How to Fix Power Query Not Detecting Tables in PDFs and Images with WPS Office
Question details
User needs to import a table from a PDF or image into Power Query, but Power Query cannot detect the table because the source is scanned, image-based, or has a non-standard layout.
- Product
- WPS Spreadsheets / Power Query
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- User is trying to use Power Query to import a table from a PDF or image for analysis.
- Observed behavior
- Power Query does not list or detect any table, especially when the PDF contains scanned pages or images.
Check whether the PDF contains selectable text by dragging over it, and confirm whether the page was scanned or saved as a flat image. This tells you whether OCR conversion is required before import.
Convert Scanned PDF or Image to Searchable Excel with WPS Office Before Importing
Use this when the PDF is scanned, image-based, or has an unusual layout; OCR conversion creates a structured .xlsx table Power Query can detect reliably.
Power Query's PDF and image connectors are designed for text-based PDFs with recognizable table structures. A scanned page or flat image usually does not expose any table to Power Query, so OCR must happen first.
Launch WPS Office, click the 'Tools' tab, and select 'PDF to Excel'. If the source is a JPG or PNG image, open it in WPS Office and choose the same converter.
Click 'Add PDF files' or drag the scanned PDF/image into the converter, select the OCR option for scanned pages, and choose the destination folder.
Click 'Convert' and open the generated .xlsx file in WPS Spreadsheets or Microsoft Excel.
In Excel, go to Data > Get Data > From File > From Workbook, select the converted .xlsx file, and choose the table in Power Query Navigator.
Re-export the PDF with Text from the Original Author
Use this when the PDF itself is text-based but still not detected, or when you can obtain a higher-quality source file.
Convert Scanned PDFs and Images to Excel with WPS Office Before Using Power Query
WPS Office can OCR scanned PDFs and images and convert the detected tables into an .xlsx workbook. After conversion, the table is available for Power Query, Excel, or WPS Spreadsheets without relying on the PDF connector's table detection.
- 1. Open the PDF to Excel tool: In WPS Office, go to the 'Tools' tab and select 'PDF to Excel', then add the PDF or image file.
- 2. Enable OCR for scanned pages: Choose the OCR option when the source is scanned or image-based, select the page range, and start the conversion.
- 3. Open the converted workbook: Open the generated .xlsx file in WPS Spreadsheets or Microsoft Excel and verify that the table data appears in cells.
- 4. Load the workbook in Power Query: In Excel, click Data > Get Data > From File > From Workbook, select the converted .xlsx file, and choose the table from the Navigator.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does Power Query fail to detect tables in a PDF?
Power Query's PDF connector works best with selectable text and recognizable table structures. Scanned pages, image-based PDFs, or unusual layouts usually do not expose any table to Power Query.
Can WPS Office convert a scanned PDF to Excel for Power Query?
Yes, open the PDF in WPS Office, use the PDF to Excel tool under the Tools tab, and enable OCR for scanned pages. The converted .xlsx workbook can then be imported into Power Query through Data > Get Data > From File > From Workbook.
Does a JPG image provide structured data that Power Query can recognize?
No, a JPG or PNG image alone usually does not provide structured table data. Convert the image using OCR to an Excel workbook first, then import that workbook into Power Query.
Can I import an image table directly into Power Query?
Power Query does not extract a table directly from an image file. Run OCR conversion with WPS Office PDF to Excel or another OCR tool to create a searchable .xlsx file before importing.
