Switching between PDF and Excel formats is a common task in many professional settings, from finance to research.
Whether you need to extract data from a document to analyze it in Excel or convert an Excel spreadsheet to a PDF for sharing and presentation, mastering this skill can greatly enhance your productivity.
Continue reading this article to learn a free online way of how to convert a PDF document to an Excel spreadsheet and vice versa. This will help you alternate between the two file formats quickly and easily.
How to save an Excel file as a PDF and convert the PDF back to Excel for free?
Converting PDF to Excel
Whether you're dealing with financial reports, customer lists, or other structured data, the ability to change a PDF to an Excel file can save significant time and effort.
However, this process can sometimes be complex and frustrating, especially when dealing with long documents or intricate data layouts.
Below you will find a description of how to easily convert PDF to Excel completely free:
- Open the PDF to Excel converter.
- Upload the desired document. Drag and drop it into your browser or use the "+ Add File" button.
- The PDF to XLS conversion will start after you click the appropriate button. The service will then inform you that the operation was completed successfully.
- Download your new worksheet file, share it via a link, or upload it to cloud storage accounts.
In just a few clicks, you get full access to edit and manipulate the data to further create a visual representation of the numbers. After you change PDF to Excel, you can quickly create reports from the figures.
Converting Excel to PDF
Once you finish working with the spreadsheet, you may want to send it to others for review. To ensure that all of the formatting and formulas remain intact, convert your Excel document to PDF.
Read the following instructions to change XLS or XLSX to PDF:
- Head over to the Excel to PDF converter.
- Upload the spreadsheet into the converter with the "+ Add File" button. You may also do so by dragging and dropping it into the window.
- Use the "Convert to PDF" button to start the Excel to PDF processing. Save the resulting file when finished.
Now that you converted your XLSX or XLS to PDF, you can rest assured that none of your hard work will be lost or corrupted in the transfer process.
You can also be sure that any images or charts included in your document will look just as good on a different computer as they do on yours.
Additional tools
After you save Excel as a PDF, you may choose to continue working with the new file on the website.
For instance, you can merge PDF files to add your table to another existing document. Or, add a watermark to a PDF to protect your data from being used without proper credits.
Advantages of using PDF Candy to convert PDF to Excel and vice versa
- Fast operation regardless of the device characteristics.
- No need to install a third-party application on your device.
- All you need to use the service to convert to export PDF to Excel is a stable internet connection.
- Works on any browser - Safari, Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, and others.
- Compatible with all operating systems, including iOS and Android.
- 46 additional useful PDF editing features on the same website.
PDF vs Excel
When deciding whether you need to convert XLSX to PDF or export a PDF to Excel, consider what you want from a document when working with it.
| Parameter | Excel | |
|---|---|---|
| Format Description | Portable Document Format (PDF) is a file type used to present documents independently of software, hardware, or operating systems. | The default file format for Microsoft Excel, which is a spreadsheet program used to create grids of text, numbers, and formulas. |
| Developer | Adobe Systems | Microsoft Corporation |
| File Extension | .xls, .xlsx | |
| File Type | Document | Spreadsheet |
| Purpose | To display documents in a manner independent of application software, hardware, and operating systems. | To organize, analyze, and store data in tabular form. |
| Typical Use Cases | E-books, manuals, application forms, scanned documents. | Financial analysis, data entry, complex calculations, and visualization. |
| Editing Capability | Primarily designed for viewing. | Extensive; designed for data manipulation and analysis. |
| Data Representation | Text, images, and vector graphics. | Cells arranged in rows and columns, containing text, numbers, and formulas. |
| Security Features | Password protection, encryption, digital signatures. | Password protection, encryption, cell protection. |
| Integration | Can be embedded in other documents and viewed on various devices. | Integrated with other Microsoft Office applications, supports VBA for automation. |
| Accessibility | Can be read on almost any device with a PDF reader. | Requires Microsoft Excel or compatible software for full functionality. |
| File Size | Typically smaller; designed for compact document presentation. | Can vary widely; size depends on the amount and complexity of data and formulas. |
| Compatibility | Universally compatible across different platforms. | Primarily compatible with Microsoft Office Suite, limited compatibility with other software. |
| Data Analysis Tools | Limited; primarily for viewing and presenting information. | Extensive; includes functions, pivot tables, charts, and more for data analysis. |
| Interactive Elements | Hyperlinks, form fields, buttons. | Formulas, interactive charts, macros (VBA). |
| Printing | Designed to maintain layout and formatting. | Printing can be customized but may require adjustments to maintain the layout. |
Reasons to convert PDF to Excel spreadsheet
PDFs are a great way to store and share data, but converting PDF to Excel makes the files much more useful. Here are some key reasons why you should consider using a PDF-to-Excel converter:
Automation
You can automate processes such as data entry by changing PDF to Excel. This speeds up the process and reduces the chance of human errors.
Also, many calculations are done with Excel's formulas that can be applied to multiple columns or rows simultaneously. Hence, switching your PDF to XLSX will be beneficial in this case.
Data visualization
As mentioned previously in the article, when you need to present data analytics in the form of graphs, charts, and reports, Excel is the best tool to do so. Hence, you should choose to export PDF to Excel to perform this task.
The outlined reasons make learning ways of converting PDF to Excel an attractive option for anyone who wants to make the most of their data.
Reasons to convert Excel to PDF
Do you need to circulate your Excel documents among colleagues or clients, but don't want them to modify the data?
Converting your Excel files to PDF is an excellent solution to ensure the security of your workbook and prevent any changes. The following are some of the major advantages of using an Excel-to-PDF converter:
Print-friendly format
PDFs are designed for printing. So, when you convert XLSX to PDF, it becomes much easier to print out the document. You will not worry about formatting issues or text disappearing.
It also ensures that everyone who prints out the document will get a consistent result, no matter what printer they are using.
Easier to share
Sharing an Excel document can be cumbersome, as the recipient needs software that supports this file type to open it. However, if you convert your Excel file to a PDF, anyone can open the document without needing extra programs.
This makes it much easier for you to share your work with colleagues and clients.
Security
PDF documents provide greater security than Excel files. When you transform XLSX to PDF, you can set a password to PDF. It prevents unauthorized users from accessing the information in the document.
Preserves formatting
One of the main reasons for converting Excel to PDF is to save the original formatting of the document. As mentioned before, to avoid data loss, consider exporting your Excel worksheet as a PDF. You will be sure that all the data looks the way you designed it to.
In general, using an XLSX to PDF converter can bring numerous benefits when exchanging documents with colleagues and clients. This format makes it more secure and easier for others to access.
Moreover, it also helps preserve all of your hard work by keeping everything intact during the conversion process.
Conclusion
In this article, we described how to save Excel as a PDF and how you can quickly convert a PDF to Excel. Both converting options are available online and for free!
Accountants, students, and teachers, as well as ordinary users, may need Excel to PDF and PDF to Excel converters. The conversion is done in a few easy steps regardless of the device and operating system installed.
If you work with documents on a regular basis, you may find these PDF tools useful:
- Compress a PDF for easier sharing
- Add page numbers to PDF to facilitate quicker information finding
- Sign PDF to approve changes
