Inserting PDF into Excel as a PDF document showing unreadable PDF when embeded

Colin Sachs 40

I'm trying to embed a PDF document (not import data) into Excel and no matter how I try to do it using INSERT > TEXT > OBJECT, the imported document is unreadable - it shows up with all the text fuzzy. Should also add that it is only importing the 1st page of the document as well, rather than the whole PDF.

Any ideas on why that might be?

Colin Sachs 40 Reputation points

2024-10-08T21:29:54.64+00:00

Fall back would be to convert PDF to image, but that creates multiple images (1 per page) that isn't ideal. But would work.

1 answer

Emi Zhang-MSFT 25,631 Reputation points Microsoft Vendor

2024-10-09T08:03:27.7133333+00:00

Hi,

I suggest you try to use Power Query to insert the PDF:

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/office/import-data-from-data-sources-power-query-be4330b3-5356-486c-a168-b68e9e616f5a

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Colin Sachs 40 Reputation points

2024-10-11T21:01:26.82+00:00

Thanks, I am aware of this functionality. However, I don't want/need to import the "data" in the PDF into Excel so much as include the actual PDF in Excel.

The reason for this is that I do requests for financial adjustments within a finance system when coding errors are discovered, and the accounting office has a workbook they use to facilitate this and they want supporting documents to accompany it. Rather than submit multiple documents that they then have to save somewhere together if needed for an audit, I've been trying to include such supporting documents within the Excel workbook itself. I've manage do to this in the past where the PDFs show up just fine (using Insert > Object > Object Type > Adobe Acrobat Document), but this time (since an upgrade to Adobe Acrobat), the PDF shows up unreadable with the text all blurry and, even then, only the first page of the PDF.
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Inserting PDF into Excel as a PDF document showing unreadable PDF when embeded

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