How to extract data from .pdf address book (without fields) into Excel for vCard?

Question

I have a scanned .pdf from an address book that doesn't have field names or table format that I am trying to convert into Excel so that I can sort everyone out in fields (first name, last name, email, etc)

Right now it looks like this:

Blow, Joe

President

Joe.Blow@Nothing.com

123-111-2222

I have 350+ address like this, some with two phone numbers, some with no email, some with multiple emails - so nothing is prefectly standard. When I convert to excel I end up with all of the text in individual cells, but no easy way to organize them another than A LOT of cutting and pasting. I am trying NOT to cut and paste 1000 cells. I have organized these in the past using pivot tables - but that is still time consuming.

I cannot be the only one with a print address book that wants to convert it into vCards.

Any ideas? (I have Adobe Pro 2020)

Thom Parker · Answer

The problem with a straight conversion is that the conversion software doesn't understand what you are trying to do. It just breaks everything up into blocks.

But, if the addresses are in a consistent format, then an acrobat automation script could be written to extract the data in the way you want it and write it to CSV file, which can then up opened by Acrobat.

I have written this type of script many times. PM me through the forum if you are interested in custom development.

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