How to Convert PDF to Excel (Keep Tables Intact)

Need to extract tables from a PDF into an editable spreadsheet? Here's how to convert PDF to Excel while preserving your data structure and formatting.

Why PDF to Excel Conversion is Tricky

PDFs are designed for viewing, not editing. When a PDF contains a table, it's not stored as a spreadsheet — it's just text positioned to look like a table. Converting requires intelligent recognition of table structures.

• •Text-based PDFs — Easier to convert; text can be extracted and reorganized
• •Scanned PDFs — Require OCR to read text from images first
• •Complex layouts — Multi-column tables or merged cells need careful handling

Step-by-Step: Convert PDF to Excel

1. 1

   Upload Your PDF

   Drag and drop your PDF file into the converter. Works with PDFs up to 50MB.

2. 2

   Select Pages (Optional)

   Choose specific pages if you only need certain tables, or convert the entire document.

3. 3

   Download XLSX File

   Your Excel file downloads instantly. Open in Excel, Google Sheets, or any spreadsheet app.

Common Use Cases

• •Financial reports — Extract data from bank statements, invoices, and annual reports
• •Research data — Pull tables from academic papers and studies
• •Business documents — Convert price lists, inventory reports, and catalogs
• •Government forms — Extract data from official documents and filings

Tips for Better Conversion

• •Use text-based PDFs when possible — They convert more accurately than scanned documents
• •Check for merged cells — Complex table structures may need manual cleanup
• •Verify numbers — Always double-check converted numerical data
• •Handle multi-page tables — Tables spanning pages may need manual merging

Also Available: Excel to PDF

Need to go the other direction? Convert your Excel spreadsheets to PDF format for sharing, printing, or archiving. Preserves formatting and prevents editing.