In business, you will need to create files, share documents or even print them constantly. Most people rely on Microsoft Office for such activities. 

However, Microsoft Office documents can become cumbersome to share and are easily altered, which may not be a good thing, especially when it involves sensitive information. The good news is that PDF can be an excellent choice if you are looking for an alternative to Microsoft-based documents. 

This post highlights three uses for PDFs in an organization and ways they can help you get the most out of your document creation, storage, and sharing.

PDF Uses

1. Sharing Important Documents

PDF is the acronym for portable document files. In its creation, PDF was meant to simplify document sending. PDFs have been around for two decades but have only become the standard for sending documents in the past decade when Adobe dropped its ownership of PDFs.

PDFs are generally lighter than Microsoft-based documents making them easily shareable. Also, almost everyone with a smartphone has a PDF reader installed, meaning they can view the document without needing to go to a computer. 

1. Preserve Document Format

You may use different software to create documents; however, there is no guarantee that the document will look the same when opened in a different operating system, software, or device. 

The format can mean the difference between getting hired and losing the job with some documents, such as CVs. 

Other documents, such as architectural designs, also require that the file retains its original format irrespective of which device a user uses to view it, something only a PDF file format can guarantee.

1. Save Disk Space

Documents that contain graphics can get significantly large. With organizations churning thousands of files per month, running out of space fast is very easy. Thankfully you can make your image and graphic-based files less space intensive by converting them into PDF format.

Converting your Ms. Word files to PDF can reduce their file sizes by up to 75%, translating to a significant reduction in the cost of storage. Anything that can cut costs of running a business is a welcome option, so you may want to consider PDF for storing files.

Going Further With PDF

1. Securing Documents  

PDFs have seen massive improvements since then to become one of the most secure formats when sending sensitive documents, such as contract documents, because they allow for document locking. 

Document locking ensures that an unauthorized person cannot alter the document’s details, delete them, or even share them with anyone. Also, they are the preferred type of documents for legal documents and are 100% admissible in court because of the locking feature.

The locking feature is made possible by encrypting the documents with a digital signature that involves the use of secure digital keys and hashing algorithms that ensure a document cannot be altered by any person unless they have the digital signature in their possession. 

1. You Can Convert Them into Word Documents

Saving your files in PDF format reduces your files’ size. However, there are situations where PDF may not be the best format, for example, when you want to do major file edits.

Luckily, you can convert your stored PDF files to word files, which allows for easy editing, but you will need a tool such as this free PDF converter to word that doesn’t require any technical skills.

1. Video

Traditionally PDFs have been used to store and share image-based documents. Today, you can not only have images on your PDF files, but you can also add videos, audio, interactivity, animation, and more. 

The ability of PDF files to incorporate other forms of visual media means you can create more engaging documents to ensure that the intended message is communicated as clearly as possible.