Introduction

The PDF format has become a standard for document sharing, and it is widely used by individuals and businesses alike. However, sometimes there is a need to extract data from a PDF form and use it in another application. This is where the FDF format comes in. In this article, we will discuss how to convert a PDF to FDF.

What is FDF?

FDF stands for Forms Data Format. It is a file format used for importing and exporting form data to and from PDF documents. The FDF file contains the data entered into the Form fields, as well as any formatting, such as fonts and colors. FDF files are used to populate form fields in PDF documents, and they can be created using several different software applications.

Converting PDF to FDF

Converting a PDF document to FDF is not difficult, and there are several tools available to simplify the process. The following is a list of some popular tools used to convert PDF documents to FDF.

1. Adobe Acrobat: Adobe Acrobat is a software application used for PDF creation, editing, and management. It can also be used to convert PDF documents to FDF. To convert a PDF document to FDF using Adobe Acrobat, follow these steps:

a. Open the document you want to convert in Adobe Acrobat.

b. From the "File" menu, select "Export."

c. In the "Export" dialog box, choose "Form Data (FDF)" from the drop-down menu and click "Save."

2. PDF Studio: PDF Studio is a software application that allows you to create, edit, and convert PDF documents. It also includes tools for converting PDF documents to FDF. To convert a PDF document to FDF using PDF Studio, follow these steps:

a. Open the document you want to convert in PDF Studio.

b. From the "File" menu, select "Export as."

c. In the "Export as" dialog box, choose "Forms Data (FDF)" from the drop-down menu and click "Save."

3. Online Conversion Tools: There are several online conversion tools available that you can use to convert PDF documents to FDF. Some of the popular ones include:

a. PDFPro: PDFPro is a free online tool that allows you to convert PDF documents to FDF. To convert a PDF document using PDFPro, follow these steps:

i. Go to //www.pdfpro.co/pdf-to-fdf

ii. Click the "Select PDF file" button and choose the PDF document you want to convert.

iii. Click the "Convert" button, and your FDF file will be ready for download.

b. Smallpdf: Smallpdf is another online tool that allows you to convert PDF documents to FDF. To convert a PDF document using Smallpdf, follow these steps:

i. Go to //smallpdf.com/pdf-to-fdf

ii. Drag and drop the PDF document you want to convert onto the page.

iii. Your FDF file will be ready for download.

Using FDF

Once you have converted your PDF document to FDF, you can import the form data into another application such as Microsoft Excel or a database. To do this, you need to have the application that you want to import the FDF data into open.

For example, to import FDF data into Microsoft Excel, follow these steps:

1. Open Microsoft Excel and create a new workbook.

2. From the "Data" tab, select "From Other Sources" and then choose "From XML Data Import."

3. In the "XML Source" dialog box, click the "XML Maps" button.

4. Click the "Add..." button to add the FDF file.

5. Click "OK" to close the "XML Maps" dialog box.

6. The "Import Data" dialog box will appear. Choose the location where you want the data to be imported and click "OK."

7. The FDF data will be imported into Microsoft Excel.

Conclusion

Converting a PDF document to FDF is a useful process that allows you to extract form data from a PDF document and use it in another application. There are several tools available to convert PDF documents to FDF, including Adobe Acrobat, PDF Studio, and online conversion tools. Once you have converted your PDF document to FDF, you can import the form data into another application such as Microsoft Excel.