Free Practice WorkbookInserting a PDF into Microsoft Excel can be a useful way to add external documents directly into your spreadsheet. It allows you to view or access the document without leaving the Excel environment. In this article, you will learn how to insert a PDF into Excel.
Key Takeaways:
- Inserting PDFs into Excel will allow you to access all related documents in one place.
- It eliminates the need to switch between applications.
- Use the Insert function to add PDFs as objects.
- Consolidates documents for better data management and presentation.
- You can choose to embed the entire PDF or insert a hyperlink.
Table of Contents
The Need for PDF Integration in Excel
Integrating PDFs into Excel is akin to fitting an informational puzzle together perfectly; it creates a unified picture that makes your data more comprehensive and accessible. If you often find yourself toggling between spreadsheets and detailed documents, the ability to embed those PDFs can save you significant time and streamline your workflow.
By keeping all related files in one place, you eliminate the constant back and forth and maintain a clear trail of where and when your files originated.
Top 2 Methods to Insert PDF into Excel
Method 1: Embed as Object
STEP 1: Click on the cell where you want to embed the PDF.
STEP 2: Go to the Insert tab > Object.
STEP 3: In the Object dialog box, select the Create from File tab. Click Browse to locate your PDF file.
STEP 4: You can check the Display as icon box if you prefer the PDF to appear as an icon rather than the document’s first page.
STEP 5: Click OK to insert the PDF.
The PDF will now be inserted as an object inside your Excel Workbook. You can resize and position the PDF object as necessary within the spreadsheet.
Method 2: Link to a PDF
Another method is to link to a PDF file, which can be useful if you need the most updated version of the PDF to be accessible from the Excel document.
STEP 1: Click on the cell where you want the hyperlink to be placed.
STEP 2: Navigate to the Insert tab. Click on Link in the Links group.
STEP 3: In the Insert Hyperlink dialog box, click on Existing File or Web Page.
STEP 4: Browse to the location of your PDF file and select it. Click OK to insert the hyperlink.
The link to the PDF document will be inserted into Excel.
FAQs
How to paste from a PDF to Excel?
To paste content from a PDF to Excel, follow the steps below:
- Open the PDF
- Select the text or table you want to copy
- Right-click and select copy
- Go to Excel
- Right-click on the cell where you want the data to appear
- Select Paste.
How do you insert a PDF into Excel without losing quality?
To insert a PDF into Excel without losing quality, embed it as an object. When you insert it as an object, Excel creates a link to the PDF file.
How to convert the PDF into image formats?
- Open the file
- Look for an option to ‘Export’ or ‘Convert’ the PDF
- Select the image format you require.
- Save the converted image to your desired location to then insert into Excel.
How to open a PDF file from Excel?
To open a PDF file directly from Excel, you can insert a hyperlink to the PDF or attach the PDF as an object.
Does inserting a PDF increase file size?
Yes, embedding a PDF can make the Excel file larger.
John Michaloudis is a former accountant and finance analyst at General Electric, a Microsoft MVP since 2020, an Amazon #1 bestselling author of 4 Microsoft Excel books and teacher of Microsoft Excel & Office over at his flagship MyExcelOnline Academy Online Course.
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