Skip to content

How to convert PDF to Excel without breaking the tables

By the Fusion Office team · Updated

Quick answer

Open PDF to Excel, choose the PDF and press Convert to Excel. Rows and columns are rebuilt from where the text sits on each page, one worksheet per page. Then convert number columns from text to numbers, remove repeated headers and split any merged columns. Scanned PDFs need OCR PDF first.

Convert step by step

  1. 1Open PDF to Excel and choose a PDF with selectable text.
  2. 2Press Convert to Excel.
  3. 3Open the .xlsx in Excel, Google Sheets or the Excel editor.
  4. 4Check a few rows against the PDF before relying on the data.

Fixing common problems

  • Numbers as text (left-aligned, or a green triangle in Excel): select the column and use Data → Text to Columns → Finish, or the Convert to Number option.
  • Two columns in one: tables without clear gaps between columns can merge. Split them with Text to Columns using spaces or a fixed width.
  • One table across several pages becomes several worksheets: copy the rows into one sheet and delete repeated header rows.
  • Cells that wrapped onto two lines in the PDF may become two rows; join them before sorting.

Tips for better tables

  • PDFs exported from software (reports, invoices, price lists) convert far better than scans.
  • For data you'll import elsewhere, PDF to CSV gives plain values without formatting.
  • Scanned tables need OCR PDF first; check numbers carefully afterwards.

For statements specifically, see How to convert a bank statement PDF to Excel.

Frequently asked questions

Does it keep formatting like colours and borders?

It focuses on getting values into the right cells; formatting such as colours and borders isn't carried over.

Can I convert only one page?

Convert the whole file and use that page's worksheet, or split the page out first with Split PDF.