Convert PDF to Excel: 5 Easy Methods

Do you want to convert your document from a PDF to Excel format but just cannot figure out how to get it done? No worries now, as  we’ve got you covered! Your PDF files are often protected, and editing or extracting data from PDF is tough. But that doesn’t mean getting  your data from them is impossible.  

Excel is a reliable and time-tested tool, where its conversion to Excel relies on how the document was first created. In this blog, we have listed some of the easiest methods to help you understand how you can convert PDF to Excel. Read ahead further!

Table of Contents  

1) Choosing the right method for PDF to Excel conversion

2) Convert PDF to Excel – Using online tools or drag and drop method

3) Convert PDF to Excel – Import PDF data in Microsoft Excel sheet

4) Convert PDF to Excel – Export PDF data or copy and paste method

5) Convert PDF to Excel – Using software method

6) The pros and cons of each method

7) Conclusion

Choosing the right method for PDF to Excel conversion

Using a specific method to convert a PDF file to an Excel file can vary based on how a particular PDF document was created. Some people may believe that all PDF files are fundamentally the same, though they're not. 

Now if a PDF document was created from an electronic source like a Word document or an Excel spreadsheet, it will comprise text characters that can be read and understood by various Microsoft Office applications and other PDF converters. You can manually import such a PDF into Excel or use Adobe applications or third-party PDF to Excel converters.  

Moreover, a document or a hard copy can also be scanned and saved into a PDF file. The document's image is captured using a scanner and saved as a PDF file. In this context, the PDF document is just a static picture. You will require special OCR software to export this PDF into an editable Excel Sheet.
 

Convert PDF to Excel Using online tools or drag and drop method

This is one of the simplest methods used to convert a PDF document to Excel. Converting PDF to Excel is very easy, and multiple websites and tools are available online to do that. Some websites require you to sign up using Google or another social media account. But a few websites allow you to convert PDF files to Excel without signing up. And these websites generally have a “no login required” or “no signup required” policy, and you can use these websites and Convert PDF to an Excel sheet online for free.   

 Now once you go to one such website, the procedure to convert PDF to Excel sheet online is almost the same as the one listed below.   

a) Step 1: Open the website that lets you Convert PDF to Excel.

b) Step 2: Drag and drop the PDF file to convert it into an Excel sheet.   

c) Step 3: You can click the “select the file” option or choose from your cloud drives like Google Drive or Dropbox.

d) Step 4: Then select the Convert option.   

e) Step 5: You can also convert the PDF file to other formats if that’s what you want.

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Convert PDF to Excel - Import PDF data in Microsoft Excel sheet

This is the second method used to import PDF data in Excel format. In this method, we will import data from PDF to Excel using the “Get Data” function. This method may seem complicated, but it is simple. Many professionals use this method to import data from PDF to Excel as it is very reliable. 

The steps mentioned below with images can help you understand how to Convert a PDF document into Excel format by importing data from the PDF file into Microsoft Excel: 

a) Step 1: Open a new Excel spreadsheet.   

b) Step 2: Go to the Data tab on Excel and click on the “From PDF” or “From Text” option next.

c) Step 3: After that, select “All files” on the dropdown menu in the next window. 
 

d) Step 4: Locate the PDF file you want to import.

e) Step 5: Now select the file and click on the “Import” option. 

f) Step 6: Click on the dropdown menu right next to “Load” and then select the “Load To” option. 

g) Step 7: On the next menu you can choose how you want to view the data and where you want to put the data.

h) Step 8: By default, the “table” view would be selected, you can also change this if you want to.

i) Step 9: Select where the data should be stored, i.e., on the current workbook or on a new workbook.
 

j) Step 10: Finally, click on “Ok”. 

Once the above steps are completed, your final data will appear on the Excel sheet. This way you have imported data from PDF into Excel.   Excel is one of the simplest, yet powerful applications used for so long and is not going away anytime soon. From simple calculation to advanced data analysis, the potential is limitless for Excel.   For a professional working today, learning Excel is an indispensable skill. And for decades, Excel has been the go-to tool for many industries because of its versatility.

Convert PDF to Excel – Export PDF data or copy and paste method

Did you know that you can convert PDF files to Excel sheets without any software? Here are some steps that will show you how:

Step 1: Select the data you want on the PDF and copy it by pressing “CTRL and C” on the keyboard. 

Step 2: Open a new blank sheet in Excel. 

Step 3: Paste the data on the sheet. 

Step 4: Finally save the data by pressing Ctrl+S on your keyboard or selecting the save option on the file tab.

Bonus tip: When you try to copy and paste data from multiple columns, the data may need to be pasted in the order you want. To do this, try to copy and paste one column at a time. Or hold down the 'Alt' key and paste it on the Excel sheet using (Alt + CTRL + V) to get the data aligned vertically.   

A new pop-up window will appear. Select text and then press Ok.

Now you can see in the below picture the data is aligned vertically.   

You can still improve this data using advanced Excel functions and functions like “Delimited” to enhance the data further. Using the “Delimited” process, we can split the data stored in a single column into multiple columns and cells. And it can be beneficial in instances like this.

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Convert PDF to Excel – Using the software method

If you want to use dedicated software to Convert PDF to Excel, you can try out reliable software like Adobe Acrobat.   

What is the best software for Converting a PDF file to an Excel sheet?   

Adobe Acrobat is one of the best software to Convert PDF to Excel. It is straightforward to use, and the UI is so simple that even a beginner can navigate it without hassle. And you can Convert PDF to Excel within a few minutes.  

How to convert PDF to Excel using Adobe Acrobat PDF Reader 

 Below are the steps to Convert PDF to Excel with the help of Adobe Acrobat PDF Reader:

a) Step 1: Open Adobe Acrobat PDF reader and import the PDF file you want to convert.
 

Step 2: Import the file from local storage or your Cloud account.

Step 3: After importing your PDF file, select “Export PDF” from the tools pane.

Step 4: After that, select the file format. You can choose MS word, PowerPoint, RTF or Plain text. And you can export PDFs into HTML web pages and other listed formats.

Step 5: To export PDF into Excel, select Excel or Spreadsheet as the file format by clicking the “format” radio button. 

Step 6: Click Export.

Step 7: Next, select the location where you want the file to be exported. 

Step 8: Select “Save”. 

Bonus tip: Select the “open file after export” checkbox if you want to open the file after exporting. It will open the file once the export is completed. Thus, eliminating the need to open it manually.   

Undoubtedly, Adobe PDF reader is one the best tools for Converting PDF into Excel. But there is a catch, that converting PDF to Excel is no longer a free feature and may require a premium subscription.    

Nevertheless, there are plenty of free ways to Convert PDF into Excel. Continue reading to find out more.   

The pros and cons of each method

Now let us discuss the pros and cons of the four different methods used for data extraction from the PDF files. The below table mentions the differences that can help you to analyse the suitable methods for extracting the data from PDF to Excel.
 

After reading the above table, we hope you have now understood that all the options shared above have their advantages and disadvantages. You can either choose one of these methods or choose an automated solution like Optical Character Recognition (OCR) to accurately Convert data from PDF to Excel.  

Conclusion 

We have listed all the methods you can use to convert PDF to Excel sheets. At the same time, some of them require you to have an internet connection to work. And if one method doesn’t work, you can try out the other alternative methods given above. If you are interested in learning more information like this, tune into our blog occasionally.    

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