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Electronic PDF May 2008 Newsletter - Acrobat 8 Pro Forms

Adobe released Acrobat 8.0 Pro in late November 2006 - one of the biggest enhancements is the ability to create Form Fields, utilizing Acrobat Pro 8.0, 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 8.0) - finally! This ability has been long overdue by Adobe.

We put this new feature to our test. Two existing forms were opened in Acrobat 8.0 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 7.0 or 8.0. With Acrobat Reader 8.0, the end user has the ability to Digitally Sign this form.

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 it will be easier 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 and 7.0 - Acrobat 8.0 Pro worked on both, without a problem - this was a major relief! No revisions were necessary to enable these forms with reader rights. Files were simply opened in Acrobat 8 Pro - user rights enabled, then saved - we were done.

Acrobat 8 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 this New PDF file will retain all settings!

The only end user requirement is Acrobat Reader 7.0 or 8.0 be installed on their system to fill in your form fields and save the data entered - no 3rd part software is needed.

Adobe did a nice job on making this feature simple and not requiring an existing PDF form to be modified. This now puts Acrobat 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 we offer - Thank you Adobe!