4 must-have features for PDF software in schools today (and 1 for tomorrow)

By Grace Wu, AVP of Marketing Sales & Service

Education today is all about collaboration and online technology. The PDF standard is over 20 years old. Make sure that your PDF software has the following four features. And make sure to read about the next big killer app for PDFs at the end of the article.

1. Works with multiple file formats

Students and teachers sometimes use different platforms and different applications (word processors, spreadsheets, etc.). MS Office and Google Docs work pretty well together, but not perfectly, and when assignment deadlines loom, no one wants to lose points because of technology. To ensure that content displays correctly, use PDF software that converts different file types to PDF.

2. Offers collaboration tools

Because collaborative learning is an important part of most curricula, the PDF software you use needs to enable students to work together. They need to be able to edit text, comment, embed links and media, and create and change layouts as a group in order to gain from the opportunity to collaborate as a team. Shared Review is one of the best kept secrets that Foxit offers. Read more about it here.

3. Provides access to e-books

E-books in formats such as PDF can go anywhere students go on the devices they use most these days, such as tablets and smartphones. While some are as simple as a straight PDF conversion of a printed title, e-books in PDF can also incorporate other features, such as annotations, audio and video files, and hyperlinks that take students to other resource materials and further learning. PDF software needs to support multimedia e-books.

4. Enables interactive forms and digital data collection

Paperwork is a fact of life in school. That’s why many schools and universities are moving to digital documents and forms. Faculty and staff benefit greatly from using PDF software that allows them to create interactive forms that users can type directly into, sign digitally, and send back. Schools and districts save time and money by automating these steps and reduce errors by eliminating manual data entry. It’s a definite win-win.

#1 for tomorrow: ConnectedPDF™

We’ve all sent out the wrong version of a document. We’ve all spent too much time looking for the right version to edit or submit. All people—including students, faculty, and staff—need an easy way to track their documents, to know which version is which, and to control access. Stay tuned to the Foxit blog and newsletter for the latest on this new exciting technology!

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