A Python tool to parse PDF statements from Poste Italiane

https://github.com/genbs/poste-italiane-parser

by genbs • 1 year ago

58 27 1 year ago

github.com

Tox46• 12 months ago

Loving the subtitle in the md

brightbeige• 12 months ago

agli sventurati che hanno un conto postale

translates to:

“to the unfortunate ones who have a postal account”

denysvitali2• 12 months ago

I would love to have something more generic (and tried to build it already), but parsing tables and bank statements even from digital PDFs (as in, those that really have tables and not a picture) is still very difficult. Especially when the bank changes layouts from one month to another.

I would love to be proven wrong, but everything I have tried so far is... subpar.

Nowadays there's probably a solution based on LLMs, but I don't trust them with this kind of data

vdm• 12 months ago

https://github.com/qyhou/curated-table-structure-recognition

jgalt212• 12 months ago

Nowadays there's probably a solution based on LLMs, but I don't trust them with this kind of data

In practice, the flow from my perspective looks like LLM parser -> normalizer -> validator. So you only save one step (parser), and given the unique stochastic nature of the LLM output, the normalizer and validator can be trickier to write than one used for an old-fashioned rules-based parser. But each situation is different, or YMMV.

dimitri-vs• 12 months ago

Have you tried datalab-to/marker with the "Use LLM" option? They have a playground you can test it out on https://www.datalab.to/playground but I use their local CLI option: https://github.com/datalab-to/marker

I just tried it on a fairly ugly TD Bank statement PDF I have and the markdown of the whole PDF (tables and all) is very accurate. Here is the config I use:

marker_single --format_lines --use_llm --llm_service marker.services.gemini.GoogleGeminiService --gemini_model_name gemini-2.5-flash --disable_image_extraction --output_format markdown --output_dir "$OutDir" ` "$In"

You might be able to tell the LLM to directly output the data in CSV format - granted it will still be in a .md file - using the `--block_correction_prompt` which apparently is "useful for custom formatting or logic that you want to apply to the output"

denysvitali2• 12 months ago

Nowadays there's probably a solution based on LLMs, but I don't trust them with this kind of data

If it works with a small model I can run locally, I might think of this approach, otherwise I'll skip

liendolucas• 12 months ago

Offtopic: Stay away from Poste Italiane at all costs. The worst bank I have ever dealt with in my entire life. I'm glad that I don't have to deal with them anymore. Terrible service and eternal waitings on their branches. They are extremeley incompetent.

nkjoep• 12 months ago

In fact, it's not even a bank.

koakuma-chan2• 12 months ago

A bit off topic, but how do you guys use banks to buy expensive things? I always run into issues, like I couldn't pay for my dentist because my card had a 300$ tap limit (I had to come back the next day and pay the rest lol), and there's all sort of limits, like I don't think I can spent more than a couple thousand dollars a day even if I physically bring my card and insert it or whatever.

sebtron• 12 months ago

Not to mention it is also pretty terrible as a postal service.

Beijinger• 12 months ago

Underrated Quality of Life Indicator: Reliability of Postal Services

https://expatcircle.com/cms/underrated-quality-of-life-indic...

They’re actually doing alright on that list — and Belgium isn’t doing too badly either, especially considering it used to rank below Moldova a few years ago. That said, Belgium’s postal service is awful in every possible way. I once had packet losses of 50%, and the ping was miserable too.

During COVID, I needed stamps. The local post office? Closed. So I tried buying them online — and yes, you can order stamps online. But guess how they deliver them? By snail mail. Classic.

Now compare that to Germany. While Germany isn’t exactly a digital pioneer, its postal system has consistently performed well. I think they even offered a letter-scanning service at some point. And for years now, you’ve been able to print stamps at home. No printer? No problem — just write a code on the envelope with a pen. Every stamp includes a tracking code. As for those Amazon parcel lockers? Germany had them ages ago. And if I’m not mistaken, the idea was borrowed from former East Germany.

USPS is actually fairly reliable, but the post offices themselves feel run-down and neglected. Sometimes the solutions are simple. If I were running USPS, I’d tour post offices around the world to see what unique services they offer. What can we adopt, license, or copy? How are they staying profitable? There’s so much to learn.

genbs4• 12 months ago

it was a mistake in my youth

pietroppeter• 12 months ago

For the curious on how it works (not mentioned in the readme), it uses pymupdf and a precise mapping of all information in area coordinates, as such the document layout is hard coded.

When layout changes this breaks but layout changes on this sort of documents do not happen often (I think). Also code is very clean and it serms straightforward to fix.

This kind of code is maybe something that can be generated from an LLM/agent? (It would be easy to write checks)

Besides the practical value for those who might need it, I think it is possibly interesting for others to look at this approach.

Neat project, thanks for sharing!

genbs4• 12 months ago

Thanks for reporting and for the feedback

simonebrunozzi• 12 months ago

Subtitled: "agli sventurati che hanno un conto postale" ("(dedicated to) the unlucky ones that have a bank account with the Italian postal service")

The usual, amazing irony of us Italians. Love it.

genbs4• 12 months ago

amadeuspagel• 12 months ago

My brother made a similar tool for trade republic: https://kontoauszug.jonathanpagel.com/

rcastellotti• 12 months ago

POPOPO POPOPO POPO POPOOOO come on fellow italians, sing with me!

genbs4• 12 months ago

A Python tool to parse PDF statements from Poste Italiane

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