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NolnvoiceError: The specified document does not contain invoice data

Fix 'NolnvoiceError' when parsing non-invoice documents. Learn why it happens and find alternative PDF.co APIs (Document Parser, PDF-to-JSON

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NolnvoiceError: The specified document does not contain invoice data

Overview

If you encounter the error:

NolnvoiceError: The specified document does not contain invoice data.

This means that the AI Invoice Parser could not detect valid invoice data in your uploaded file.

Why This Happens

The AI Invoice Parser is specifically trained to extract data only from invoices.

If you use a document that isn’t an invoice — such as delivery confirmation, receipt or any other business document — the AI Invoice Parser won’t recognize the format and will return this error.

What to Do for Non-Invoice Documents

If you’re working with non-invoice documents, here are alternative APIs that can help:

1️⃣ Document Parser API

With the Document Parser, you can:

  • Create a custom template in the Document Parser Editor

  • Define exact fields you want to capture (e.g., delivery date, customer name, order number)

  • Save and re-use the template by referencing its Template ID in API calls

2️⃣ PDF to JSON API

  • Best for: Extracting all content from your document in structured JSON format.

  • API Reference: PDF to JSON

Use this API when:

  • You need the entire content of a document (text, layout, etc.)

  • Custom field targeting isn't necessary

3️⃣ Other PDF Extraction APIs

Depending on your document type and use case, you might also consider:

  • PDF to Excel API – Extract tables and structured data into editable Excel format

  • PDF to CSV API – Convert tables to CSV while preserving layout and structure

  • PDF to Text API – Extract text from scanned or image-based PDFs using OCR

  • PDF to Text-Simple API – Lightweight option for extracting plain text from machine-readable PDFs

  • Find Text in Table API – Automatically detect and extract tables from complex or unstructured PDFs

Summary of Recommendations

Document Type

Recommended API(s)

Notes

Invoice

AI Invoice Parser

Purpose-built for standard invoice formats only

Delivery Confirmation

Document Parser / PDF to JSON

Use Document Parser for structured field extraction

Other Business Documents

Document Parser / PDF to JSON

Choose based on layout complexity and data needs

Scanned PDFs or Images

Document Parser

Works if OCR is already handled or file is machine-readable

Tables in PDFs

Find Text in Table API / Document Parser

Ideal for extracting structured or complex tabular data

Text-Heavy Documents

PDF to Text / PDF to Text-Simple API

For simple or bulk text extraction

Structured Spreadsheet Output

PDF to Excel / PDF to CSV API

Extracts tables and data into editable spreadsheet formats

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