EDITING A PDF (when you don’t have the original version)
Open the PDF in Adobe Acrobat Pro. File > Export To > Microsoft Word (or Spreadsheet or Microsoft PowerPoint Presentation)
Document will open in this app and you will be able to edit. There may be some surprises but nothing that can’t be fixed.
MAKING AN EDITABLE PDF (that users can fill in and return by email). In Acrobat this is known as 'Preparing a Form'.
Some points to consider when deciding if this is the best option for you:
-
Intellidox: The IT department are currently preparing all PLC official forms using
‘Intelllidox’. This is preferable to making an editable PDF using the following method as the users will be able to submit the form via a logical workflow of people. Intellidox forms will be prepared for all processes such as leave requests, excursion forms, etc. and there will be no need to print them.
Multiple Responses: When you will have a lot of responses to a form it would be preferable to prepare the form using Google Forms, Survey Monkey or Wyse forms as the results/contents of the form come into a spreadsheet rather than a separate document for all submissions.
Prepare the document in your preferred word processing software eg. Microsoft Word
Go to File > Save as/Export to or Print as a PDF.
Open the document in Adobe Acrobat Pro
Click Prepare Form in the toolbar on the right-hand side.
If you want the Form Wizard to have a go at guessing where you want the form field make sure Field Auto Detection is ON. Otherwise change this.
Uncheck ‘this form requires signatures’ if it is checked. (by checking this box recipients need to have an Adobe account in order to sign the document – there are other options available for signing).
Click Start.
Edit your file as needed and click Save.
LIST OF CHOICES DROPDOWN LIST OF CHOICES:
You may like to add some of the following to your form. NOTE: These options will not include the associated text that is needed to explain what to do. For this Edit the PDF to add text that will remain on the document.
SELECTION ARROW: This is your standard cursor, make sure this is selected when you are wanting to select current fields.
TEXT FIELD: Use this where you want users to fill in information using text.
CHECK BOX: When you use this, users can select more than one option.
RADIO BUTTON: When users can only select one option from a list (eg. YES/NO)
BUTTONS:
- Clear Form: (adjust properties to instruct the button to reset the form)
- Save Form: (to prompt users to save the completed form to their files before emailing it to you: so that they don’t close it without saving their information)
- Email Form: (can be used with success but requires email program to be set up within Adobe Acrobat. It is easier to ask the users to email you the form when complete)
IMAGE: Users can insert an image (also a PDF or word document)
DATE: Users can insert the date using a calendar rather than typing the date
DIGITAL SIGNATURE: For users to be able to do this they must have a digital signature stored on their computer (not just an image of their signature). Not many people have this or know what this is.