- April 17, 2014
- FOXITBLOG
For quite some time, word processing software like Microsoft Office Word, Corel Write, AbiWord and OpenOffice Writer had what many perceived as a distinct advantage over PDF software. It was far easier to edit and make changes to a document using a word processor than its PDF counterpart.
PDF software allowed you to make changes but the process was slow. You couldn’t change any formatting and you could only edit one word at a time. For typographical errors, this worked fine, but if you needed to change paragraphs or fix the aesthetics, going back to a word processor was easier by far.
As a result, just about every workstation in an organization had some type of word processing application installed on it, while PDF software was reserved for only a few. So while anyone in an organization could view PDF documents using a free PDF reader such as Foxit PDF Reader, not everyone could edit them.
Naturally, word processing software became an integral part of the daily workflow. Meanwhile, PDF software only came into workflow as documents were considered “finished products,” and it was used primarily to lock the file from others who didn’t have a PDF Editor while making it universally viewable.
Evolution of PDF software’s editing capabilities
Using PDF software to create documents always had one distinct advantage over those created with word processors; you could open and display PDF files on any computing platform without losing any formatting.
Because of this, it made sense to create PDF software that not only made it easy to edit PDF files, but also cost effective enough for everyone in the workflow to have it. That’s where tools like Foxit PhantomPDF come into play. They’re built to handle workflow processes that involve creating and editing PDF files.
Making the process better
Not only is the PDF file format platform independent—making it an attractive option for collaboration—but today, editing tools included in PDF software like Phantom PDF are similar to common word processing software, making them easy to use with a low learning curve. Features include:
• Automatic reflow and reformatting of text when you edit it
• Formatting changes like font style, color, size, and effects made directly to PDF file content
• Spell checking
• Ability to edit entire paragraphs at once
PDF software also makes it easier to reformat text blocks to give the document a cleaner, more organized layout.
In addition to these abilities, PhantomPDF software’s image editing capabilities are more along the lines of a photo editor, eliminating the need to use another application in order to get the content right.
Considering these benefits, it makes sense to consider creating many documents in PDF from the beginning. There’s no longer any need to create a file in one application, edit images in another and then bring them all together in the PDF Editor when one tool can do it all.
Security and version control
In the collaborative process, nothing’s more important than having control over changes made to a document. This has always been a downside of common word processing software, but it’s an area where PDF software shines.
Through robust version control that tracks changes made to content in a way that’s easily identified by others, PDF software gives you that control and makes it easy to manage and approve edits.
You can also protect content via digital signatures, redaction tools and encryption features not found in many commercial word processing software, making PDF software the go-to choice when document security is a concern.
As you can see, PDF software is no longer limited in its capabilities. Newer technologies make these solutions not only rival, but in many cases surpass, their word processor cousins as reliable applications that allows your business to streamline workflow processes that rely on document creation and collaboration.
