PDF to Excel: Extract Tables into XLSX

Detect the tables in a PDF from the positions of its text, preview each table, and save them as an XLSX workbook with one sheet per table or per page. Works on PDFs that contain real text, such as exports from accounting software.

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PDF

Overview

What is PDF to Excel?

PDF to Excel finds the tables in a PDF and writes them into an XLSX workbook, one cell per value. It is built for reports, statements, invoices and price lists that were exported to PDF from another program.

A PDF does not store tables as tables. It stores pieces of text and the exact spot on the page where each one is drawn. This tool reads those positions, groups text that shares a baseline into rows, and finds columns by looking for vertical gaps that stay empty all the way down the table. Paragraphs above and below a table are left out.

How it works

How to convert a PDF table to Excel

  1. Open the PDF

    Tables are detected straight away, and the page rail shows how many each page has.

  2. Check the preview

    Step through the tables. Right-aligned cells will be stored as numbers.

  3. Choose the layout

    One sheet per table, one per page, or everything on a single sheet. Set the decimal style if the PDF uses 1.234,56.

  4. Download the XLSX

    Open it in Excel, LibreOffice Calc, Numbers or Google Sheets.

Examples

Examples: how values land in Excel

Each value is checked before it is written, so numbers can be summed and identifiers keep their exact form.

Text in the PDF Stored in Excel as Why
1,250.00Number 1250, shown as 1,250.00Thousands separator and two decimals recognized
(45.00)Number −45Accounting-style negative
12.5%Number 0.125, percent formatPercent sign
00421Text "00421"Leading zero means an identifier
4111111111111111TextMore than 15 digits would be rounded by Excel
+44 20 7946 0958TextPhone number
2026-01-05TextKept exactly; convert to a date in Excel if needed

Detection

What counts as a table

A table needs at least two rows where text sits in two or more aligned columns. Rows that follow each other with normal line spacing are kept together. A large vertical gap, or a full-width paragraph, ends the table.

Columns are found from the whole table at once, not row by row. A blank cell in one row does not shift the rest of that row to the left, because the column edges come from the other rows.

Detected
Reports and statements exported from accounting, ERP and banking systems; tables in Word or Excel files saved as PDF.
Partly detected
Cells whose text wraps onto two lines; tables with merged header cells.
Not detected
Scans and photos (run OCR first), charts, and tables drawn as images.

Use cases

Use cases for extracting PDF tables

Bank and card statements

Many banks only offer monthly statements as PDF. Pull out the transaction list to filter, categorize and total it.

statement.pdfPage 1 … Page 4 sheets

Supplier price lists

Compare prices across suppliers in one spreadsheet, with SKU codes kept exactly as printed.

SKU 00087"00087" (text)

Published reports

Reuse a financial table from an annual report or a government statistics release without retyping figures.

12,004.75=SUM() ready

Tips

Tips for cleaner results

  • Limit the page range to the pages with tables. This skips cover pages and notes.
  • Use "One per page" for statements where one table continues across pages, then combine the sheets in Excel.
  • Switch the number format to 1.234,56 for German, French, Spanish or Brazilian documents.
  • For a scanned PDF, run OCR PDF first. Expect to check the numbers carefully afterwards.

Limitations

Limitations

Merged and wrapped cells

Ruling lines are not read. A header cell that spans two columns lands in one of them, and text that wraps inside a cell may become an extra row.

Scanned PDFs

Scans have no text positions. They need OCR first, and OCR mistakes carry over into the cells.

Formatting

Colours, borders and fonts from the PDF are not copied. The header row is made bold and column widths are set from the content.

Rotated text

Only horizontal text is read. Vertical column labels are skipped.

Privacy

Privacy

Table detection and the XLSX file are both produced in your browser. The PDF is not sent to TryFormatter, which matters for statements and invoices.

Related tools

Related tools

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does my account number keep its leading zeros?

Values that start with 0, like 00421, are treated as identifiers and stored as text. Excel would otherwise turn them into the number 421. Values longer than 15 digits are also kept as text, because Excel rounds anything beyond 15 significant digits.

Can it convert a scanned PDF to Excel?

Not directly. A scan is an image with no text positions. Run OCR PDF first to add a text layer, then open the result here. OCR errors carry over into the cells, so check the numbers.

Why did one table become two, or a column split in half?

Columns are found from gaps in the text. A long value that crosses into the next column, or a wrapped cell, can confuse that. Try a narrower page range, then fix the few affected cells in Excel.

Are formulas created in the spreadsheet?

No. A PDF only contains the printed results, so the workbook holds the values. Numbers are typed as numbers, so SUM, AVERAGE and other formulas work on them straight away.

What if my PDF uses commas as the decimal separator?

Choose the 1.234,56 number format before downloading. Values like 1.250,75 are then read as 1250.75 instead of being kept as text.

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