Convert PDF Bank Statement to Excel: OCR vs Native PDF Approaches

When and how to use OCR vs native extraction for converting PDF bank statements to Excel, with accuracy checklists and QA steps.

When to Use OCR

Use OCR for scanned images or flattened print-to-PDF exports. Expect minor character noise: build a QA checklist to catch subtle errors.

When Native Extraction Works

For digitally generated PDFs, table-aware extraction preserves columns and numeric types, avoiding OCR artifacts.

Accuracy Checklist

  • Balance progression matches statement
  • Debit/credit signs are correct
  • Dates are consistent across pages