- July 14, 2014
- FOXITBLOG
One of the primary benefits of PDF documents created for viewing and reading via a PDF reader or PDF creation software is that anyone can view your document regardless of which operating system or device they’re using—and in today’s socially connected environment, that’s key.
Whether they’re using an Apple MacBook, a Microsoft Windows PC, an Android tablet, an iPhone or other iOS device or even a computer running Linux, they can open your PDF document file, even if you’ve created it on one of the other platforms. And there’s no loss of formatting, fonts, images or other visual layout elements.
The cross-platform compatibility that makes PDF files so helpful complements the fact that PDF software also works in tandem with the social and collaborative nature of today’s workplace.
Collaboration is key
Today’s businesses place quite a bit of emphasis on collaboration to get projects done because they realize how important it is to empower employees by giving them the ability to contribute.
In today’s workplace it’s common to see tools like Evernote in use to help teams plan, research and collaborate on documents. By creating a LiveMinutes workspace teams can communicate through conference calls, video chats or text-based chats to begin the process. The document author uploads the file to the workspace so others can read and edit it. Evernote indicates who is making edits and notes when editing is complete so that no one overwrites each other’s work and the team is working from the most recent version.
Similar to Evernote, and far more robust, is Microsoft SharePoint. This enterprise level collaboration suite allows teams to create, share and edit documents like most other tools; however it does contain additional features that make it more suitable for larger organizations, like the ability to check documents in and out to prevent others from working on the same file at the same time.
Using the right PDF reader, teams using either solution can grab files from their collaboration solution to read and annotate any areas that require changes.
Collaboration goes social
Millennials now make up 34 percent of the workforce, which means that not only do they have a presence in your organization but also in those of your customers and partners. Growing up with Internet, this group has shown its affinity for social sharing and they carry this social behavior over into the workplace.
Companies today now rely heavily on social media for recruiting, marketing and customer support. One thing that all three areas encompass, along with other uses of social media in business, is the ability to share content. While links and images are frequently shared in personal communications, businesses often share white papers, product documentation and other types of content that help drive business goals. Having a PDF reader that makes it easy to share these files over larger networks makes it easier to get information out to your audience.
This is an area where today’s PDF readers, such as Foxit PDF Reader, really shine. Foxit PDF Reader makes working in a social and collaborative environment easier with Evernote integration that allows users to create a PDF file and send it directly to a workspace as an attachment. And, with Microsoft SharePoint integration in Foxit PDF Reader, users can seamlessly check PDF files in and out from the server without having to leave the PDF reader application.
To meet social media needs, Foxit PDF Reader provides Facebook and Twitter users integration to social networks. Foxit PDF Reader users can log into their account, select text from a PDF document, and share it as Facebook or Twitter status. Users can also take a snapshot of a portion of a document and share it as a picture on Facebook or Twitter.
So now, for any employee or organization that relies on social networking in order to do business—and you know who you are—you can rest assured that PDF readers such as Foxit PDF Reader are keeping up with your social sharing initiatives.