How do you use AI to convert invoices to a text file?
By Tim White · How-to · Last updated
To convert invoices to a text file with AI, extract the fields first, then save them as plain text: a delimited file like CSV or a structured file like JSON. Both are plain text and open in any editor. Extraction gives you labelled, checked fields instead of the jumbled characters you get from copying text out of a PDF.
Why not just copy the text?
Text copied from a PDF comes out unlabelled and often out of order. Columns run together and totals end up mid-paragraph. A scan has no text layer at all. OCR alone gives you every character on the page with no idea which one is the total.
Pick a shape
If a program reads the file next, use CSV for flat rows or JSON when you need line items nested under each invoice. Export from InvoiceJet and rename the file to .txt if the receiving tool insists on that extension. It's still comma-delimited or JSON underneath, so tell the tool which.
Watch the encoding
Open a file with a euro sign or an accented vendor name as ANSI instead of UTF-8 and those characters turn to garbage. Keep files in UTF-8 and set the receiving tool to read UTF-8.
Common questions
Can I get a plain .txt file directly?
CSV and JSON exports are already plain text. Save either with a .txt extension if you need to.
Can I search or diff the extracted text?
Yes. Plain-text exports work with grep, diff and version control like any other text file.
Sources
Keep reading
- What is invoice OCR, and why is it not enough?
- How do you export invoice data to CSV?
- What is invoice data extraction?
- How do you use AI to convert invoices to JSON?
- How do you use AI to convert invoices to Excel?
- How do you extract data from invoices automatically?
- InvoiceJet for bookkeepers
- Show-your-work vs black-box extraction
- InvoiceJet pricing
Try it on your own invoices
10 invoices a month free, no card. Every field comes back with a confidence level and the text it was read from.