Get data from file from PDF

Copper Contributor

I am a O365 user.

How can I insert the option Get data/From file/From PDF in the option list? is missing...

 

Thank you in advance,

Rui

16 Replies

@Rui_Coelho 

 

I could be mistaken about this, but I've never seen that option and doubt that it's available. I have seen situations where people have written small programs to extract data from PDF files. But not a simple option in the Get Data menu.

 

For one thing, PDF files can take multiple forms, one of which is to be a simple image of a page of text, which generally isn't even searchable. Even PDF that consists of a searchable/editable text can be tricky. I have found, in one-off situations, that I can use Copy and Paste to take data from a PDF page where it appears as a table and paste it into Excel......so you might try that.

 

I'm happy to be corrected, if there are others here who know better about this topic.

@Rui_Coelho Have a look at this link:

https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/officeupdates/release-notes-office-insider 

Scroll down a bit until you see this:

 

Screenshot 2020-06-07 at 14.46.04.png

If you are on this version (or later), you should find it here:

Screenshot 2020-06-07 at 14.49.11.png

By the way: Windows only!!

@Riny_van_Eekelen 

 

By the way: Windows only!!

 

Ah...that explains why I've never seen it!  :(

@mathetes Consider running W10 virtually on your Mac and find out more about Excel. It costs a few bucks to set it up, but if you have an O365 license left (mine came with 5 users), it's worth it.

@Riny_van_Eekelen 

 

Something to consider, I agree.

 

In general, I'm more than satisfied with what I get in the Mac environment in Excel....especially for my personal needs and what little "advising" I do for others. If I end up getting significantly deeper into things with more people, I may do that. Might even get an inexpensive Windows laptop. I'll leave the true power users to you and the other MVPs.

 

I actually have a few other interests that, in the grand scheme of things, exceed Excel in importance. Believe it or not. Maybe not in fun, but in importance.

@mathetes 

Afraid if significantly deeper, inexpensive Windows laptop won't help, especially if work with Power tools.

@Sergei Baklan 

 

Good to know, Sergei. Thank you....I do like to have powerful computers, so I'll keep that in mind.

@mathetes i am on windows 7 and not getting import from pdf feature on my 365 subscription. could you help me on that 

@tushar1621 

On Windows 7, due to end of it's support, 365 receives only security updates, not functional updates.

Windows 7 end of support and Office 

@Rui_Coelho 

 

You can update to Windows 10 with your W7 key.

So you can get 365 on the version as Mr. Riny_van_Eekelen has described.

If you update to Windows 10 you should also update your PC to at least 8GB RAM and hard drive on SSD, otherwise it will slow down your PC.

 

Or you can download a "preliminary" converter software (which I don't recommend),

many problems could arise.

Files without sensitive data could also be converted online for the time being if this is absolutely necessary.

Here is a link: https://online2pdf.com/en/

 

As already said, there are many ways in Excel that could lead to a solution, but tailor-made solutions sometimes come with additional costs.

 

I hope I could help you a little bit further in your project.

 

 

Nikolino

I know I don't know anything (Socrates)

 

 

 

 

@NikolinoDE 

At least for Office apps I don't think it'll be significant difference in performance between Win7 and Win10 if use the same hardware.

@Sergei Baklan 

In my humble opinion, I can say that it makes a huge difference.

I do hardware updates in four-digit range each year and the difference is significant.

SSD hard drive, more GB of RAM and BIOS with the latest updates really make a huge difference.

In all our office world, we must not forget that many users do not have huge computer power (motherboard, video card, etc.) or the latest processor.

 

I agree with you that it may be that if you only compare Office before and Office after that the difference is not that significant.

 

But, if we are honest with ourselves, which user measures according to such standards?

 

A user measures from the start of his PC until the worksheet appears, before and after.

He does not need a measuring device, he can see the difference with the bare eye.

In some cases (I would rather not name a PC company) it is like day and night.

 

It is obvious that it is not the office alone, but it makes a huge difference, even for the office,

when the user feels like switching from bicycle to motorcycle.

 

We should always keep in mind that Office does not live alone in our PC. Office is a part of our PC world, for some a very small part.

 

Anyway, that's my opinion and my experience ... but what are they worth? ... Because I and everyone else know that I don't know anything, and yet in some cases that can be a lot.

 

Thank you for taking the time to read my comment so far.

 

I wish you a pleasant evening

 

Niko

I know I don't know anything (Socrates)

@NikolinoDE 

I only said that on SAME hardware and for OFFICE apps the difference between Win7 and Win10 is not significant. Thus if you are happy with performance on Win7 it's not necessary to upgrade hardware shifting on Win10.

And so every translator can be seen that he tries to mediate this general intellectual trade and makes the exchange of bills a business. For whatever one may say about the inadequacy of translation, it is and remains one of the most important and worthy business in general world traffic. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749 – 1832) Must understand English better than relying on the software translator Nikolino

I could not find in latest Excel 365 which has been confirmed up to date @Riny_van_Eekelen 

@Kejing_Gu1220 Please see the attached article. Towards the end of it you'll find some fairly recent comments from people asking why they can't see the PDF Connector. From your picture it looks like you are not an MS365 subscriber.

 

https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/t5/excel-blog/announcing-data-import-from-pdf-documents/ba-p/156...