Read field values in PDF Forms

[J_Greer]

A coworker has a task that involves taking pdf files (they are forms) received from various emails and entering them in a system.  I'm trying to make her life a bit easier by reading the PDFs into a single file (.txt or .xls is fine).

Extract text from PDF doesn't read the values entered into the form fields, even when those fields are simple text values.  Is there a way I can convert or flatten these files to make them readable?  Data is sensitive, so I'd prefer not to upload to cloud services - I'd like to do the conversion on our desktop.

I've done a lot of searching here and on google, but I keep getting a lot of results about Microsoft Forms instead of PDF forms.  🙄 

Don't work much with PDF forms, so a nudge in the right direction would be much appreciated!

Thanks!

[MichaelAnnis]

What if you Print the form to PDF, save it as a different file?  That PDF should still be readable, and it should be flattened.

[J_Greer]

Good thought! But unfortunately, it didn't work.  I tested using Microsoft Print to PDF and the files that are created still "hide" the field text from the PDF text reader.  

[MichaelAnnis]

Can you send me a blank form to test?

[MichaelAnnis]

Oh.  What about, in Adobe...File -> Export To -> Plain Text

[MichaelAnnis · Accepted solution]

Here is another one:  Get details of a UI element in window.

If the PDF is still in form mode, you should be able to extract the "Own Text" attribute of the text field.

Best of luck!