Extract Data from PDF to Excel: Best Tools and Techniques

Extracting data from a PDF to Excel (XLSX format) is something many professionals require when working with detailed records, reports, or lists. While PDFs are great for maintaining the structure of a document, they’re not built for editing or quick data handling. Transferring the information into Excel makes it easier to organize, analyze, and share. In this blog, we’ll see different methods and a trusted PDF Extractor Tool that helps to extract data from PDF to Excel with accuracy.

Whether you’re working with financial data, research material, or inventory sheets. These techniques will make the process easy and save a lot of time.

Benefits We Get from Extracting Data From PDF into Excel

Excel makes it easy to sort, filter, calculate, and reformat data. When you transfer data from a PDF into Excel, it becomes much easier to work with day to day. You can make reports, do quick calculations, or make updates without having to recreate everything from the beginning.

Here are some situations where converting PDF data to Excel can be very helpful to a user:

• It helps in reviewing financial reports or audit statements.
• helps in maintaining organized sales figures or inventory lists.
• You can easily update employee or client information in Excel.
• Easily worked with research data and also maintained survey responses.
• Also used to summarize the data and to restructure poorly formatted tables.

Best Approaches to Extract Data From PDF to Excel

Extracting data from a PDF into Excel can be done in various ways. You can use manual methods or smart automated tools. Manual methods are time-consuming, while the tool does it in one go. Let’s explore what works best for you.

Manual Methods to Extract Data From Multiple PDF Files to Excel

If you're dealing with just a few PDF files, manual methods can do the work without needing any extra tools. These approaches are useful for basic tasks like copying tables, extracting form data, or using Excel’s built-in features. Let's see:

Method 1: Extract Data From PDF Form to Excel Using Adobe Acrobat

If you have access to Adobe Acrobat Pro DC, it’s one of the most trustworthy tool to convert PDF data into Excel format. When dealing with structured tables or forms.

Steps can be taken as:

1. Firstly, open your PDF file in Adobe Acrobat Pro DC.
2. Then, go to the top menu and select Tools > Export PDF.
3. After that, under export options, choose Spreadsheet and select Microsoft Excel Workbook.
4. Further, select a location on your system and hit Save.
5. Lastly, Acrobat will process the file and create an Excel sheet with the extracted content.

Note: This feature is only available with a paid Adobe Acrobat Pro subscription.

Method 2: Excel Built-in Feature to Extract Data From PDF to Excel

Microsoft has added a helpful feature in Excel 365 and Excel 2021 that helps you transfer data directly from a PDF file. It is quick, clean, and effective.

Here’s how it works:

1. Firstly, start Excel and start a new or existing workbook.
2. After that, navigate to the Data tab at the top.
3. Further, select Get Data, then choose From File->PDF.
4. Later, select your PDF file and select Import.
5. To proceed, in the Navigator window, select the table or data you want to import.
6. Next, select Load to bring the data into Excel.
7. Lastly, adjust and format the data if needed.

Note: This method is best for PDFs that contain clearly defined tables.

Method 3: Extract Data From PDF to Excel Using Copy and Paste

If your PDF has a small table or just a few lines of clean data, the simplest way is to copy and paste. It’s quick, doesn’t need any tools.

Steps to be followed as:

1. Initially, open the PDF file using any viewer like Adobe Reader, Chrome, or Edge.
2. Afterward, select the table or text you want to copy.
3. Further, Right-click and choose Copy or press Ctrl + C.
4. Later, start Excel and select the cell where you want to paste.
5. Finally, Right-click and choose Paste or press Ctrl + V.

Note: This method may require some manual formatting, especially if the columns don't align properly.

Limitations of Manual Methods 

Manual methods work fine with the smaller files. But as things get complex, these methods fall short and do not work properly:

• These methods take a lot of time when dealing with many files.
• Tables usually don’t convert properly, so there is a chance of losing data.
• It doesn’t work well with scanned PDFs
• After exporting data, you may need to fix the structure or formatting  for every file
• While performing methods, it's Easy to make small mistakes.

Professional Method to Extract Data From PDF to Excel

When manual methods are not able to work, or you're dealing with multiple files. The SysInfo PDF Extractor Tool provides a faster way to extract data from a PDF to Excel. This tool is built to make your work easy and helps you convert one or many PDF files into Excel format without losing any tables or structure. 

It extracts images, text, and tabular data easily from PDF files and gives you the feature to preview everything before transfer. The tool supports multiple processing, which makes it ideal for large volumes of data. Additionally, it's also compatible with all major Windows versions and doesn’t require any technical knowledge.

Now, follow the steps to complete the process:

1. Firstly, install the SysInfo PDF Extractor on your computer.
2. After that, start it and select Add Files to upload your PDF.
3. Further, preview the content to confirm the right file is selected.
4. To proceed, select Excel (XLS/XLSX) as the output format and apply needed filters.
5. Lastly, select the Extract button to extract the data into Excel.

Conclusion

To conclude, you get multiple methods to extract data from PDF to Excel, each with its advantages and limitations. For easy, secure, or complex PDF data extraction tasks, the PDF Extraction Tool provides the most effective solution. It can manage complex formatting and data structures better than any online tool or Adobe Acrobat. Also, select the method that suits your workflow and make your data more accessible. Although expert recommends using the automated tool.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q. Does Excel have a built-in option to import data from PDF files?

Ans- Yes, if you're using Excel 365 or Excel 2021, there's a Get Data from PDF option under the Data tab that helps you to import your data directly.

Q. Is it possible to convert multiple PDF files to Excel at once?

Ans- Absolutely. Tools like the PDF Converter allow multiple conversions to save time and effort. It also helps to maintain the formatting and structure of the document.