Convert PDF and image to JSON with Cradl AI

Converting PDFs and images to JSON is essential when you need to make specific information such as dates, lists, names, ID or quantities, available to your other apps. Most tools, however, extract every word on a PDF, leaving you with a pile of post-processing or manual data entry to filter out what you actually need.

In this Cradl AI tutorial, I’ll show you how to extract only the data you need from your PDFs and images into clean JSON format. Cradl AI handles complex layouts like tables and can isolate context-specific details within paragraphs. Just drag and drop your files or set up automated workflows to process PDFs seamlessly into JSON.

Which data points do you want?

Before we get started, make sure you've signed up for a free Cradl AI account - it’s free to start!  

Once inside, create a new AI model with just a few clicks. Simply define the specific data points you want to extract from your PDF or image so the AI knows what to target.

For example, if you’re working with bills of lading, you might want the bill of lading ID, carrier name, vessel name, port of loading, port of discharge, total gross weight, and cargo items.

Once you’ve defined and saved your data points, you’ve finished setting up your AI model!

You're ready to convert your files to JSON

To convert a PDF or image to JSON, just click "Run," upload your files, and let your AI model process the document. Once it’s complete, you can view the extracted data in the Validator.

Quickly review fields with red or orange confidence scores to avoid potential AI mistakes, make any necessary corrections, and click on Validate.

The validated output can be viewed as JSON by clicking the three dots next to each document listed within the Validator.

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And that's how simple and quick it is to convert PDFs and image files into JSON with Cradl AI.

Converting hundreds or thousands of
PDFs and images to JSON, automatically

For most businesses, the volume of incoming documents is too high to make a manual PDF to JSON conversion practical. So why not automate the process?

You can automate JSON export for every incoming PDF or image in Cradl AI by simply pasting in your external app's webhook URL.

To test it in mere seconds, just head to webhook.site and copy your auto-generated webhook URL. Inside Cradl AI, select "Webhook" from the export options and paste your URL.

Next time you validate a document, its JSON will be sent directly to your webhook, ready for integration with your other apps!

Cradl AI’s workflow builder integrates seamlessly with popular apps and platforms like Excel, Google Sheets, Zapier, Power Automate, UiPath, regular mailboxes, and APIs or webhooks.

Converting PDFs and images to JSON with Cradl AI not only saves time and costs by automating data entry, but it also empowers businesses to become more data-driven by making key information readily accessible for insights and analytics.