John's Essentials

pdf_to_excel_batch

PDF to Excel (Batch) — Apply the same PDF-to-Excel configuration to up to 20 PDFs. Returns a ZIP with per-file subfolders. [category: pdf]

Input Schema

TableJSON Schema

Name	Required	Description	Default
`files`	Yes	Up to 20 input PDFs
`pages`	No	Optional page range e.g. '1-5,10'. Empty = all pages.
`engine`	No	Table detection engine. auto = tabula lattice → stream → libreoffice fallback.	auto
`format`	No	xlsx/csv/tsv are file downloads; json returns structured data.	xlsx
`ocrLang`	No	The language of the writing in the scan.	eng
`ocrFirst`	No	Run ocrmypdf before extraction (beta — scanned PDFs).
`sheetMode`	No	How the tables are laid out across the workbook's sheets.	per-table
`tableIndexes`	No	Comma-separated 0-based indexes to keep (e.g. '0,2,3'). Empty = all tables.

Schema Changelog

Changes observed during successful MCP inspections.

Changed2 schema fields changedSep 26, 2026
- addedInput schema / properties / pages / title
```
Added value: +"Pages to read"
```
- addedInput schema / properties / pages / x-ui
```
Added value: +{
+  "no_recall": true,
+  "page_select": {}
+}
```

Changed6 schema fields changedSep 11, 2026

changedInput schema / properties / ocrLang / description

Previous value: -"Any Tesseract code, passed raw to ocrmypdf -l (default eng). Read only when ocrFirst=true; on OCR failure extraction continues un-OCR'd."New value: +"The language of the writing in the scan."

addedInput schema / properties / ocrLang / x-show-when

Added value: +{
+  "ocrFirst": [
+    "true"
+  ]
+}

addedInput schema / properties / ocrLang / x-ui

Added value: +{
+  "labels": {
+    "ara": "Arabic",
+    "chi_sim": "Chinese (Simplified)",
+    "deu": "German",
+    "eng": "English",
+    "fra": "French",
+    "hin": "Hindi",
+    "ita": "Italian",
+    "jpn": "Japanese",
+    "kor": "Korean",
+    "nld": "Dutch",
+    "pol": "Polish",
+    "por": "Portuguese",
+    "rus": "Russian",
+    "spa": "Spanish"
+  }
+}

changedInput schema / properties / sheetMode / description

Previous value: -"XLSX sheet strategy. CSV/TSV/JSON ignore this."New value: +"How the tables are laid out across the workbook's sheets."

addedInput schema / properties / sheetMode / x-show-when
```
Added value: +{
+  "format": [
+    "xlsx"
+  ]
+}
```

addedInput schema / properties / sheetMode / x-ui

Added value: +{
+  "labels": {
+    "per-page": "One sheet per page",
+    "per-table": "One sheet per table",
+    "single": "Everything on one sheet"
+  }
+}

First observedSep 5, 2026

TDQS

A3.9/5.0

Behavior3/5

Does the description disclose side effects, auth requirements, rate limits, or destructive behavior?

Annotations are neutral (readOnlyHint false, destructiveHint false), so the description carries the burden of explaining side effects. It adds the useful fact that output is a ZIP with per-file subfolders, but it does not disclose failure behavior, file handling, size limits, or whether inputs are deleted, leaving meaningful behavioral gaps.

Agents need to know what a tool does to the world before calling it. Descriptions should go beyond structured annotations to explain consequences.

Conciseness5/5

Is the description appropriately sized, front-loaded, and free of redundancy?

The description is a single front-loaded sentence that communicates the batch operation, the configuration reuse, the file cap, and the output format without filler. The '[category: pdf]' tag is compact metadata, and every word earns its place.

Shorter descriptions cost fewer tokens and are easier for agents to parse. Every sentence should earn its place.

Completeness3/5

Given the tool's complexity, does the description cover enough for an agent to succeed on first attempt?

For a tool with 8 parameters and no output schema, the description provides the essential output shape and batch limit but omits error handling, per-file failure behavior, and explicit routing guidance relative to sibling tools. It is adequate for a simple conversion tool but not fully complete for an agent that must handle edge cases.

Complex tools with many parameters or behaviors need more documentation. Simple tools need less. This dimension scales expectations accordingly.

Parameters3/5

Does the description clarify parameter syntax, constraints, interactions, or defaults beyond what the schema provides?

Schema description coverage is 100%, and every parameter already has a description and, where relevant, enums with defaults. The tool description adds no parameter-level meaning, so the baseline score of 3 is appropriate because the schema fully carries the load.

Input schemas describe structure but not intent. Descriptions should explain non-obvious parameter relationships and valid value ranges.

Purpose5/5

Does the description clearly state what the tool does and how it differs from similar tools?

The description uses a specific verb ('Apply'), resource ('PDF-to-Excel configuration'), and an explicit batch scope ('up to 20 PDFs'), while the mention of 'ZIP with per-file subfolders' separates it from the single-file pdf_to_excel and inspection-oriented siblings. This makes the tool's purpose immediately distinguishable.

Agents choose between tools based on descriptions. A clear purpose with a specific verb and resource helps agents select the right tool.

Usage Guidelines4/5

Does the description explain when to use this tool, when not to, or what alternatives exist?

The description clearly conveys batch usage context by stating it applies the same configuration to up to 20 PDFs, which implies the singular sibling is for fewer files. However, it does not explicitly say when to choose this over pdf_to_excel, what happens if more than 20 files are supplied, or any exclusions.

Agents often have multiple tools that could apply. Explicit usage guidance like "use X instead of Y when Z" prevents misuse.

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