Extract tables from PDF with Nutrient Document Web Services API on Zapier

Hulya Masharipov

February 14, 2025

This tutorial shows you how to extract structured table data from PDF files using the Nutrient Document Web Services API on Zapier. You’ll trigger the workflow when a PDF is uploaded to Google Drive and extract its tables into a structured JSON format for reporting, analytics, or automation.

Extract tables from PDF with Nutrient Document Web Services API on Zapier

What is Zapier?

Zapier(opens in a new tab) is a no-code automation tool that connects your favorite apps and services. You can create workflows (“Zaps”) that automate actions between tools like Google Drive, Gmail, Slack, Notion, and more.

What is Nutrient DWS Processor API?

Nutrient DWS Processor API provides more than 30 document automation tools for PDFs, images, and Office files. With your free account(opens in a new tab), you get 50 credits to experiment with:

Converting documents to/from PDF
Extracting tables, text, or metadata
Adding digital signatures or redactions
Running OCR, annotations, and form actions

What you’ll need

A Zapier(opens in a new tab) account (a pro plan is necessary for multistep Zaps)
A Google Drive account
A PDF file stored in Google Drive (table content inside)
A Nutrient DWS Processor API key — get one here(opens in a new tab)

Step 1 — Trigger a new file in a Google Drive folder

Select Google Drive as the trigger app.

Select Google Drive as the Zap trigger

Choose the New File in Folder trigger event.

Choose New File in Folder trigger event

Connect your Google Drive account.
Configure the trigger:

In the Drive field, select your Google Drive.
Select or create a folder where PDFs with tables will be uploaded (e.g. /extract-tables).

Configure the folder to watch for PDF files with tables

Test with a sample PDF containing tables.

Test the trigger with a sample PDF containing table data

Step 2 — Extract tables from PDF

Choose Nutrient Document Web Services API as the action app.

Choose Nutrient as the action app

Select the Extract Tables from PDF action.

Select the Extract Tables from PDF action event

Connect your Nutrient DWS Processor API account using your API key.

Paste your API key to connect to Nutrient DWS Processor API

You can find your API key in the Nutrient dashboard(opens in a new tab).

Copy your API key from the Nutrient dashboard

Fill out the fields:
- PDF File URL — From step 1 (Google Drive trigger).
- Output File Name — Optional (e.g. extracted_table.json).

Fill in the action fields including PDF file and output name

Ensure the PDF is publicly accessible via URL or shared through Zapier’s Google Drive integration.

Test the step and open the returned File. Check the JSON against the source PDF, including table headers, rows, and cell values.

Step 3 — Upload the extracted table to Google Drive

Add Google Drive as the final app and select Upload File.

Choose Google Drive Upload File action

Configure:
- Drive — Select your drive.
- Folder — Choose a destination like /extracted-json.
- File — Map File from step 2.

Map the extracted table JSON from the Nutrient step

Run a test to confirm the JSON file is uploaded to drive.

Final test shows JSON file uploaded to Drive

Conclusion

This Zap extracts PDF tables through Nutrient DWS Processor API(opens in a new tab) and saves the result as JSON in Google Drive. To try it, create a Processor API account(opens in a new tab) and connect it in Zapier. If you need a spreadsheet or named fields instead, see the table-to-Excel and key-value extraction tutorials.

You can expand this Zap to: