You have been there. You are looking at a complex workbook with some hidden rows /columns. You want to know what is in that hidden cells. Alas, the worksheet is protected.
It is like the special coffee machine on top floor reserved for senior executives. You know it is there, but you cannot get to it. Now what?!?
Simple. Follow this process.
(I am talking about hidden cells, not the coffee machine.)
If the worksheet is not protected:
- Select a few rows including the hidden rows (or do the same for columns)
- Right click
- Unhide.
If the worksheet is protected and you don’t know the password:
- Note the address of the hidden cell you want to expose.
- Go to name box (it is beside the formula bar)
- Type the cell address
- Press enter.
- The hidden cell’s value (or formula) will be displayed in formula bar.
See this demo to understand.
How to copy protected / hidden ranges?
If your worksheet has a bunch of ranges that are hidden (and protected), then you may not be able to select them. So how to copy such ranges?
Simple. Just follow above process and then,
- Instead of entering a single cell address, enter the entire range address.
- Press enter
- Now press CTRL+C to copy.
- Go to a blank sheet, paste. (If you paste at the same location as copied cells, then all the formula references will remain too!)
- Done!
Isn’t there way to protect a cell’s dignity?
Unfortunately, Excel is not a fort. It is more like a sandbox. Everyone is welcome to mess with it. So if you want to keep your secrets, find a database or vault. For the rest, rely on Excel.
Now back to that coffee machine
I am not sure if there is a way cheat the coffee machine. But there is a legitimate way to get there. That is to be awesome in your work. And you are already half-way there. So all the best.
Our Excel quick tips go great with all sorts of coffee and tea. Read, sip & repeat.
7 Responses to “Extract data from PDF to Excel – Step by Step Tutorial”
Dear Chandoo,
Thank you very much for this and it is very helpful.
However, all the Credit Card Statements are now password protected.
Please advise how can we have a workaround for that
Hello sir,
How to check two names are present in the same column ?
Thanks and Regards
Hi, Thank you for the great tip. One problem, when I click on get data >> from file, I don't see the PDF source option. How can I add it?
I tried to add it from Quick Access toolbar >>> Data Tab, but again the PDF option is not listed there.
I am using Office 365
Hi, Thank you for your video. I see you used the composite table, but I when I load my pdf, it does not load any composite table. It has 20 tables and 4 pages for one bank statement. I have about 30 bank statements that I want to combine. Your video would work except that I can't get the composite table and each of the tables I do get or the pages does not have all the info. what to do?
Dear Chandoo,
How do we select multiple amount of tables/pages in one PDF and repeat the same for rest of the PDF;s in the same folder and then extract that data only on power query.
Thank you
Hi, Thank you for your video. I see you used the composite table, but I when I load my pdf, it does not load any composite table. It has 20 tables and 4 pages for one bank statement. I have about 30 bank statements that I want to combine. nice share
One bank statement takes up 20 tables and four pages in this document. I need to consolidate roughly thirty different bank statements that I have. Your video would be useful if I could only get the composite table, which I can't for some reason, and each of the tables or pages that I can get is missing some information.