Manatal parsing errors slow you down and frustrate clients. If your CVs come out scrambled, missing key details, or with fields jumbled, you need a quick way to spot the cause and fix it. This guide gives you a 60-second decision tree to diagnose Manatal parser issues, explains why they happen, and shows practical fixes for cleaner parses.
Quick diagnosis
Not all Manatal CV parsing problems look the same. Start here to identify your issue fast:
| Symptom | Likely Cause | Next Step |
|---|---|---|
| CV fields missing or blank | Unsupported format | Convert CV to Word (.doc/.docx) |
| Tables or columns scrambled | Table or multi-column layout | Remove tables or simplify layout |
| Contact details not detected | Contact info format error | Standardise phone and email |
| CV uploads but data jumbled | Unusual font or symbols | Replace fonts, remove graphics |
| Parsing fails with error message | File corruption or PDF issue | Repair PDF or re-export CV |
If your issue fits one of these, proceed to the matching fix below. If not, jump to the FAQ or escalate to Distill (see later).
Root causes of Manatal CV parsing errors (ranked by frequency)
Tables and multi-column layouts Manatal's parser struggles with tables or multiple columns. It tries to read left to right, top to bottom, but tables jumble the order. Contact details in sidebars or tables often get missed.
Non-standard file formats Manatal supports Word (.doc/.docx) and PDF. But scanned PDFs or image-only PDFs don't parse. Also, some older Word formats or heavily styled documents confuse the parser.
Unusual fonts and symbols Fonts that aren't standard system fonts, or special characters/emojis, can cause Manatal to misread or skip text.
Contact details in odd formats Phone numbers missing country codes, emails with spaces, or phone numbers split over lines confuse parsing logic.
Corrupted or password-protected files Files with hidden corruption or security settings block Manatal's parser entirely.
Overly long CVs or excessive sections CVs beyond 8 pages or with dense formatting can cause timeouts or partial parses.
Step-by-step fix
Follow this workflow to fix a problematic CV in Manatal:
Check the file format If the CV is PDF, open it and verify text is selectable (not scanned image). If not, ask the candidate for a Word version or run OCR software.
Remove tables and columns Open the CV in Word. Look for tables, sidebars, or multi-column layouts. Convert these to plain paragraphs. The fix — remove the table.
Standardise contact details Ensure phone numbers use international format (+44 20 1234 5678) and emails have no extra spaces or characters.
Replace unusual fonts and symbols Select all text and set font to Calibri or Arial. Delete emojis or special symbols.
Save and re-upload Save the cleaned CV as a new .docx file. Upload to Manatal again.
If parsing still fails, repair PDF Use a PDF repair tool to fix corruption or re-export from the original source.
Test with a known good CV If your fixes don't work, upload a clean CV from a known source to check if the problem is on Manatal's end.
How to prevent parsing errors on future submittals
- Ask candidates for Word (.docx) CVs as default. PDFs are fine only if text is selectable.
- Train recruiters to strip tables and columns during CV review.
- Standardise phone number formats in your submission guidelines.
- Avoid sending scanned or image-only PDFs to Manatal.
- Use a template or CV checker tool before submission to catch layout issues.
- Keep CVs under 8 pages when possible.
- Regularly audit your parsing success rate to spot recurring issues.
When to escalate to Distill
Distill automates the fixes above in 30 seconds. It strips out tables, converts PDFs to clean Word, standardises contact details, and removes tricky fonts before you upload to Manatal.
If you spend more than a few minutes manually cleaning CVs or submit 20+ CVs a week to Manatal clients, Distill saves time and reduces errors. It doesn't integrate directly with Manatal but outputs ready-to-upload docs that match Manatal's parsing specs exactly.
Use Distill when:
- You see repeated parsing errors despite manual fixes.
- Your team lacks time to clean CVs properly.
- You want consistent compliance with client formatting requirements.
FAQ
Q: Why does Manatal miss phone numbers sometimes? A: Manatal expects phone numbers in international format without line breaks or extra characters. Split or local-only formats often fail.
Q: Can Manatal parse scanned CVs? A: No. Scanned CVs are images rather than text. Manatal can't extract data from them without OCR conversion first.
Q: What file formats does Manatal support? A: Mainly Word (.doc/.docx) and PDFs with selectable text. Other formats like .pages, .rtf, or scanned PDFs won't parse correctly.
Q: My CV uploads but fields are jumbled. What now? A: Likely tables or columns caused data to rearrange. Remove tables or convert columns to paragraphs and try again.
Q: Does Manatal parse photos or images on CVs? A: No. Photos often confuse the parser and should be removed before submission.
Q: Is there a way to batch fix multiple CVs? A: Manual cleaning is time-consuming. Tools like Distill can batch process many CVs quickly to meet Manatal's specs.
Fix Manatal parsing errors in 30 seconds with Distill. It cleans CVs by removing tables, standardising contact details, converting PDFs to Word, and stripping problem fonts. Try Distill free and save time submitting clean, parse-ready CVs every time.