Organise pages
How to extract an appendix and reorder its pages
By DeckleUpdated
To extract an appendix and put its pages in a new order, first open Split PDF, choose Page ranges I choose, enter the appendix's first and last page, and choose Create 1 PDF. Then open that new file in Organize PDF pages, drag the pages into the order you want and choose Save pages. You end up with a standalone appendix in the right sequence, and the full report is never changed.
Extraction changes the positions you work with
Source appendix
Example source positions: 7–9
Extracted PDF
Those pages now occupy positions 1–3
Write the new position plan before reordering
How to extract and reorder an appendix with Deckle
- Find the appendix's first and last PDF page position in the report, and write down the order you want its pages in.
- Open Split PDF and choose the report, or drop it onto the page.
- Under How to split it, choose Page ranges I choose, then enter the appendix's pages in From page and To page.
- Choose Create 1 PDF and then Download PDF.
- Open Organize PDF pages and choose the appendix file you just downloaded.
- Drag the pages into your planned order, or use the move options in each page's ⋯ menu.
- Choose Save pages, download the result and page through it once.
Each tool's result screen confirms what it did: the split reports one PDF made from the appendix pages, and Organize PDF pages reports how many pages are in the new order.
Why two tools
Split PDF takes pages out in the order they sit in the report. It has no way to rearrange them on the way out. Organize PDF pages rearranges pages but keeps the whole file. Using them one after the other gives you both: a smaller file, and the pages in the order your reader needs.
You can also go straight to the second tool. Open the full report in Organize PDF pages, remove every page that isn't part of the appendix, reorder what is left and save. That is one step fewer, but with a long report you'll be selecting dozens of pages to remove. Extracting first leaves you with a short grid that is easy to check.
Plan the new order first
Write the target order as a list before you move anything, using the appendix's own labels.
Example: a 30-page report has its appendix at positions 18–24. The extract has seven pages:
| Position in extract | Page |
|---|---|
| 1 | Appendix cover |
| 2 | A-1 Survey method |
| 3 | A-2 Results table |
| 4 | A-3 Results table, continued |
| 5 | A-4 Interview notes |
| 6 | Data sources |
| 7 | Site map |
The reader should see the site map straight after the cover. Open the ⋯ menu on page 7, choose Move to position…, type 2 and choose Move. Everything from A-1 onwards shifts down by one, and the data sources page is now last.
Moving pages doesn't change what is printed on them. The map keeps whatever label it had, and A-1 still says A-1. If the labels need to match the new order, they have to be changed in the original document.
If the appendix is split across the report
Some reports put exhibits next to the text that cites them, so the "appendix" is really pages 6, 14–15 and 27. You have two options:
- Remove the rest. Open the full report in Organize PDF pages, select every page outside the appendix, remove them, reorder the four pages that are left and choose Save pages.
- Extract and merge. In Split PDF add one range per block (
6–6,14–15,27–27) and choose Create 3 PDFs. Open the three files in Merge PDFs, put them in order and choose Merge PDFs.
Removing is quicker for a short report; extracting and merging is easier to check when the report is long.
Tips
- Include the divider page if readers expect it. An appendix cover helps when the file is read on its own.
- Check the joins. After saving, look at each page next to its neighbours. A results table that runs over two pages should still be in order.
- Undo instead of starting again. Undo and Redo step through each move, and Reset pages returns the extract to its original order.
- Leave the appendix in place if it belongs there. To move it within the full report instead, see how to move an appendix to the end of a PDF.
Other ways to extract and reorder pages
- Adobe Acrobat. The paid desktop app extracts pages and moves them in its Organize Pages tool. Extracted pages land in a new file that you can then rearrange.
- Preview on a Mac. Drag the appendix thumbnails to the desktop to make a new PDF, open it, drag the thumbnails into order and save.
Frequently asked questions
Can I reorder pages while I extract them?
No. Split PDF keeps the report's order. Reorder the extracted file afterwards in Organize PDF pages, or remove the other pages and reorder in one pass there.
Does extracting the appendix remove it from the report?
No. Split PDF creates a new file. The report keeps its appendix, which matters if you still need to send the complete document.
Will the appendix keep its printed page labels?
Yes. Labels such as "A-3" are part of each page and move with it. PDF page position vs printed page number explains how the two numbers differ.
Related tools
- Split PDF to take the appendix out as a new file
- Organize PDF pages to rearrange, rotate or remove its pages
- Merge PDFs to join appendix pages from different parts of a report