Build a Serverless Invoice Pipeline Using PDF to Excel REST API with AWS Lambda
Meta Description:
Ditch manual PDF data entry. Learn how I built a serverless invoice pipeline using imPDF’s PDF to Excel REST API and AWS Lambda in under an hour.
Every Friday, I used to waste hours pulling numbers from client invoices manually.
I’d open up dozens of PDFs, squint at the totals, type them into a spreadsheet, and pray I didn’t fat-finger a digit. Multiply that by 30+ invoices a week, and you can imagine how quickly that got old.
I knew there had to be a better way and I found it with imPDF’s Cloud PDF low-code REST API, hooked into AWS Lambda. No more late nights manually updating Excel. No more errors. No more headaches. Just clean, structured data pulled straight from the PDFs into my system automatically.
Let me walk you through how I pulled this off, step-by-step.
How I Discovered imPDF Cloud API
I wasn’t looking for bells and whistles. I just wanted to convert PDF invoices to Excel files cleanly, accurately, and fast.
I tried a few big-name tools. They either:
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Struggled with scanned or complex tables
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Needed manual intervention
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Or had insane pricing for API access
Then I found imPDF.
It promised a REST API built for developers who wanted low-code, high-impact PDF automation. Plus, it’s powered by Adobe PDF Library tech. That gave me confidence from the jump.
Why This API Made Sense for Me
Here’s what caught my attention immediately:
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Serverless-friendly: I could call this API from AWS Lambda without spinning up infrastructure.
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Low-code setup: Didn’t need to write 200 lines of boilerplate just to call one function.
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Great accuracy: It handled all the messy invoice layouts even scanned ones like a pro.
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Fast response time: No waiting around. Output came back in seconds.
So I got to work.
The Setup (Simple + Quick)
Here’s what I used to build my invoice pipeline:
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AWS Lambda for the serverless execution
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S3 to store original PDFs and final Excel files
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API Gateway to trigger Lambda functions from uploads
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imPDF Cloud REST API the brains behind it all
Step 1: Upload the PDF to S3
Every new invoice lands in a bucket, dropped in by our finance team or forwarded from a client email parser.
Step 2: Trigger Lambda
An S3 event wakes up the Lambda function. It grabs the PDF and calls imPDF’s PDF to Excel API.
Step 3: Save the Excel file
The converted Excel lands in another S3 bucket, ready to be reviewed, imported, or even automatically reconciled.
How the PDF to Excel API Works
Here’s the beauty it’s one HTTP POST request. No joke.
Just send:
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Your API key
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The PDF file path
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Output format = Excel
And you get a clean, structured spreadsheet in return.
Some of my invoices had weird formatting:
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Merged columns
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Embedded images
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Headers repeated on every page
Still, imPDF cleaned them up like a champ. The tables came out readable and perfectly structured even when OCR had to kick in.
Top Features I Rely On (And You Might Too)
Here’s what made imPDF stick for me:
1. OCR That Actually Works
Many of our vendors send scanned invoices.
Most tools fall apart when they see an image-based PDF.
imPDF doesn’t flinch.
It extracted line items and totals with shocking accuracy, even from poor-quality scans.
2. Fast Response Time
Nobody wants to sit around waiting for conversions.
imPDF runs on fast, redundant servers and returns files in seconds.
We’ve tested it with 50+ invoices dropped at once, and it never slowed down.
3. Easy Integration with AWS
Zero compatibility issues.
Lambda talks to imPDF with standard HTTPS calls.
No SDK mess. No hidden requirements.
Just clean, RESTful simplicity.
Who This is For (and Who It’s Not)
This workflow is a game-changer if you:
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Manage dozens or hundreds of invoices per month
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Need structured Excel output for accounting or ERP import
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Want to automate without managing infrastructure
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Use cloud platforms like AWS, GCP, or Azure
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Hate doing repetitive data entry
Not for you if:
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You’re only converting one or two PDFs per month
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You need full desktop UI this is API-first
Better Than The Others (Here’s Why)
Before imPDF, I tried:
Tool A Excel exports were broken or missing columns
Tool B Only worked on native PDFs, not scans
Tool C Charged extra for API access and was buggy with large files
imPDF outperformed them all.
Accurate extraction.
Scans? No problem.
REST API? Simple and clean.
Pricing? Clear and transparent.
What imPDF Solves (Big Time)
Here’s the bottom line:
I no longer manually process invoices.
No more:
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Opening files
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Copy-pasting totals
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Emailing corrections
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Late nights before tax deadlines
Now my pipeline runs on autopilot.
PDF in Excel out Bookkeeping done.
I’d highly recommend this to anyone who deals with bulk PDFs, especially if your data lives in tables and you need it clean and fast.
Click here to try it out for yourself: https://impdf.com/
Start your free trial now and boost your productivity.
Need Something Custom? imPDF Can Build It
Got a crazy use case? imPDF’s got your back.
They offer custom development services tailored to:
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Linux, Windows, Mac, iOS, Android
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C/C++, Python, .NET, JavaScript, PHP, HTML5
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Virtual printer drivers for PDF/image capture
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Printer job interception (PDF, PCL, Postscript, EMF, etc.)
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API hooking and system-level file monitoring
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PDF and Office doc manipulation, OCR, barcode, layout parsing
They’ll even build cloud-based platforms for document viewing, conversion, signing, or secured printing.
Need a doc parser for legal records?
Want a branded virtual printer that saves every job to PDF?
imPDF does it.
Contact their support team and share your project: http://support.verypdf.com/
FAQs
1. Can I try imPDF for free?
Yes! Head to impdf.com and explore their tools without signing up.
2. Does the PDF to Excel API handle scanned documents?
Absolutely. imPDF uses advanced OCR to accurately extract data from image-based PDFs.
3. What file sizes does the API support?
Each credit covers up to 5MB. Bigger files use more credits, but it’s still fast and efficient.
4. Is the API serverless-friendly?
Yes it’s perfect for AWS Lambda, Azure Functions, or GCP Cloud Functions.
5. Can I store the converted files in my own S3 bucket?
Yes. Just set the right parameters, and your Excel output can go straight into your storage.
Tags / Keywords
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serverless PDF to Excel pipeline
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PDF invoice automation
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imPDF REST API
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AWS Lambda PDF processing
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convert scanned PDF to Excel
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extract tables from invoice PDFs
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low-code PDF data extraction
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imPDF cloud API
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automate invoice workflow
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OCR invoice table extraction
Last line reminder:
If you’re tired of pulling data from PDFs manually, build your own serverless invoice pipeline using imPDF’s PDF to Excel REST API it’ll change the game.