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5 July 2023  Amanda J. Brook  Senior Product Manager
Last update by Olivia Brown at 7 May 2024

Summary
Learn how to extract data from pdf files for office work or reading e-books. Discover effective methods in our informative article.



I. Use screenshots to obtain target data

To rapidly acquire particular details from a PDF document, utilizing the screenshot feature is an efficient approach, as all computers come equipped with intrinsic screenshot utilities. Nonetheless, a significant drawback is that the attained data is in an image state, which precludes direct modification. This necessitates manual input for structuring, thereby amplifying the workload and extending the duration necessary for ensuing data administration.
screenshot tool
Using screenshots to obtain target data will make us encounter some difficulties in sorting and editing data later. So is there any way to edit the obtained data directly?

II. Convert PDF document format to obtain target data

To edit a PDF, simply convert it into an editable format such as Word or Excel. This can be achieved through specialized conversion software or by taking advantage of online conversion services. Below are the detailed steps for both approaches:

(1) Use Renee PDF Aide to convert the document format to obtain the target data

Many users prefer leveraging a software solution to convert PDF files into editable formats. A professional tool for this task is Renee PDF Aide. This guide aims to detail the process of using the software for efficient PDF document conversion.
What is Renee PDF Aide?
Renee PDF Aide, a professional PDF converter, supports conversion to/from Word, Excel, PPT, EPUB, TXT, HTML, and includes image to PDF conversion. It features advanced OCR for high accuracy in PDF conversions. Beyond format conversion, it offers PDF repair, optimization, splitting, merging, encryption, decryption, and watermarking. The following outlines the steps for converting to Excel as an example.
1. Download and install Renee PDF Aide.
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2. After the installation is complete, run the software and select the “Convert PDF” option on the interface.
select to convert pdf with renee pdf converter
3. In the new pop-up interface, click “Add Files” to load the PDF file to be edited. After loading the file, select the document format to be output, here select (Excel).
4. You can also choose (enable OCR) mode when converting. In OCR mode, we need to select the OCR language corresponding to the document, which can greatly improve the character recognition rate.
how to convert pdf to excel with renee pdf aide
5. Select the save location of the output file, and click (Convert) after the selection is completed.
how to edit a chart in pdf with renee pdf aide
6. After the conversion is completed, you only need to find the file you just saved, and then edit and obtain the target data in the Excel document.
TipsSelect the appropriate document format for conversion based on requirements. Convert to a Word document for text, an Excel document for tables, and a Text document to extract only text from a PDF, excluding images.

(2) Use an online website to convert PDF files to obtain data

Besides employing software to transform PDFs into Excel files, online platforms such as Smallpdf provide a user-friendly alternative for PDF conversion. (The following instructions exemplify the process of converting to Excel).
1. Use a browser to open the URL of the website. (Web site address: https://smallpdf.com/pdf-converter)
2. After entering the website, click (Choose Files) to upload the PDF file that needs to be converted. ­
smallpdf
3. After the file is uploaded to the website, select the file format we need to output (Excel), wait for the conversion to complete, and download the converted file locally to obtain the target data in the file.
Online conversion websites depend on network speed for uploading and conversion. Slow speeds can lead to operation or download failures. Also, uploading files to servers poses a data leakage risk. Therefore, use this method in a stable network environment and with non-confidential files.

III. Summary

To extract data from a PDF, you can either take screenshots for uneditable retention or convert the PDF into an editable format such as Word, Excel, or Text, depending on your preferences and needs.