Convert a Specific Area of a PDF to CSV Using Zapier

Step 1: Set Up the Google Drive Trigger

Create a Zap and select Google Drive → New File in Folder.

Connect your Google Drive account, select the folder containing your incoming PDFs, and test the trigger. Choose a sample PDF to configure the extraction.

Step 2: Connect PDF.co

Add PDF.co → PDF to Anything.

Connect your PDF.co account by signing in and authorizing Zapier when prompted.

Step 3: Identify the Extraction Area

Open your sample PDF in the PDF Inspector to determine the coordinates of the region you want to extract.

The ExtractionArea format is:

[x, y, width, height]

Values are measured in PDF points. The first two values specify the region’s position; the last two specify its width and height.

Step 4: Configure the Conversion

Complete the PDF.co action settings:

• Output Format: CSV.
• Source PDF URL: Map the Google Drive trigger’s File output.
• Page Selection: Enter 0 for the first page, or specify the pages you need.
• Output File Name: Enter extracted-area.csv.
• Inline Output Option: Leave disabled to receive a downloadable file.

In Custom Profiles, enter:

{
  "ExtractionArea": [30, 309, 534.75, 135]
}

Replace these example values with your document’s coordinates. Leave Extraction Region empty when defining the area through Custom Profiles.

The same extraction area applies to the selected pages, so use documents with consistent layouts. See the PDF to Anything documentation for supported settings.

Step 5: Test and Save the CSV

Test the action and open the returned output URL. Check that the CSV contains the intended data and excludes content outside your selected area.

Add Google Drive → Upload File, map PDF.co’s output URL to the file input, and choose a separate output folder. This saves the CSV before its temporary download link expires.

Test the upload and publish the Zap.