AI Workflow Automation for PDF Data Extraction Using Claude and Gemini

Manually extracting structured data from PDFs is time-consuming, error-prone, and often requires multiple tools. In this use case, we’ll walk through an n8n workflow that automates PDF data extraction using two advanced AI models—Claude 3.5 Sonnet and Gemini 2.0 Flash. 

AI workflow automation changes this by processing and extracting information directly from PDF files—without manual intervention or multiple processing steps.

You’ll see how both AI agents handle PDF content, compare results, and choose the best fit for your business.

Why Use AI for PDF Data Extraction?

AI technology offers an alternative to the traditional method of using OCR and subsequent manual clean-up for extracting data from PDFs.

• Extract structured data directly from PDFs without extra OCR steps.
• Reduce processing time from hours to seconds.
• Improve accuracy with contextual understanding.
• Compare multiple AI outputs for the best results.

Step-by-Step Process

1. Manual Trigger

You start the workflow by clicking “Test workflow” in n8n. This allows you to manually control when the PDF data extraction begins.

2. Define the Task

The workflow uses a set prompt:

Extract the VAT numbers for each country

This prompt tells the AI exactly what data to locate and return from the PDF.

3. Download & Convert the PDF

• The PDF is downloaded from Google Drive.
• It is then converted into a base64 string, preparing it for AI API requests.

4. Send to Claude 3.5 Sonnet

• Uses Anthropic’s API to process the PDF directly.
• Can return results as text or structured JSON.

5. Send to Gemini 2.0 Flash

• Uses Google’s Gemini API with PDF processing capabilities.
• Supports structured output formatting for easier downstream automation.

6. Compare Results

The workflow lets you evaluate:

• Accuracy of data extraction
• Speed of processing
• Cost per API call

You can then decide which AI agent works best for your use case.

*Note: For the JSON template, please contact us and provide the blog URL.

Key Features of This AI Workflow Automation

• Direct PDF ingestion without OCR.
• Customizable prompts for flexible data extraction needs.

Business Use Cases for PDF Data Extraction

• Invoice Processing – Extract vendor details, amounts, and tax IDs.
• Legal Document Review – Pull key clauses, dates, or names.
• Financial Auditing – Collect VAT numbers, transaction details, or compliance data.
• Market Research – Extract tabular data from reports.

Why Choose AI Workflow Automation for PDF Data Extraction

By integrating Claude and Gemini into a single n8n workflow, you gain the ability to:

• Process files faster.
• Eliminate repetitive manual tasks.
• Reduce human error.
• Scale PDF data extraction across departments.

Relevant Reads:

• AI Workflow Automation in 2025: Tools, Trends & Use Cases
• ETL Pipeline for Text Processing: Automating Sentiment Insights from Twitter Data

Conclusion

Extracting information from PDFs is a typical task made much simpler by this automated process as we have seen. If you’re ready to streamline your PDF processing, start experimenting with Claude 3.5 Sonnet and Gemini 2.0 Flash inside n8n today.

FAQs

1. Can I use this PDF data extraction workflow without coding?

Yes. This n8n workflow is no-code and only requires you to connect your API keys and Google Drive.

2. Do Claude and Gemini need the same file format?

Yes. Both require PDFs in base64 format, which the workflow handles automatically.

3. Can I extract other information besides VAT numbers?

Absolutely. Just change the prompt to extract any type of structured data you need from the PDF.