Questions to Ask Before Choosing a PDF Editor

Here are the five most important questions you should ask yourself before choosing your PDF editor.

1. Do you only want to view or edit PDF files?

There are two main differences between a reader and an editor:

• When using a PDF Viewer, you may be able to add annotations or comments to the PDF, but not edit it directly.
• Using a PDF editor enables you to edit the text directly within the PDF file.
• Working with a PDF editor lets you also add more pages to your document and combine multiple PDF files into one.

2. Do you use another word processor with your PDF editor?

A PDF print driver allows you to convert any document directly into a PDF from the software that you’re currently using. If you want to change the document, you will need to go to the original document and reprint to update the PDF.

You can edit the PDF directly if you have a PDF Editor. Most PDF editors allow you to add images and text. The most powerful PDF editors even let you edit the text in the original PDF.

3. Are you going to create PDF documents or forms, or both?

If you create PDF forms that are interactive, you enable users to add text to certain parts of them electronically. That can be perfect for documents such as job applications, HR forms, and business contracts. Not only can you make it easier for users to fill out those forms, but you can also make it easier to collect the data they contain. If that sounds appealing, you’ll want to choose PDF editing software, that lets you create interactive forms.

4. Do you need to highlight or redact sections of documents?

Annotations, comments, highlighting sections of text or redacting confidential information are some of the most used features of PDF editors. Commenting tools will be essential to a productive workflow if your team needs to collaborate on documents, but you still want a single author who is responsible for the content.

If you need to be able to thoroughly remove confidential or sensitive information from documents that you’re sharing, then you’ll need the capability to redact sections of the document. You’ll also want to be able to restrict some users who have access to the document from removing the redactions.

5. Do you need to combine PDF documents or split them apart?

Combining PDFs and splitting them are not just convenient features; in some offices, these features are a real efficiency boost. The best PDF editors can easily combine documents, extract individual pages from PDF files or split up PDFs in any way that you require.

6. How secure do your PDFs need to be?

If you want to protect sensitive information and personal data in PDF files and limit access, then you’ll need a PDF editor which allows you to password-protect the file.

Some PDF editors will encrypt a file with a passcode, making it impossible for anyone to view the contents without the decryption key. Even if someone does manage to get into your network, and extract the documents, the person won’t be able to view any information without the password.

When it comes to data privacy concerns, a password-protected, secure PDF is the most effective way to avoid uncontrolled disclosure. When choosing your PDF editor, also consider e-signatures and automation as part of your information security management.

Of course, there are many more questions you could ask before choosing PDF editor software. But considering these questions should get you off to a good start.