Document parsing turns files such as PDFs, slides and spreadsheets into clean, structured text that AI systems can search and read.
In plain words
Document parsing tools look at a file the way a reader would: they work out the page layout, the order to read the text in and the structure of each table. Some use AI models trained for exactly these jobs. They then export the result in a format like Markdown or JSON, so AI tools can search and read it.
A quick example
Imagine a 40-page annual report PDF with two-column text and financial tables. A parser such as Docling reads the layout, keeps the columns in the right order, rebuilds each table as rows and cells, and writes a Markdown file that can then be split into chunks for search.
Where you'll meet it
- Preparing documents for RAG and search.
- Pulling tables and fields out of reports and forms.
Related
Sources
- PaperDocling Technical Report, Auer et al. (arXiv) · read 29 Sept 2026
- Docsdocling-project/docling, Docling project (GitHub) · read 29 Sept 2026
Checked by WhatIsAI against the sources above · 29 Sept 2026. Spotted an error? Report it.