Excel file PDF Maker "drops" title text over background image

[Michael35754313f2ca]

We have an annual report template in Excel (which we've been using for years now).   

Basically contains one worksheet with the title, another with table of contents, then report pages per work sheet.

When ready, we uses the PDF Maker saving option to convert into PDF.

This year when running the report we're funning into issues of "disappering" text on the cover page.   

In Excel we have a worksheet that contains a background image and title text over top such as "this is your annual report".   We click the button to start and complete the PDF conversion.   Adobe Acrobat opens and we (for a second) can see the title text over the image then the text disappears completely.    It's not hidden behind the background image, it's not a font colour we can't see, its just gone.

Ideas?

Note we have already updated Adobe and Microsoft products to most current version and updates. 

Product information is: 

Adobe Acrobat 2023.008.205555 (we applied the optional update from Feb 23, 2024)

Excel Version 2401 (build 17231.20236)

[Karl Heinz Kremer]

I assume the annual report only gets produced once a year, so the last time you did that, you very likely had an older version of MS Excel, Adobe Acrobat and your operating system. Without having access to a system that correctly produced your report, and then upgrading one component at a time, it's imposible to say what application is to blame here. 

In Excel, you have two ways of creating PDF files: It sounds like you are using Adobe's tools to do that. You will also find a File>Save as>PDF option, which will use Microsoft's PDF generator. Does this produce different results? 

Do you still have last year's Excel document and can try to convert that to PDF using your current system? If so, that would allow us to figure out if the system is actually working, and there might be something wrong with your Excel document. 

[Michael35754313f2ca]

Annual reports are produced on a weekly basis as annual is based on the clients anniversity of purchase vs. calendar year.  On M365 so Office and Windows updates pushed out regularily.  As well Adobe is updated similar pace (we actually just added updates from last week today hoping it fixed the issue - it didn't).

Using the Excel / Microsoft PDF generator gives us the same results when viewing the saved file in Acrobat.  Image is there yet the text isn't.

Thoughts.   Your suggestion is very welcome.

[Karl Heinz Kremer]

In this case, the probem is not Acrobat. What we do not know is if it's MS Excel that is causing the problem or the actual document. This is where it would be useful to have acces to an older version of an Excel document that used to generate the correct output. If it still generates the correct output today, then we know that the problem must be with the new document, if it also produces the wrong output, then the problem with with Excel, and unfortuantely I would not be able to help you with that. 

[Michael35754313f2ca]

Yes we were leaning towards the Excel / document vs. PDF yet not too experienced.   Will see if we can try your suggestions.   Thank you again.

[Abambo]

Keep in mind that creating a PDF file is basically printing. So printing to a standard printer would also be proof, that the behaviour is due to Excel. Using an older version of Excel (not only an older version of the Excel file) could also be productive in error finding.

It may also be interesting, if when you delete the background image, if everything is then fine.

Furthermore, editing the PDF file may reveal under what the text gets hidden. If the text is shortly seen by loading the PDF file, I would guess that still that text is still available in the PDF file.

My last tip would be trying with a third-party PDF reader, but that is a suggestion that I can't make here in the Adobe forum.