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Electronic PDF Winter 2012 Newsletter - Acrobat Electronic Fill In Forms

When Adobe released Acrobat Pro 8.0 - we found the most useful enhancement was the ability to create Form Fields, utilizing Acrobat Pro, that allows the end user to fill in the form data fields and save it to their system, utilizing the free Adobe Acrobat Reader (7.0 or higher) - Finally! Reader Extensions Activation was long overdue.

With the release of Acrobat Pro X, users must have Reader 9.0 or 10.0 installed - Reader 9.0 and 8.0 will not work with Reader Extensions activated with the latest version.

With the assistance of readdle.com [PDF Expert for the iPad tablet app] and cerience.com [RepliGo Reader for Android tablet app] both Apple iPad and Android tablet users are now able to fill in and save entered form data on electronic PDF forms that have the Reader Rights Activated just as users of Windows and MAC systems with Adobe Reader installed.

We have put all these features to extensive testing. Existing forms were opened in Acrobat Pro - we then used the Enable Usage Rights in Adobe Reader located within the Advanced Toolbar. We were prompted on the new file name that it will be saved as. Once new name is entered, Acrobat 8.0 Pro adds the necessary code to the form - this allows the end user to fill in the form and save it with their data entered using Acrobat Reader 9.0 or 10.. With Acrobat Reader 8.0 - 10.0, the end user has the ability to Digitally Sign a form within a digital signature box. With PDF Expert 3.1 app for the iPad, users have the ability to sign the form directly on the tablet using the incorporated Signature Panel. Android tablet users will require another app [SIGNificant signature app] to sign forms on screen.

We then sent these forms to users and asked them to fill in data and save it - wanted to make sure it worked well for them. All respondents were able to save the form with their data entered. Responses were: "Worked Great".

After enabling the Reader Rights in our forms, we opened them for updating / corrections. Minor updates can be done with the rights enabled - if you plan on a major revision, then you will have to update the original form used, prior to enabling the reader rights. If you want to run PDF Optimizer, you cannot do this within the form that has the reader rights enabled - run the optimizer prior to activating form!

We tested forms originally created in full Acrobat 5.0 through 10.0 - Acrobat Pro worked on all, without a problem - this was a major benefit! No revisions were necessary to enable these forms. Files were simply opened in Acrobat Pro - user rights enabled, then saved - we were done.

Acrobat 8, 9, and 10 Pro also allows users to incorporate multiple forms into one PDF file and save the Reader Usage Rights. To do this, simply go to File - Combine Files. In the Combine Files window, add your forms to be be combined. Now, click on the Next button. The default setting is Merge Files - to save the Reader Usage Rights, click the Assemble files into PDF package [all red warnings should disappear]. Once done, click the Create button - save your file and your New PDF file will retain all incorporated settings!

The only end user requirement is Acrobat Reader 9.0 or 10.0 be installed on their system to fill in your form fields and save the entered data - no 3rd party software is needed. Note: Preview software supplied with the MAC Operating system does not allow saving data entered into forms - end users need to download / install Adobe Reader for their MAC system.

Adobe did a nice job on making this feature simple and not requiring an existing PDF form to be modified. This now puts Acrobat Pro into the hands of SOHO businesses - no outrageous pricing on enabling reader rights [$10,000 per form]. Businesses can now have a paper form scanned - form fields enabled for a reasonable price, such as what we offer - Thank you Adobe!