XLS Converter Plugin for Aspose.PDF
How to Convert PDF to Excel (XLS/XLSX/CSV) in .NET

How to Convert PDF to Excel (XLS/XLSX/CSV) in .NET

This article shows how to programmatically convert PDF documents into Microsoft Excel formats (XLS, XLSX, CSV, and more) using the Aspose.PDF XLS Converter for .NET. This enables you to unlock, analyze, and automate data transfer from PDFs into spreadsheets for further processing, reporting, or archival.

Real-World Problem

Exporting tables or structured data from PDFs to Excel manually is labor-intensive and error-prone. Automating this conversion is vital for workflows in finance, reporting, analytics, and compliance where bulk PDF-to-spreadsheet operations are needed.

Solution Overview

Aspose.PDF XLS Converter for .NET lets you:

  • Convert single or multiple PDFs to Excel files (XLSX, XLS, CSV, ODS, XML)
  • Control worksheet structure and formatting
  • Integrate smoothly with C#/.NET projects for scalable automation

Prerequisites

  • Visual Studio 2019 or later
  • .NET 6.0 or later
  • Aspose.PDF for .NET installed via NuGet
PM> Install-Package Aspose.PDF

Step-by-Step Implementation

Step 1: Reference Required Namespaces 

using Aspose.Pdf.Plugins;
using System.IO;

Step 2: Convert a PDF to XLSX 

var inputPath = @"C:\Samples\sample.pdf";
var outputPath = @"C:\Samples\sample.xlsx";

// Use PdfXls (preferred) or XlsConverter – both expose the same conversion core.
var converter = new PdfXls();
var options = new PdfToXlsOptions
{
    Format = PdfToXlsOptions.ExcelFormat.XLSX
};

options.AddInput(new FileDataSource(inputPath));
options.AddOutput(new FileDataSource(outputPath));

// Perform conversion
var result = converter.Process(options);
Console.WriteLine("PDF converted to XLSX: " + outputPath);

Use Cases & Applications (With Code Variations)

1. Export to CSV, XLS, ODS, or XML

Specify the desired output format using the Format property:

options.Format = PdfToXlsOptions.ExcelFormat.CSV;  // For CSV output
// options.Format = PdfToXlsOptions.ExcelFormat.XMLSpreadSheet2003;  // For Excel XML 2003
// options.Format = PdfToXlsOptions.ExcelFormat.ODS;  // For OpenDocument Spreadsheet
// options.Format = PdfToXlsOptions.ExcelFormat.XLSM; // For macro-enabled Excel

See PdfToXlsOptions.ExcelFormat for all supported formats.

2. Batch Convert Multiple PDFs to Excel 

string[] files = Directory.GetFiles(@"C:\Docs\", "*.pdf");
foreach (var file in files)
{
    var outXlsx = Path.ChangeExtension(file, ".xlsx");
    var opts = new PdfToXlsOptions { Format = PdfToXlsOptions.ExcelFormat.XLSX };
    opts.AddInput(new FileDataSource(file));
    opts.AddOutput(new FileDataSource(outXlsx));
    using (var converter = new PdfXls())
    {
        converter.Process(opts);
    }
}

3. Minimize Number of Worksheets

By default, each PDF page becomes a new Excel worksheet. To save all content in a single worksheet:

options.MinimizeTheNumberOfWorksheets = true;

4. Insert a Blank Column at the Start

For certain data import scenarios, you may want to add a blank column as the first column:

options.InsertBlankColumnAtFirst = true;

Best Practices and Tips

  • Preview output to verify table layout and data integrity, especially when using advanced layout options.
  • For large documents, use batch processing to automate bulk conversion efficiently.
  • When converting to CSV, verify delimiters and encoding for downstream compatibility.
  • For highly structured or scanned PDFs, pre-process documents for best results.

Complete Implementation Example 

using Aspose.Pdf.Plugins;
using System;
using System.IO;

class Program
{
    static void Main()
    {
        var inputPath = @"C:\Samples\sample.pdf";
        var outputPath = @"C:\Samples\sample.xlsx";
        var options = new PdfToXlsOptions
        {
            Format = PdfToXlsOptions.ExcelFormat.XLSX,
            MinimizeTheNumberOfWorksheets = true
        };
        options.AddInput(new FileDataSource(inputPath));
        options.AddOutput(new FileDataSource(outputPath));
        using var converter = new PdfXls();
        var result = converter.Process(options);
        Console.WriteLine("PDF converted to Excel successfully!");
    }
}

Conclusion

The Aspose.PDF XLS Converter for .NET enables fast, robust, and flexible PDF-to-Excel (XLS/XLSX/CSV/XML/ODS) automation in C# projects. Unlock data from PDFs, streamline analytics, and integrate spreadsheet workflows—all with a simple, high-performance API. See the full API Reference for more format and option details.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What formats can I export to besides XLSX? A: Supported formats include XLSX, XLSM, CSV, ODS, and Excel 2003 XML. Use the Format property to select.

Q: How can I save all PDF content into a single worksheet? A: Set MinimizeTheNumberOfWorksheets = true on your PdfToXlsOptions.

Q: Where can I find more examples or get support? A: See the official Aspose.PDF documentation, API Reference, or contact support for advanced scenarios.

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