Document recovery guide

Recover a scanned table as rows and columns you can review.

Table extraction is not ordinary OCR and it is not automatic spreadsheet reconstruction. The system must detect a grid, attach each value to the correct row and column, and keep ambiguous cells visible before any export.

Handwriting recovery is not validated. Read the measured limits below before purchasing. Inspect a verified printed example.

Check this document free Recover one document - $0.99

Public source and measured limits

1930 Census Orchard Street schedule, U.S. National Archives

1930 US Census population schedule with dense handwritten rows and columns

This handwritten 1930 Census page illustrates a difficult source, not a verified recovery. Its row and cell accuracy has not been validated with the current engine. The earlier layout illustration was not a measured extraction result.

Provenance: 1930 Census Orchard Street schedule, U.S. National Archives. Inspect the Atlas case.

Detection before export

Deskew and crop the page image.
Detect grid lines or repeated column alignment.
Segment cells and recover their text.
Review merged, faint or handwritten cells.
Use CSV and XLSX rows only when a table is detected; otherwise the files contain a no-table notice.

Table OCR versus spreadsheet reconstruction

OCR recognizes symbols. Table extraction adds row and column relationships. Spreadsheet reconstruction goes further by inferring formulas, types and business meaning. DocUnlocked provides reviewable extracted values; it does not recreate an authoritative workbook or guarantee formulas.

Ambiguity must remain visible

Merged cells, ditto marks, multi-line values and faint gridlines should produce review flags rather than silent shifts. A single displaced cell can corrupt every downstream row, so visual comparison is required before analysis.

Limits and failure modes

Merged cells can obscure column ownership.
Handwriting can cross grid lines.
Rotated pages can break row detection.
Multi-line cells and ditto marks need manual interpretation.
CSV/XLSX contain a no-table notice when no table is detected.

Questions about this workflow

Are CSV and XLSX always included?

CSV and XLSX contain extracted rows only when a table is detected; otherwise they contain a no-table notice.

Does this rebuild formulas or spreadsheet logic?

No. It extracts reviewable rows and columns; formulas and business rules must be recreated separately.

Which cells should I review first?

Names, numeric identifiers, merged cells and multi-line entries. Automatic checks do not flag every incorrect value.

One document - one-time purchase

Start one $0.99 one-time recovery.

Choose the source file only after reviewing the evidence and limits above. The browser checks format and capacity before secure checkout can open.

Next best step

Run the free readability check before uploading. Working with a historical record? Return to the DocUnlocked hub.