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Columnly has five table types:

Standard Table — Single Page

A table contained on one page. Columnly reads only the content inside the saved table box.

Standard Table — Multiple Pages (optional footer)

A repeating table that continues across pages. The first page is the reference; later pages can move vertically, while columns stay in roughly the same horizontal positions. It can include a simple final footer.

Standard Table with Footer — Single Page

A one-page standard table with summary lines directly beneath it. Both the table and footer are inside the saved box.

Start & End Table

A table defined by start and end text markers rather than a conventional table layout.

Label / Value Table

A set of paired labels and values, such as an invoice number and its value, exported as extra Excel columns.

Choose the type that matches how the information appears in the PDF, not how you want the Excel file to look.

Standard Table — Single Page

The whole table must be on one PDF page and in substantially the same position each time. Columnly only detects text inside the saved table box.

Use it for:

• A short invoice with all item rows on one page
• A one-page expense list or service summary

For example, an invoice with Description, Qty, Unit Price, and Total columns where every item is on the same page. Do not use this when the list continues to another page.

Standard Table — Multiple Pages (optional footer)

The reference table on the first selected page must stay in its saved position. On later pages, Columnly can search vertically for a matching header or configured row-anchor column, but the columns must remain in approximately the same horizontal positions.

Use it for:

• Long invoices with many item rows
• Phone bills with usage records across several pages
• Service reports that continue onto later pages

Columnly can follow the same table across pages, whether column headings repeat or not. It can also recognise a simple final footer, such as Shipping Charges or Document Total, and add suitable footer values as extra Excel columns. This is the best choice for most long invoices.

Standard Table with Footer — Single Page

This works like a standard single-page table, but also includes summary lines directly below it. Both the item rows and footer must be inside the saved box.

Use it for:

• Invoices with Shipping Charges, Discount, Freight, or Delivery lines
• One-page tables where summary values should be exported to Excel

Here, Shipping Charges is treated as footer information, not another product. Its value can be placed in a separate Excel column for every row from that invoice. Do not use this type when the table continues to another page.

Start & End Table

Use this when a table is best identified by where it starts and stops, rather than by a conventional row-and-column layout.

Use it for:

• A section between headings such as “Calls” and “Messages”
• Statement sections mixed with other text
• Lists where the beginning and end are more reliable than the borders

Select the area, then identify the text that marks its start and end. Columnly extracts only the rows between those points. For example, extract call records from “Talk” to “Messages (Summary)”. This is useful for phone bills, utility bills, and statements with several sections.

Label / Value Table

Use this for important details that are not a repeating list of items.

Use it for:

• Invoice and account numbers
• Customer names, billing addresses, and dates
• Total payable, charges, and credits

Columnly exports these details as extra Excel columns instead of creating a separate row for each label. You can use several Label / Value Tables alongside one main item table.

Quick decision guide

• Short item list on one page → Standard Table — Single Page
• Item list continues across pages → Standard Table — Multiple Pages (optional footer)
• One-page item list with shipping, discount, or summary rows → Standard Table with Footer — Single Page
• Section defined by a start heading and end heading → Start & End Table
• Account, invoice, customer, or total details → Label / Value Table

A template normally has one main repeating table, such as invoice items or call records. Add Label / Value Tables to capture supporting details.

Select the table in your template, then use the remove or delete action in the template designer. Review the template before saving to make sure only the intended selection was removed.

Select the field you no longer need and use the remove or delete action. This removes the field from the template without changing the original PDF.

Open the batch-processing workflow, add the PDFs you want to process, choose the appropriate saved template for each document type, then run the batch and export the results when it is complete.