Proven Ways to Extract Data from PDF to Excel Easily

Summary: PDFs are excellent for sharing, but they are not ideal for data analysis or manipulation. Here comes the need to extract data from PDF to Excel, to easily sort and analyze their data. The extraction can be done either manually or by using a professional PDF Extractor Tool for quick results. Moreover, for a cost-effective approach, the user can try the manual approach. Now, without wasting any time, let’s begin and learn the why and how of this conversion process.

Reasons for PDF Data Extraction to Excel

PDF format is for viewing and preserving the information, while Excel provides a flexible and structured environment. Below are the key reasons to consider for this extraction process:

• With Excel, one can create formulas and pivot tables to analyze the trends and patterns.
• By categorizing the data into rows and columns, users can easily sort and organize the data.
• Rather than copying the information from the PDF into the rows and columns, extraction automates the process.
• The exported Excel data can be further processed and integrated into reports and dashboards.
• Also, clean and well-structured data helps businesses make decisions quickly.

How to Extract Data from PDF to Excel Format?

Manual Method 01: Move Data from PDF to Excel via Export Feature

This is a quick and simple method for those who want to transfer the data in bulk. It is particularly useful for making invoices, reports, etc.

Use the following steps to begin the extraction process:

1. First, launch Adobe Acrobat Pro DC and open the desired PDF file in it.
2. Then, click on the File option and then go to Export To > Spreadsheet > Microsoft Excel Workbook.
3. Now, select the output format as .xlsx.
4. Next, save the file at your preferred location and hit the Save button.
5. Once the file is exported to Excel, open it in Excel.
6. Manually organize the data and clean the unnecessary ones. 

Manual Method 02: Import Data from PDF to Excel Using the Print Option

The method below is suitable for those who have large text-based files. 

These are the steps to follow: 

1. Begin by opening the PDF file in Adobe Acrobat Reader.
2. Now, go to File > Print and select the Print to PDF option.
3. After that, choose the Save As option and select the Text (.txt) saving format.
4. Next, launch MS Excel and head to the Data option.
5. Press Get Data > From File > From Text/CSV and select the .txt file you just saved.
6. In the Text Import Window, choose Delimited and select the Delimiter. 
7. Then, preview the data and click on Finish. 

Issues with the Manual Methods

• Complex formatting may not be aligned well in some cases.
• Every manual method requires a manual cleanup after exporting the data into Excel.
• These methods do not work on scanned PDF files.
• Also, method 1 requires a paid version of Adobe Acrobat.

A Professional Utility to Extract Data from PDF to Excel Format

A powerful utility, PDF Extractor Tool is a user-friendly solution that can extract elements from a PDF document. The elements include text, images, attachments, comments, hyperlinks, etc. The tool supports a variety of output formats like PDF, TXT, DOCX, CSV, etc. It also includes features like batch processing and selective page extraction. Not only this, the tool deals with password-protected PDF while ensuring the integrity of the content. 

Steps to extract PDF data to Excel:

1. To begin with, download and run the tool on your PC.
2. Now, use the Add File option to add the desired PDF you want to extract data from.
3. After adding the PDF file, select the required files and preview them according to Text, Image, or both.
4. Then, set the Data Extraction Filter as per the need.
5. Make sure to Skip the Previously Extracted Data. 
6. Lastly, click the Extraction button to initiate the process.

Conclusion

The data extraction from a PDF file to Excel is essential for data analytics and large enterprises. There are multiple methods to extract data from PDF to Excel, depending on the business requirements. The manual procedure offers quick and simple steps, but they are unreliable and lack security. On the other hand, the PDF Extractor Tool solves the issues related to data loss and security. The tool combines speed with accurate results, making the extraction process simpler and effective.

Frequently Asked Questions