How do I convert a PDF to an Excel cell?

As software has grown more sophisticated, there is more opportunity for users to mash up content between different programs. The Excel spreadsheet program, for example, used to handle only text and numbers, but can now display graphs, photos, videos and other types of content. You may want to import a PDF into Excel, but the process is not always straightforward. Here are some strategies for moving content from a PDF file into an Excel spreadsheet.

Copying PDF as an Image

You cannot copy a PDF to Excel directly, as Excel does not have built-in support for the PDF file format. However, you can display PDF content as an image in Excel. To do so, navigate within your PDF file until the content you want to copy into Excel appears on your computer screen. Press the Print Screen key on your PC keyboard to copy the image into your clipboard. If you're using a Mac, the same screen image can be captured if you press Command+Ctrl+Shift+3. Switch to Excel, click in a cell where you want the content to appear, and paste the image into your spreadsheet. (Use Ctrl+V to paste the image; you can undo the paste with Ctrl+Z).

If you want to edit the image beforehand, the easiest option is to paste the image into an image-editing program like Irfanview or Paint to crop the borders of the image or alter it in other ways. You can also use the Screenshot option in Word, which is available on the Insert toolbar. When you're done, simply copy the edited image and paste it into Excel.

Copying PDF Text

Not all PDF files allow the copying of text, but many do. The best way to find out is to simply try to copy the text you want and see if it works. Rather than pasting the desired text directly into Excel, you're better off pasting it into an editing program like Notepad or Word. Use these programs to adjust the formatting and appearance of the text, or to clean up any errant characters. When you have the text the way you want it, copy and paste into your spreadsheet.

If the PDF text cannot be copied, keep in mind that you can treat it like an image and paste it into Excel that way. The text will not be editable, however.

Copying a Table from a PDF

Transferring tabular data from a PDF to a spreadsheet is the trickiest process of all because there are so many variables involved in how the table and text are formatted in the PDF and how the final information might appear in Excel. Try these approaches to see which one works the best:

• Start with a direct attempt to copy and paste, just as you would with text. With luck, the data will arrange itself in Excel into neat columns and rows, just the way you hoped it would. A small pull-down menu with Paste Options may open in Excel as you paste your content. Use it to try different options for achieving the results you want.
• Alternatively, copy and paste the data table into Word, or another word processing program. Then copy/paste the table from Word into Excel. Try several variations of this approach. Word's Paste Special command allows you to paste data in several different formats, such as Unformatted Text or HTML Format. Each option will display differently in Word and in Excel, so use the one that gives the best result. 
  

Tip

After pasting data into Word, the Convert Text to Table option is activated under the list of Table commands. You can use this to clean up your data.

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How to convert PDF to Excel

1Choose a file

The process to convert PDF to Excel is simple. The first step will be to select the file you would like to process in our PDF to Excel converter. You can select a PDF file to convert from PDF to Excel by uploading it directly from your computer, or through a cloud storage service such as Google Drive or Dropbox. You can also simply drag-and-drop your PDF file into the box to upload. Once uploaded, our tool will begin to convert your PDF into an Excel document.

2View and download

Once convert from PDF is complete, you can access your Excel document by downloading it to your computer and viewing it in your browser. You can also download files back to your computer or to a cloud storage service such as Google Drive or Dropbox. The location you choose to download your file in is your choice. We can also email you a link to your document, which will only be accessible for 24 hours. This link will contain access to the file which you used our convert PDF to Excel tool for.

Did you know?

PDF pages will transform into Excel spreadsheets

Our FREE*, intelligent converter tool, can guarantee a seamless transition from PDF to Excel. When you convert your PDF document into an Excel file, every page within your PDF will be turned into a separate Excel spreadsheet. Our intuitive PDF to Excel converter is even able to recognize the rows and columns of tables within your PDF document and convert them into tables in the new Excel file. This means, no need to re-create any tables that you worked hard to put together before you converted your document. Your data will still remain intact once your PDF file is converted to a spreadsheet. If your PDF was originally converted from an Excel document, then your new file should be very close to the original. You’ll be able to edit your converted file, as though it had always been one. You do not have to worry about any of your valuable data being lost in the conversion process of your file when you convert from PDF. Our tool allows you to convert your original file into one that is seamlessly transitioned into the format of your choice.

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Preserved format of files

Once the process to convert from PDF is complete with our free* tool, the format of your PDF files will be respected in the new Excel file. Blank cells will be inserted in the Excel spreadsheets to replace spaces from the PDF file. The original colors, borders, and fonts from your PDF files will remain intact once you convert PDF to Excel. Your new file will not lose any of its original formatting. In fact, you will now be able to add additional formatting and improve your newly converted document because it will be fully editable. You will be able to fully customize your new document to your needs.

Edit your Excel File

PDF documents can not contain any mathematical formulas, while Microsoft Excel documents on the other hand can. This means that once you convert PDF to Excel, no formulas will be recreated in the generated Excel spreadsheet. Since our tool will convert all of the data from your original document into your new one, you will be able to insert formulas into your document once it has been converted to Excel. It will be as though your original document had always been an Excel document. Our free* PDF conversion tool allows you to edit your converted document to your desire. You can add elements to your files that are exclusive to Excel, this way you can create a document suited for your needs.

Convert back to PDF

Do you miss your old PDF? Once your Excel file has been edited, you can convert it back from a Microsoft Excel document into a PDF document. There are many benefits to converting your document back to a PDF. PDF is a universal way to view documents, which will ensure that anyone you decide to share your document with will be able to properly view it. Convert to PDF to make it easier to view and distribute your files. To do this, use our free* online Excel to PDF converter tool to convert any of your Excel files back to PDF. With our free* tool it is as easy to convert to PDF files, as it is to convert PDF files into many other file formats.

Did you know that you can also convert Word documents to PDF, convert PowerPoint documents to PDF, convert JPG documents to PDF, convert HTML to PDF, convert GIFs to PDF, convert TXT to PDF, and convert several other file formats using our online tools?

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