How to Import PDF into Excel

If you’re someone who frequently works with data and needs to organize, analyze or manipulate it, you must be familiar with Microsoft Excel software. One of the primary benefits of Excel is the ability to import data from various sources, including PDF files. PDF files are a great way to store and share data, but it’s not always easy to manipulate the data within a PDF file. In this post, we will guide you through the steps for importing PDF files into Excel, so you can easily analyze and work with your data.

Why Import PDFs into Excel

PDF files are a secure way to share information, but it can be challenging to manipulate the data contained in them. By importing PDFs into Excel, you gain more access to the data and can quickly manipulate it to meet your needs. For example, imagine you have a PDF report you want to extract data from to create charts and graphs. By importing the PDF data into Excel, you can efficiently analyze the data and create the desired chart or graph.

Step by Step Guide

Step 1: Convert the PDF to an Excel file

The first step to importing a PDF into Excel is to convert the PDF file to an Excel file. This can be done using an online converter or through Adobe Acrobat. Adobe Acrobat allows you to convert the PDF file directly into an Excel file.

Step 2: Open the Excel file

After converting the PDF file to an Excel file, you need to open the Excel file. This can be done by navigating to the folder where the file was saved and double-clicking on the file. The Excel file will then open in a new window.

Step 3: Clean up the Excel file

PDF files are notorious for containing errors, which can translate to errors in the Excel file. Clean up the Excel file by conducting a thorough review to ensure that it aligns with the original PDF files. Ensure that all columns and rows are in the correct order and that all data is correctly formatted.

Step 4: Customize the Excel file

Customize the Excel file after cleaning it up to make it look and work the way you want it to. This step involves modifying the data and formatting of the content to suit your needs. You can add, delete or move columns, adjust the table’s formatting to be consistent with your brand and layout analysis to suit your viewers.

Step 5: Save the Excel file

After customizing the Excel file, you want to save the newly imported data. To save the Excel file, click on “Save As” in the File menu and choose a folder to save the file. Ensure that you give it a descriptive name to help you easily locate the file in the future.

Tips for Successful Import

Here are some tips to help you successfully import a PDF into an Excel file:

• Choose a reliable and accurate PDF to Excel converter – this ensures that the data is transferred correctly.
• Review the data thoroughly before importing it into the Excel file – this enables you to clean up any errors before analysis and report generation.
• Ensure that the Excel file is consistent with your organization’s branding – this generates trust and enhances credibility to those engaging with your reports.

Best Practice for Importing Tables from PDFs into Excel

When importing tables from PDFs into Excel, you may find that some of the tables aren’t formatted correctly or are difficult to read. Here are some best practices for importing tables from PDFs:

• Use a table detector tool that recognizes table boundaries and extracts only table cells and column headings. This makes it easier to convert the table to an Excel format.
• Separate different tables in your PDF before importing them into Excel by saving each table as a separate PDF. This makes it easier to manipulate the data in Excel.
• If you have a large table, import only the section you need by adjusting the selection or adjusting the table boundaries after detection.
• After importing the table, clean up the data so that it is in a consistent format. For example, if the table includes currency values, ensure that all the values are in the same format, such as “$0.00”.

How to Import Scanned PDFs into Excel

Importing scanned PDFs requires additional steps because the text is not directly extractable from the PDF, and Optical Character Recognition (OCR) tools are necessary to convert scanned PDF images into text. Here are the steps to follow:

1. Start by converting the scanned PDF file to an editable format, using OCR software such as Adobe Acrobat’s OCR feature, that allows for scanned PDF files’ conversion into searchable text.
2. Once the PDF file has been converted into a text format, save the file as a .txt (unicode) file.
3. Open Microsoft Excel, and under the “Data” tab in the ribbon, click on “From Text/CSV”.
4. Navigate to the folder where you saved the file, and select the file. Import the file into Excel
5. Use the Text Import Wizard to specify the data type for each column, such as text, date, or currency.
6. Review the table for errors such as misaligned or missing data fields, and adjust them accordingly.

Importing PDFs into Excel means you can manipulate, analyze and report data that would have been difficult to work with if the PDF was the only option. With the steps outlined in this article, importing data from PDFs should be easier than ever.

FAQ

Here are some answers to common questions about importing PDFs into Excel:

Can I import multiple pages from a PDF into Excel?

Yes, you can import multiple pages from a PDF into Excel. Simply select all the pages you want to convert to an Excel file when converting the PDF file to Excel. After the conversion, you will have an Excel file with multiple sheets corresponding to each page in the PDF.

Can I import PDF data into an existing Excel file?

Yes, you can import PDF data into an existing Excel file. To do so, open the Excel file where you want to add the PDF data and then import the PDF data into a new worksheet within the Excel file. Once imported, you can move the data to the location in the Excel file where you want it to appear.

What if the PDF file contains data in a table form? Can I import it into Excel?

Yes, you can import a table from a PDF file into Excel. While importing PDF data, you can use a detector tool that recognizes the table boundaries and extracts only table cells and column headings. Alternatively, you can use the Text Import Wizard in Excel to specify the table structure and ensure that the data is correctly imported.

How do I import a PDF into Excel when the PDF is not in a table format?

If the PDF does not contain a table, you can still import data from the PDF into Excel. However, the conversion may not be as accurate as tables. One option is to convert the PDF document to an image file and then extract the data. OCR software can then be used to read the image file and convert it into text that can be imported into Excel.

Can I import a scanned PDF file into Excel?

Yes, you can import scanned PDF files into Excel, but the process is more intricate because OCR tools need to be used. The OCR software converts the scanned PDF images into searchable text, which can then be copied and pasted into Excel or imported using the Text Import Wizard.