in this order.
Unify file names and storage methods. Put the invoices of the same batch into a folder, and the file name should contain the date or number as much as possible, such as "March 2024_Invoice_001". The file names are unified so that they can be quickly matched to the originals when checking later.
Pay attention to information security. The invoice contains tax number, unit name, account opening information, etc. Before processing, you should confirm where these files are stored, whether they need to be encrypted, and whether they are allowed to be copied to other devices. Financial data involving other people or units should be handled in accordance with the confidentiality regulations of the unit where you work.
Allow time for verification. The results of OCR recognition and export are machine output, and misjudgments may occur in numbers and Chinese characters, such as "8" being recognized as "6" and "0" being recognized as "O". After sorting, time should be set aside to compare the originals item by item, rather than handing them over directly for use.

Steps to identify and export invoices in OmniDoc desktop client

The following takes a scanned invoice as an example to explain the complete process of a single invoice from identification to export. You can skip step 3 for electronic invoices.

install desktop client. go to download.omnidoc.top to download and install the version suitable for Windows, macOS or Linux, and open it after the installation is complete.
Open an invoice PDF. when you open a file with a PDF editor in the client, first check whether the page is clear, tilted or occluded. The factors that affect the identification should be dealt with first.
OCR identification is performed on the scanned piece. for scanned pages that cannot select text, use the OCR function of the client to convert the image text in the page into recognizable text content.
check the recognized text. focus on checking three types of figures: tax number, amount and date. When you find a typos, modify the paragraph text directly in the PDF editor before moving on to the next step.
Export to Excel format. choose to export to Excel and save to a special folder. The export file name is recommended to correspond to the original PDF, such as "001 _ invoice .xlsx".
repeat the above steps for each invoice. * documents of the same batch are completed one by one, and "processed" is registered in a record sheet at the end of each batch to avoid omission or repetition.
it is summarized in the general table. create an Excel master table with headers arranged in the order of the fields previously determined, and then copy the key data in each exported file line by line, with each invoice on one line.
make a preliminary check with the formula. add a total row at the end of the summary table to sum the amount, tax and price tax respectively, and add a new column to calculate the difference between "tax addition of the amount excluding tax" and "total price and tax" with a formula. The row whose difference is not zero is the record that needs to be reviewed.

# check item by item after completion

Don't rush to use it after you get the summary form, check it item by item according to the list below.

Check item	What do you think?	What if there's a problem?
Tax number and invoice number	Several copies are randomly selected and compared with the original bit by bit.	If you find a deviation, go back to the corresponding PDF to re-identify the page, correct it, and then export it.
Amount and tax amount	Use the formula to check whether the amount excluding tax plus tax is equal to the total price tax.	If the lines do not match, open the original copy one by one to find the error field.
Date format	See if the date column is unified into the same format, such as "2024-03-15"	Replace the uniform format with the search of Excel, and then confirm whether it is the real date.
Number of rows and copies	Is the number of rows in the total table consistent with the number of invoice copies in the folder	The missing files should be checked to see if they are missing, and those with more should be checked for repeated imports.
Whether the column is misplaced	Did you put the seller's name in the amount column or something?	For the misplaced lines, adjust them manually according to the original, do not force the row width to cover up the problem.
Special invoice	Are scarlet letter invoices, invalid invoices and multi-page invoices marked separately?	Indicate in the remarks and confirm with the financial staff separately.

If a large area of error is found in the invoice of the same layout in the check, it is usually the image quality problem identified by OCR. It is recommended that the original scan be re-scanned or photographed more clearly, and then re-processed, which will save more time than revising it one by one.

# which method is suitable for you?

- only a small number of e-invoices : export directly and check the amount without having to do OCR. - mainly scanned or photographed pieces : priority is given to ensuring that the image is clear and compared item by item after recognition, instead of just looking at the summary figures of the general table. - regularly organize a large number of invoices every month : fixed header template, fixed folder structure and fixed checking formula are recommended. If you only need to replace the data every month, the process will become more and more stable.

# frequently asked questions (FAQ)

1. Can the scanned invoice be directly converted to Excel?

The scanned piece itself is a picture, and you can't get an editable form directly. Usually, you have to do OCR recognition first, so that the text can be modified, and then exported to Excel. The identified content still needs to be checked manually.

2. Can you convert all the invoices in the whole folder into one form at a time?

In practice, it is recommended to deal with it one by one and then summarize it. Each export an Excel file, unify the header and merge the data into the master table. In this way, when something goes wrong, you can quickly locate the specific invoice.

3. What if the numbers often go wrong in the recognition results?

Digital errors are mostly due to blurred images, creases or seal occlusion. First go back to the original check, try to improve the clarity of the scan or photo, and then re-identify it. For the key amount, the manual check should be made according to the original.

4. What should I look at when looking for a free invoice identification tool?

You can pay attention to several items: the size limit of a single file or the overall size, whether there is a watermark after export, whether the file will be uploaded to an external server, and whether the exported Excel retains the column structure. Privacy and column structure are particularly important because invoices contain tax numbers and unit information.

5. Will the seal and handwriting on the invoice affect the identification?

Yes. Words pressed by seals, handwritten notes and altered numbers can all make mistakes in recognition. If you encounter this kind of invoice, it is recommended to fill in the relevant fields separately against the original, and do not rely entirely on the identification results.

# Summary

To input a batch of PDF invoices into Excel, the key is to first distinguish between electronic invoices and scanned copies, then identify and export them one by one, unify the header and collect them, and finally check the amount formula with the original. Operating in this order can not only reduce repeated copying, but also control errors within a traceable range.

Open OmniDoc and export the PDF content as an editable file