How to Create an Excel Spreadsheet from a PDF File

Written by Jack Lloyd

Last Updated: February 7, 2022 Tested

This wikiHow teaches you how to turn a PDF file into a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet. You can do this for free by using an online converter, or you can use Adobe Acrobat's "Export PDF" feature if you have the full, paid version of Adobe Acrobat Pro.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Using CometDocs

1
Open the CometDocs web app. Go to https://www.cometdocs.com/file/manager in your browser.
- You'll most likely be prompted to take a tutorial. You can click Skip on both tutorial windows to skip the tutorial.
It's a green button in the upper-left side of the page. A File Explorer (Windows) or Finder (Mac) window will open.
3
Select your PDF. Locate the PDF file that you want to convert and select it.
- You can change file locations by clicking a folder name on the left side of the window.
It's in the bottom-right corner of the window. This will upload the PDF to the CometDocs web app. You should see the PDF's icon in the upper-left side of the web app window.
This tab is at the bottom of the window.
Click and drag the PDF's icon onto the "Convert" window, then release the mouse to drop it there. A window will open to the right of the "Convert" window.
It's the green icon in the window to the right of the "Convert" window.
8
Enter your email address. Type a working email address into the text field on the right side of the page. This is where you'll receive the converted PDF, so make sure that you have access to this email address.
- CometDocs won't spam you, but make sure that you keep the "I'd like to receive more information about PDF news, tips, and offers" box unchecked if you don't want to receive any emails from them.
9
Click Convert. It's a green button below the email address field. Doing so will prompt CometDocs to send the converted file to your email address.
- The document may take a few moments to convert, so there's no rush.
Go to the website for the email address that you entered on CometDocs and log in if necessary.
11
Open your file's email. Click on the "Your file is ready for download" email from the "Cometdocs" sender.
- Again, it may take a few minutes for this email to show up. If you don't see it after about 10 minutes, check the Spam or Junk folder.
You'll find it below the "Your file (name) has been successfully converted and may be downloaded from the link below:" text in the middle of the email. Doing so takes you to your file's download page.
It's the green button in the middle of the page. Doing so will prompt your Excel document to download onto your computer. You can now open the converted PDF in Excel by double-clicking the downloaded Excel document.

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Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Using Adobe Acrobat

1
Make sure that you have the paid version of Adobe Acrobat. The Adobe Acrobat Reader app that most people have can open PDFs, but not export them; you must have the paid version of Adobe Acrobat in order to convert PDFs into other documents.
- You can also download a free trial of Adobe Acrobat from Adobe's download page to temporarily use these features for free.
2
Open your PDF in Adobe Acrobat. If Adobe Acrobat is your computer's default PDF reader, just double-click the PDF that you want to open.
- If Adobe Acrobat isn't your computer's default PDF reader, open Adobe Acrobat, click File, click Open..., select your PDF, and click Open.
It's on the right side of the window. Clicking this prompts the "Export PDF" section to open on this side of the window.
This option is at the bottom of the "Export PDF" section. A drop-down menu will appear.
It's in the drop-down menu.
It's a blue button below the "Export PDF" section. Doing so will prompt a File Explorer (Windows) or Finder (Mac) window to open.
7
Select a save location. Click a folder to which you want to save the converted file. You'll do this on the left side of the window.
- On a Mac, click the Where drop-down box and then click a location.
- You can also rename the file on this page.
It's at the bottom of the window. This saves the converted PDF file in your selected file location. You can open it in Excel by double-clicking it.

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