Working with a PDF document: tips & tricks

PDF documents are super handy. On the one hand, they offer an exact preview of a document, but on the other hand, the format is one of the most important tools for office work. Designing with text and images, presentations, corrections, exchanging documents, sending, saving – all no problem with PDF! In the following article, we describe how to work effectively with PDF files.

How to create PDFs

To create a PDF document, you can use various programmes – some of which you have to pay for, some of which you can download for free . If you work with a tool such as Nuance Power PDF Standard or Adobe Acrobat Standard 2017you usually proceed as follows:

select the appropriate programme
then drag the document to be converted into PDF format to the appropriate place in the tool and save it
most tools now offer the possibility to edit the file. Then click on "Next
now you can name the PDF and save it to the desired location.

Microsoft Office users have it even easier:

click on the "File" tab from the completed document
select the function "Save as" and determine the storage location
Enter a file name and select PDF under "File type".

Convert a PDF document to another format

Converting a PDF file to another format is also quite simple. To do this, first open the PDF document with the appropriate programme. In the next step, select the file format into which the PDF file is to be exported (for example (.docx, .jpeg, .png, .tiff). Now click on „Export“, select the storage location and enter the file name. Save the new document with „Return“ (Enter).

Save website as PDF file

If, for example, you want to save an interesting, extensive web page on your desktop to read it later at your leisure, this function is suitable : Windows users press the key combination „Ctrl + P“. This calls up the print mode in which one selects the option „PDF“. Mac users press the combination „cmd + P“. In the selection field for the printer, now select the function „Save as PDF“ and choose a storage location.

Editing texts in the PDF document

Most PDF converters allow you to add new content. However, special PDF editors are needed to edit and change existing content.

Compress files that are too large

Some PDF files are too large to send as an attachment to an e-mail, for example. Then it’s time to reduce the size! Offline, this can be done with the appropriate PDF editors or tools. Thereare also some websites online where you can simply upload the relevant document and then download a compressed version of it.

Mac users have it particularly easy when compressing PDF documents:

Open PDF with the "Preview
under "File" select the function "Export
select "Quartz Filter" in the pop-up menu, then click "Reduce File Size", save.

Sign PDF document

Some PDF documents need to be completed and signed before they can be returned. To do this, it is not necessary to first print out these documents and then scan them back in. In Acrobat Reader and other PDF editors, for example, the function „Fill in and sign“ can be selected. This allows PDFs to be filled in on screen and provided with a personal digital signature (via touch screen or image).

A software comparison: 2 top PDF tools

Nuance Power PDF Standard

Use this to create PDF documents, such as a presentation, in no time at all , modifyedit and add a digital signature. For about 60 euros, the programme does everything you would expect from a good PDF editor. Thelicence for the tool requires online activation, but this cannot be transferred to a new PC.

Adobe Acrobat Standard 2017

This programme allows you to edit text, images and bulleted lists directly in the PDF. Thetext flow is automatically adjusted throughout the page. PDFs can be easily exported for Microsoft Word, Excel or PowerPoint, leaving the formatting of, for example, bullets or tables intact .