Convert PDF Table to Excel Fast | PDF to Excel Tutorial
Learn how to extract table data from a PDF document and move it into Microsoft Excel so the information can be edited, sorted, filtered and analyzed as spreadsheet data.
Published: January 14, 2025
Convert a PDF Table to Excel
PDF documents are designed primarily for preserving page layout, while Microsoft Excel is designed for working with structured rows, columns, formulas and data.
Converting a table from PDF to Excel can save considerable time compared with manually typing every row and column.
- PDF to Excel
- Extract PDF Tables
- Editable Spreadsheet
Why Convert PDF Data to Excel?
Once the table is available in Excel, you can work with the information more easily.
- Edit values
- Sort rows
- Filter information
- Create formulas
- Calculate totals
- Create charts
- Clean imported data
- Reuse information in another workbook
Import PDF Data into Microsoft Excel
Some supported versions of Microsoft Excel include data-import functionality that can identify tables contained in a PDF document.
Depending on your Excel version, look in the Data area for available data-import options.
After selecting a PDF, Excel may display tables or pages that it can recognize from the document.
Select the Correct PDF Table
A PDF can contain multiple pages and several different tables. Review the available data carefully and select the table containing the information you actually need.
Preview the detected table before loading the data into the worksheet whenever the software provides that option.
Check the Excel Data After Conversion
PDF-to-Excel conversion is not always perfect.
After importing the table, check:
- Column alignment
- Row alignment
- Numbers
- Dates
- Decimal values
- Headers
- Blank cells
- Merged information
- Currency values
Scanned PDF vs Text-Based PDF
A normal text-based PDF contains characters that software may be able to recognize directly.
A scanned PDF can instead contain page images. In that situation, Optical Character Recognition, or OCR, may be necessary before the information can be converted reliably into editable spreadsheet data.
Always Verify Important Data
Never assume that every value was converted correctly.
If the PDF contains financial figures, inventory quantities, examination results, business records or other important information, compare the Excel result with the original PDF before using the data.
PDF to Excel Search Topics
This guide covers closely related searches such as:
- Convert PDF to Excel
- PDF table to Excel
- Extract table from PDF
- Import PDF into Excel
- PDF to XLSX
- Convert PDF data to spreadsheet
- Copy PDF table to Excel
- Extract PDF data into Excel
- PDF to Excel without typing
- Microsoft Excel PDF import
- Convert PDF rows and columns to Excel
- Scanned PDF to Excel
- PDF table extraction
- Editable Excel from PDF
PDF to Excel Frequently Asked Questions
Can Excel open a PDF as a spreadsheet?
A PDF is not an Excel workbook, but supported Excel versions can import structured data from certain PDF documents.
Why are my PDF columns wrong after conversion?
PDF page layouts do not necessarily contain the same structural information as spreadsheet cells. Complex tables may therefore require manual cleanup after extraction.
Can I convert a scanned PDF table to Excel?
It may require OCR because a scanned document can contain an image of the table rather than actual text and table data.
Should I check numbers after PDF conversion?
Yes. Always verify important values against the original PDF, particularly dates, decimals, totals and financial information.
Related UniTech LK Microsoft Office Guides
Watch the Complete PDF to Excel Tutorial
Watch the full 6 minute 8 second UniTech LK video showing the PDF-table-to-Excel conversion process.
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