The tool analyzes a PDF document, finds tabular data within it, and converts it into the classic Microsoft Excel spreadsheet format. The output is an XLS file where rows and columns are recreated based on the structure of the source table, allowing you to immediately start calculations, sorting, and data filtering.
When this is useful
An accountant receives an invoice from a counterparty as a PDF file and needs to transfer all line items into their accounting system. Conversion to XLS allows for quick export of the tabular section and avoids manual entry of dozens of rows. Another situation: a marketer downloaded a PDF report with sales analytics and wants to build summary charts in Excel based on it, which becomes possible immediately after conversion.
Step-by-step instructions
- Upload the PDF file containing one or more tables using the selection button on the tool's page.
- Wait for the upload to complete, which may take some time for large documents.
- If additional settings are available, such as specifying particular pages, you can set them.
- Start the conversion process and wait for a notification of its completion.
- Download the finished XLS file to your computer.
How to verify the result
Open the resulting XLS file and first ensure that numbers were recognized as numbers, not as text, otherwise formulas will not work. Check whether adjacent cells have merged by mistake and whether column boundaries have been determined correctly. If the source table in the PDF was scanned as an image, the tool will not be able to extract data from it, as it lacks a text recognition function.
Important limitations
It should be understood that the conversion does not transfer formulas that may have been in the source PDF, as a PDF typically stores only the result of calculations, not the expressions themselves. Complex formatting, such as merged cells, color fills, and border styles, may be transferred only partially or not at all. The tool is optimized for extracting raw data, not for exact visual copying.