Introducing Acrobat Standard features for use in administrative departments

Building on our previous blog,“What is PDF? How is it related to Adobe Acrobat?”
, which explored the relationship between PDF and Acrobat, this time we will introduce the key features of “Acrobat Standard” — a tool frequently used in our company’s administrative document workflows — along with how it differs from Acrobat Reader and Acrobat Pro. By shifting from merely “reading” PDFs to “editing and managing” them, users can streamline daily operations, working more efficiently and securely. For detailed instructions with screenshots, please refer to the Japanese version.

Main differences between Acrobat Reader, Acrobat Standard and Pro

*Prices shown are for the Group edition.
*Purchases through eSolia are available with annual prepaid payment only.

Frequently used key features of Acrobat Standard

① Editing and updating PDF

Direct correction of text and images: With Adobe Acrobat Standard, you can directly edit text in PDF files. Users can correct typos and add or delete content while maintaining the layout and format. Users can also drag the relevant object in the PDF (text box, image, stamp, etc.) to move it or change its size.

How to Operate

1. Open the PDF in Acrobat.
2. Select the “Edit” tool.
3. Click the relevant text and enter or correct it directly. Or drag the relevant object to move it around or change its size.

Reorder, add, and extract pages: Uses can easily change the page order within a PDF, add pages from another file, extract and save specific pages, and more.
*Please note that changes cannot be made in PDF files that have been marked as non-editable.

How to Operate

1. Click “Edit” → “Organize Pages”.
2. Drag pages to change the order.
3. By right-clicking on a page, users can insert a page from another file, extract a page from another file, and save it as a separate file. Rotation and deletion of the relevant page are also possible.

② Security Management

Password setting: Users can set a password for a PDF file to restrict viewing. This is effective for managing confidential materials, as the recipient cannot view the contents unless they know the password.

How to Operate

1. Click “Menu” → “Protect with password”.
2. Click “View” → “Advanced options” → “Encrypt with password”.
3. Check “Require password to open document” and enter the password.

Restrict editing and printing: In addition to viewing permission, users can set restrictions such as “No printing,” “No copying,” and “No editing.” This is useful for preventing accidental operation and unauthorized tampering.

How to Operate

1. Click “Menu” → “Protect with password.”
2. Click “Viewing” → “Advanced options” → “Encrypt with password.”
3. Check “Restrict printing and editing of document. A password is required to change these restriction settings.” Select whether to allow printing and changes.
   To make a secured PDF unsecured, go to Security > Security Properties > Security Methods and select “No Security".

③ Request for electronic signature

Acrobat Standard also comes with a feature for requesting electronic signatures. Users can send a PDF file to the other parties and have them fill out the signature field.
It is also possible to send a request for signatures in a specific order of those who will sign.

How to Operate

1. Open the PDF you want to electronically sign.
2. Click “Electronic Signature” → “Request an electronic signature.”
3. Enter the address and name of the person to be signed. If more than one person needs to sign in order, check “Recipients must sign in order.”
4. Set up the signature field.
5. Enter a message for the person signing, set a reminder (if necessary), and send.
   *By setting a reminder, the signer will automatically receive reminders until the document is signed.

④ Ability to convert between PDF and Office formats

Convert PDF to Word/Excel/PowerPoint: Use this when users want to convert a PDF that does not have the original data back to Word for editing, or when users want to convert a PDF quotation or report to Excel for compilation. However, please
note that there are limits to the accuracy of the conversion, and the format may not be reproduced accurately.

Examples of common problems

• Character misalignment: Line spacing, fonts, and paragraph settings are arranged differently from the PDF.
  Table collapse: Tables that look fine on the PDF will have rows and columns separated in Excel or Word. If lines are treated as images, they will not become cells.
• Image misalignment or missing: Graphs and shapes are not displayed in the correct place.
  Collapse of column or multiple layout: Text order is disrupted. It may be reconstructed into a single column.
  Please note that the converted file needs to be checked and reformatted. It is suitable for use as a means of extracting materials for re-editing, but if full reproduction is desired, it will be necessary to recreate the PDF from the original data.
• Convert Office files to PDF: Use this when users want to submit or distribute a document as an official document.

How to Operate

1. Convert the relevant file (Word/Excel/PowerPoint) via Acrobat.
2. Or use the “Save as PDF” option in the Office app.

Main differences from Acrobat Pro

The main differences between Acrobat Pro and Acrobat Pro are listed in the comparison table at the beginning of this document, but here are some features of Acrobat Pro.

• Masking of sensitive information: Masks text and images with a black fill, searches for specific keywords in the entire document, and removes metadata and hidden information.
• OCR (Optical Character Recognition): Text can be automatically read from scanned images and photo PDFs. For example, paper contracts and receipts can be digitized and made searchable.
• PDF file difference comparison: Automatically compares the contents of two PDF files and displays a list of differences (additions, deletions, and changes). For example, it can improve the efficiency of checking and reviewing the revised contents of contracts and company regulations.
• Accessibility support: PDFs can be created and verified for voice reading for the visually impaired.

In environments where more advanced document management or the use of scanned documents is required, it may be worth considering using Acrobat Pro. But in that case, it is recommended to first verify that the plan includes the features required for your business needs, and then make a selection based on pricing considerations.

Conclusion

In this blog, we have introduced the most frequently used functions by our administration department. Acrobat Standard has the functions of Acrobat Reader, which is “PDF viewing software,” plus multifunctional tools for improving operational efficiency, strengthening information management, and digitizing approval flows.
Our company has been promoting paperless operations since 2022 by utilizing Acrobat’s functions. Please refer to the Adobe Acrobat Quick Reference Guide
for basic operations and an explanation of how to use each feature of Acrobat, if necessary.
If you are considering implementing Adobe products, please contact eSolia.