> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://sensible.mintlify.site/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Choosing a Table method

You can choose from among the following options for extracting tables:

#### Overview of table methods

| method      | based on                     | description                                                | comments                                                   |
| ----------- | ---------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------- |
| NLP Table   | large language models (LLM)s | Extracts a table based on your prompt to an LLM.           | Low code, doesn't require an anchor. Slowest table method. |
| Fixed Table | layout                       | Extracts tables with a fixed number and layout of columns. | Faster than NLP Table method.                              |
| Text Table  | layout                       | Extracts tables based on column coordinates in inches.     | Fastest table method.                                      |

#### Features supported

| method      | multiple pages                                                                       | merged cells                                                                                                                                                                                                  | variable column formatting | checkboxes in cells                                                                                                                  | Tables-in tables, labeled rows, and other complex formatting |
| ----------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | -------------------------- | ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------------ |
| Fixed Table | ✅Ignores repeating column headings.                                                  | ✅ If you specify the Stop parameter, Sensible populates "empty" spanned cells with the spanned value. For an example, see [Merged cell example](/senseml-reference/methods/fixed-table#example-merged-cells). | ❌                          | ✅ If you specify the Stop parameter, Sensible returns the selection status for checkboxes in table cells as "\[true]" or "\[false]". | ❌Use Sections as an alternative                              |
| Text Table  | ✅Supported if you specify the Stop parameter                                         | ❌Sensible returns the first merged cell's value, and returns subsequent spanned cells as nulls.                                                                                                               | ❌                          | ❌                                                                                                                                    | ❌Use Sections as an alternative                              |
| NLP Table   | ✅ To troubleshoot intervening non-table text, use the Page Span Threshold parameter. | Indeterminate. Usually supported without additional prompting.                                                                                                                                                | ✅                          | Indeterminate.                                                                                                                       | Indeterminate.Use Sections as an alternative.                |

**Note:** The Table method is deprecated. To duplicate this method's function, use the [NLP Table ](/senseml-reference/llm-based-methods/nlp-table)method and set the Rewrite Table parameter to false. For information about the Table method, see [(Deprecated) Table method](/senseml-reference/concepts/table-methods).