CATALOG PRICE CHECK · FREE BETA

How to compare PDF catalog prices with an Excel price list

A spreadsheet can be correct while the exported catalog still contains an old price. Compare the finished PDF with an approved source list before you publish.

Kappsam checks exact product codes and prices in regular tables. Your documents stay in your browser. It accepts CSV files, so an Excel workbook must be exported first.

1. Prepare the approved worksheet

Keep one product code and one approved price per row, with a header row. Preserve leading zeros in product codes: 00124 and 124 are different identifiers. Resolve duplicate codes in the approved source where possible; Kappsam flags ambiguous source entries for review.

Check that the source is the correct edition and that prices use the same currency, tax treatment, and unit as the catalog. A unit price cannot be compared meaningfully with a case price without first making the sources consistent.

2. Export Excel to CSV UTF-8

Use Excel's Save As or export option and choose CSV UTF-8. Export the intended worksheet; CSV does not preserve all sheets, formulas, or workbook formatting. Keep your original workbook. Inspect the exported values and product codes before using them as the reference.

A simple approved list might look like this:

SKU,Price
ST-101,12.00
ST-102,29.40

Choose the decimal separator that matches both files. If a price contains a delimiter, the CSV must quote that field correctly. Export from your spreadsheet rather than assembling the file manually.

3. Select the final PDF and CSV

Open the checker and select both files. Use a searchable PDF with horizontal text, one product code and price per row, and the same table layout across pages. A scanned image or outlined text cannot be checked. Split documents with different layouts.

4. Confirm the columns and page regions

Select the CSV product-code and price columns, currency, and decimal separator. Place the PDF regions over the corresponding columns and restrict the table body to actual product rows. Exclude titles, repeated headers, footers, and notes. Review the selected regions on every page before confirming.

5. Review results in context

• Different price: the readable PDF price differs from the approved source. Open the finding to inspect its page.
• Needs review: the row could not be compared safely. This is not a successful check.
• Not in PDF: a source product was not found in the selected readable area. It may be intentionally omitted or outside the selected region.
• Match: the compared values agree. This does not certify the rest of the document.

6. Correct the source artwork and repeat

Download the CSV report, fix confirmed errors in your authoring application, export a new PDF, and run the check again. Kappsam preserves your original files and does not edit them.

Supported scope

The beta accepts PDFs up to 20 MB / 200 pages and UTF-8 CSVs up to 5 MB / 20,000 rows / 100 columns. Prices have at most two decimal places. Supported currencies are USD, EUR, GBP, CAD, and AUD; there is no conversion or tax calculation. Multi-line cells, superscript prices, and complex layouts require a different workflow or manual review.

Try the free price checker

For the wider approval process, follow the catalog pre-print checklist.