How to Convert Microsoft Excel Samples into Scannable PDFs for Risk Reviews

This guide shows you how to convert Microsoft Excel content into PDFs that can be effectively scanned by Marketing Compliance. This process is particularly useful when you need to convert a specific sample in an Excel sheet into a single PDF where each sample appears on a different page.

When to Use This Process

This method is ideal for:

• Creating a single PDF for a sample that has unique filter categorization different from other samples in the file
• Converting selected portions of an Excel document rather than the entire workbook
• Preparing financial or tabular data for compliance review

Step-by-Step Conversion Process

Select Your Content: Highlight all the content for the sample you want to export by clicking and dragging on the relevant cells

2. Open Print Dialog: Click File > Print, or press:

• Command + P (Mac)
• Ctrl + P (Windows)

3. Configure Print Settings:

• Set the Page orientation to Portrait (or choose Landscape if better suited for your content)
• Under the Print section:
  • For Mac: Choose Selection
  • For Windows: Go to the Print Selection option and choose Only print the current selection

Mac

Windows

4. Generate PDF:

• For Mac: Click the PDF button in the lower-left corner and select Save as PDF
• For Windows: Change the printer to Microsoft Print to PDF or similar PDF printer option, then click Print

Save Your File: Choose a location to save your PDF, give it a descriptive name, and click Save

Tips for Better Results

• Include Headers: Make sure to include column headers in your selection to maintain context in the PDF
• Format Before Conversion: Apply any necessary formatting (fonts, borders, etc.) in Excel before converting to PDF
• Check Page Layout: Use Excel's Page Layout view to preview how your selection will appear as a PDF
• Page Setup: If needed, use Page Setup to adjust margins and scaling to ensure all content fits properly
• Multiple Sections: If converting multiple sections, create separate PDFs for each section with appropriate naming conventions

Common Issues and Solutions

• Content Cut Off: If content appears cut off in the PDF, return to Excel and adjust the page breaks or scaling options in Page Setup
• Too Much White Space: Use the "Fit to" option in Page Setup to optimize how your content fills the page
• Poor Readability: Increase font size and ensure high contrast between text and background before conversion
• Formula Visibility: By default, PDF conversion shows values, not formulas. If formulas are important, consider taking screenshots of formula view as supplementary material

After Conversion

Once you've created your PDF, verify that:

• All relevant content is visible and properly formatted
• The file size is under the 50MB limit for upload
• Text is clear and readable
• Any important visual elements appear as intended

Your PDF is now ready to be uploaded to Marketing Compliance for review.

For more complex spreadsheets or special formatting requirements, consider consulting with your team's Microsoft expert or support@intelligencebank.com.