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9 April 2025  Amanda J. Brook  Senior Product Manager
Last update by James Smith at 10 April 2025

Summary
This article provides a comprehensive guide on importing table data from PDFs into Excel. Additionally, it introduces the use of third-party software, Renee PDF Aide, for more advanced conversions and batch processing.



Table of contents

table iconConvert pdf to excel using Excel
table iconAlternative Tool: Renee PDF Aide for batch conversion
table iconAdditional Considerations
Excel 365 provides a straightforward method for importing data from PDF files directly into an Excel workbook. This guide will walk you through the process of converting a PDF file into an Excel spreadsheet, making it easier to analyze and manipulate the data.

Convert pdf to excel using Excel

Excel introduced the ability to import data directly from PDFs in 2019, as part of the Power Query feature available in Office 365 (now Microsoft 365) and Excel 2019. This functionality allows users to extract data tables from PDFs and load them into Excel for further analysis. This guide will provide a comprehensive step-by-step process to help you convert PDF files to Excel efficiently.

(1) Initiating the Process

To begin converting a PDF file into Excel, follow these steps:
1. Open your Excel workbook.
2. Navigate to the Data tab located at the top of your Excel interface.
3. Click on the Get Data button.
4. From the dropdown menu, select From File and then From PDF.
import table data from pdf files
5. Browse and select the PDF file you want to convert.

(2) Analyzing and Importing Data

Once Excel has analyzed the selected PDF file, it will present several options for data import. Here’s what you need to do:
1. Excel will open the Navigator window, which displays all the tables and pages in the PDF file.
2. Select the table or page you want to import by checking the corresponding box.
select tables in loaded data
3. Click Load to import the selected data into Excel.
loaded result in excel

Alternative Tool: Renee PDF Aide for batch conversion

For those looking for a more versatile and powerful tool, Renee PDF Aide is an excellent choice. Renee PDF Aide is easy to operate and can convert up to 80 pages/min. It supports conversion from PDF to Excel, Word, PowerPoint, ePub, Text, HTML, JPG, TIFF, and more. This software integrates various functions including optimizing, repairing, and encrypting PDF files. Despite its diverse features, the interface is user-friendly and simple. Renee PDF Aide uses advanced OCR technology to convert scanned PDFs and Images into editable formats and supports one-click batch conversion for efficiency, safety, and a free conversion experience.
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Efficient Batch Process dozens of PDF files in seconds

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① After installing Renee PDF Aide, open it. Select “Convert PDF“.
select to convert pdf with renee pdf converter
② Add the PDF files to be converted by clicking the “Add Files” button. The software supports batch conversion, allowing you to import multiple files simultaneously. Once added, the file information will appear in the conversion list. Click the “Selected Pages” list to set the pages for conversion.
add excel files into renee pdf aide
Note: Click Options to set more requirements about the output files.
set more requirements
④ If your PDF file is a scanned copy, please select “Enable OCR” in location 3. If not, skip this step.
how to convert pdf to excel with renee pdf aide
⑤ Click “Convert” button. After conversion, a prompt will display the total number of files converted, as well as the successful ones. The PDF is now converted into an Excel file. To access the result files, click the links in the “Status” column.
pdf to excel convert excel

Additional Considerations

While the process described utilizes Excel’s native capabilities, it is important to note that the success of the conversion depends heavily on the structure of the original PDF file. PDFs containing well-organized tables are more likely to convert accurately compared to those with unstructured or image-based content. For complex PDFs, third-party tools specialized in PDF-to-Excel conversion, such as Renee PDF Aide, may offer enhanced functionality.
Renee PDF Aide – The Ultimate PDF2Excel Conversion Solution! (100 FREE Quota)

Versatile Convert to Word/Excel/PPT/Text/Image/Html/Epub

Secure 100% local conversions ensure zero risk of data leaks

Efficient Batch Process dozens of PDF files in seconds

Comprehensive Seamlessly convert PDFs to Excel, PowerPoint, Text, and more

OCR Support Extract Text from Scanned PDFs, Images & Embedded Fonts

Versatile Effortlessly convert XFA, multi

Secure 100% local conversions ensure zero risk of data leaks

Efficient Batch Process dozens of PDF files in seconds

Free TrialFree TrialNow 1335621 people have obtained the free version!