What is PDF/A

If you are working in an institution and you handle different files, you will notice that some files can no longer be opened with the latest document applications. To ensure that the recently created files are compatible with different browsers and emerging applications in future PDF files need to be optimised to a standard format known as PDF/A. In this article, we will define PDF/A and PDF/A-2B. We will also look at the benefits of change PDF files to this standard form and the best software that you can use to save your PDF to PDF/A format.

• # 1: What is PDF/A
• # 2: Advantages of Conforming PDF to PDF/A
• # 3: How to Save PDF as PDF/A

What is PDF/A

PDF/A: You may have come across a PDF file that is PDF/A format, but you have never understood this format. PDF/A format is a PDF ISO standardised format that supports archiving of files for future use. It allows the productivity of files in that they can be opened by any software or operating system without losing its format, colour, hypertext and fonts. PDF/A format only applies to electronic documents. With this file, you can optimise and compress them. However, you cannot encrypt, add audios or videos, embed content or add external references. The first PDF/A format was published in 2005 as PDF/A with two levels PDF/A-1A and PDF/A -1B.

PDF-A/2B: PDF/A-2B is also an ISO standardised PDF format which is part two of the PDF/A. It was first introduced on June 2011. This format has added features compared to PDF/A such as JPG image compression, digital signatures and embedded fonts just like PDF/A-2A. However, for level 2B, it has an added feature, which necessitates it to have a Unicode mapping.

Advantages of Conforming PDF to PDF/A

Having looked at the definition of PDF/A and PDF/A-2b you may ask yourself why change your PDF file to this standard format? Well, by now the most obvious benefit is that this format is reliable for future use since it will be opened to any document software. Moreover, a file that is PDF/A format is digital file and thus easier to search texts through it.

For a scenario that the file was scanned, most PDF tools have OCR functionality thus making it possible to search through the PDF files. Furthermore, with PDF/A -2B file, you will be able to add digital signatures. If you are pondering on how to do it, software such as Wondershare PDFelement 6 Professional is equipped with this feature. It is, therefore, worth converting or saving your files to PDF/A format since it a productive format.

PDFelement - Save PDF as PDF/A

As mentioned above, PDFelement is a modern PDF tool that allows you to save your PDF to PDF/A format. Once you have opened the file in this program, you can save it PDF/A format like PDF/A-2b. Moreover, with PDFelement, you will be able to edit the form fields, batch extract data in the forms, export data, import data and also create PDF forms. Its user interface is simple. Also, you can edit the texts of the PDF documents by changing texts or images, adding texts and images and deleting texts. It can also modify the pages of a PDF document thus making it neat and organised.

Key features:

• This PDF tool allows you to scan, edit and convert imaged based files using its inbuilt OCR technology.
• It is a PDF creator that can converts Office documents, images, HTML and text to PDF.
• You can comment PDF with sticky notes, notes, textbox, callout comments, highlights and others.
• It can split large PDF files or merge multiple PDF files at once.
• It allows you to format your PDF by adding headers, footer, and bates numbering.
• It is a PDF converter that supports output formats such Word, Excel, PowerPoint, HTML, Rich Text, Plain Text and images.
• It also a PDF viewer that allows you view PDF with preferred layout settings.
• It can also encrypt PDF files with passwords and permission restrictions.
• It can also add electronic and digital signatures to PDF files.