How to Format PDF Documents

Formatting PDF files is not just about setting up how the page will look. There are many options on how a PDF file is displayed, and many settings you can change to make a PDF that serves your purposes. Other PDF editors can accomplish some of these things, but the best way to do it is to use the professional version of the Adobe Acrobat software.

Things You'll Need

• Document creation software, such as Word or Publisher
• and Adobe Acrobat
• or PDF creation/conversion tool

Instructions

1. Decide if you will create the document in Adobe Acrobat or in another application. If you decide to create your document in Microsoft Office or Adobe InDesign, you can save it as a PDF file right in the application where you created the file. Set the page and style formats right in that same application. If you scanned it, or if you have multiple files you are gathering together to create a PDF file, you can drag and drop files onto the Acrobat icon or import files into Acrobat. You can also create a file by copying a page, image or table from a document or web page and selecting "create from clipboard" in Acrobat. Documents of this type already have default format settings for things such as page size and orientation, margins and fonts.

2. Set "New Document Preferences" from the New Document toolbar if you are creating a new PDF file in Acrobat. This is where you can set the page size, orientation, margins, default font family and the default size of the body font. These are similar to formatting settings in a word processing or desktop publishing application.

3. Decide how the document will be viewed, whether it will be viewed in a web browser, downloaded, and printed or sent attached to an email. If it will be posted on a website, where users will click on it and view it from within their web browser window, select "Fast Web View" from the "Properties" section of the File preferences. This will enable the first page to display while the rest of the pages are still loading, so viewers see it more quickly. If viewers will download it and print it, or if it will be attached to an email, you need to consider a balance between file size and quality. Keep in mind that as the resolution and amount of color goes up, the file size increases. Decrease the resolution and use less color if your file ends up being too big. Another option for larger files is to break them into smaller chunks, such as chapters or sections rather than the whole document in one file.

4. Specify other options when saving a PDF file. Password protect it so only those you authorize can open it. Digitally sign it so you will be able to tell if anyone makes any changes after you last saved it. Prevent further edits so no one can change it at all. Add comments that are viewed in little boxes that pop up off to the side, which is a good feature when a group is collaborating on a document.

References

• Planet PDF: Creating a better PDF viewing experience
• Adobe Acrobat: Using Acrobat