1. Become a Pro
With Adobe Acrobat X
Extension Professional Improvement Conference
Wednesday, May 14, 2014
Christi Sherlock & Cathy Yandow

2. Adobe Reader vs. Adobe Acrobat X Pro*
Adobe Reader (free)
View, print, comment on PDF
documents
No file editing feature
Download at adobe.com
* For Windows users
Adobe Acrobat ($$)
Convert files to PDF
Export PDF to other formats
Edit & merge files, create
portfolios
Prepare files for printing, e-
mail or web
Create & distribute forms, view
responses
Document security &
encryption
Digital signatures

3. Terminology
Title Bar
Menu Bar
Toolbars
Document Pane

4. Benefits of Adobe Acrobat
Convert files to PDF for editing, collaboration, comment, review
Export PDF to other formats for editing, etc.
Prepare files for printing, e-mail or web use
Edit & merge files, create portfolios
Create fillable forms, distribute to users, view responses
Secure confidential/privileged information with document open restriction,
permission restriction, password encryption
Sign & certify with digital ID

5. Create PDF’s from PDFMaker
Available when Acrobat is installed --
utility creates PDFs from Microsoft
Office (or Lotus Notes). Open
document in its native application
(Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.). From
the Menu Bar select either 1 or 2:
(1) File > Save as Adobe PDF and
follow the prompts for saving. Note the
options for permissions, sharing,
versioning.
(2) File > Print and open the drop-down
menu to select “Adobe PDF” as the
“printer.”
* Process is similar in Excel/PowerPoint;
select entire workbook/presentation OR
specific sheets/slides to save as PDF.

6. Create PDFs from Adobe Acrobat
File types which convert to PDF:
Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
Images
Web pages
Use the “Create” function:
Go to Acrobat Menu Bar
Select File > Create >

7. Ways to Create PDFs
PDF from File – browse to file being
converted; use drop-down menu for
“files of type” if needed to isolate a
specific type of file.
PDF from Scanner – use your office’s
copier “scan” feature instead.
PDF from Web Page – have a
browser open and be prepared to
copy/paste the URL from the location
bar into the “Create PDF from Web
Page” dialogue box.
PDF from Clipboard – allows creation
of PDF from content copied to your
computer “clipboard” application.

8. Combine Files into a Single PDF –
browse to select file(s) to combine
into either a Single PDF or PDF
portfolio; drag/drop to arrange
selected files in desired order.
Single PDF: All PDFs combine into a
single PDF file.
PDF Portfolio: Combines PDFs,
maintaining the integrity of individual
files. User can open and navigate
each PDF independently.
Use “Options” to select features.
Mouse-over “File Size” icons to select
appropriate file size for final PDF.
Create Single PDF or Portfolio?

9. Check out the following options:
Batch Create Multiple files – select
multiple files or folders to create
PDFs in one command. Watch for the
“Output Options” dialogue box to
customize folders, filenames.
PDF Form or Online Form – Allows
creation of form which can be edited
in Acrobat.
PDF Portfolio – Create portfolio with
customization of layout including
adding files and content, apply
themes, change layout, select color
palette and font.
Other ways to create PDF files

10. Convert from PDF to Other File Types
From Acrobat menu bar, select File > Save As > conversion type

11. Does size matter?
Reduced size allows save options for
compatibility* with different Acrobat
versions
Can apply compatibility to multiple
files with one command
Smaller size is helpful for attaching to
e-mail, reducing load time on
websites
* Compatibility with more versions =
larger file size

12. PDF Format Options
Certified document – adds tamper-
resistance to detect/prevent
changes; must have an Adobe
digital ID to use; useful for
distribution to large audiences
Reader Extended PDF – Allows
end-user to complete form,
comment, sign free using Adobe
Reader
Optimized PDF – allows
customization of images, fonts,
objects in Acrobat

13. PDF to Image
JPEG/JPEG2000 (Joint Photographic
Experts Group) – for photos &
images which need color variances;
compression removes non-human-
visible colors to decrease file size;
can save progressive (a.k.a. loads in
stages) JPGs; don’t use if image
transparency is needed
TIFF (Tag Image File Format) – type
of bitmap file; can contain data about
images; used in paint, imaging,
desktop publishing programs
PNG (Portable Network Graphics) –
allows greater compression, wider
range of colors, file transparency

14. Create Word & Excel files from PDF
Word
Word Document = .docx
Word 97-2003 = .doc
Preserves formatting, images
Check converted file for accuracy
Excel
Excel Workbook = .xlsx
XML Spreadsheet 2003 = .xml
Convert PDF with tables to
editable spreadsheet

15. Create Word & Excel files from PDF
Example: May 2014 Board of Trustees Agenda to Word & Excel
Original PDF: PDF to Word: PDF to Excel:

16. Additional formats
PDF/A – long-term archiving of documents
PDF/X – creates PDF files which meet
standards for printing
PDF/E – engineering workflow document
format
Refer to handout “File format options” for
descriptions of the other formats (note
that this handout was an html web
page converted to PDF).

17. Create Interactive Form
Start with a scanned form or document you’ve created and then convert into a
PDF file. Use the Form Wizard to create interactive fields.

18. Create Form continued…
Form fields are created. Check your document to see if Acrobat missed fields
or added extra fields. Delete fields by selecting it and pressing delete or the backspace
key. Use Save As to save your form with a different name so your original flat form still
exists.

19. Add Form Fields
Add form fields as needed. You can add text fields, check boxes, list boxes, radio
buttons, action buttons, digital signatures and even barcodes.
Select the type of field from the Add New Field list in the Task pane and then
click where in your form you want the field to appear. Consider naming your fields
for identification purposes.

20. Edit Field Properties
Select the desired field, click Other Tasks > Show Field Properties. The Field
Properties box will appear. The Properties box varies for each field type, but,
generally includes the option to change the field name, appearance, alignment,
requirement, format, etc.

21. Preview & Test Form
Click the Preview button in the Forms toolbar to see your form as others will.
Fill out fields to test your form. When done testing, click Edit in the toolbar to
get back to the Forms Tasks pane. Choose Other Tasks > Clear Form to
remove test text. Any final edits can be done now.

22. Distribute Form
Use Distribute Form wizard to:
- Host your form and collect data on Acrobat.com (free web-based service)
- Send form as an email attachment and get responses via email
In the Forms pane, click Distribute. In the Distribute Form window, select the
distribution option that meets your needs and then click Next. Continue through
the wizard, enter information as necessary.

23. Track Form & View Responses
If you used the Distribute Form wizard, you can track respondents, add & email
recipients and view responses in Tracker. Open Tracker by clicking on Track in
the Forms pane. Select the form to track in the folder tree on the left.
Tracker displays any responses it’s recorded and you can add responses you
received to the same pdf file. Tracker can list recipients and show if they have
responded or not. Response data can be filtered, exported and archived.

24. File Security
Control who can open, edit, copy or print information from your PDF file. Adobe
Acrobat offers two forms of password protection:
- Document Open restricts who can open the file
- Permissions restricts who can change the ability to print, edit or copy data
Consider saving a non-password protected version in case the password is forgotten.
Choose Tools > Protection > Encrypt and then choose “Yes” when asked about
changing the security settings.

25. File Security continued…
In the Password Security settings window you can:
- Choose the compatibility level (if working with different versions of Acrobat)
- Choose which areas to encrypt
- Choose to require a password to open the document
- Choose to require a password for editing and printing of the document

26. Layout Tools
Click on “thumbnail” icon
to view page
thumbnails
“Page Thumbnails” view
makes it easy to see
order of pages &
drag/drop to
reorganize sequence
Click on “page” icon to
bring up more
“Thumbnail Tools”
menu

27. More Layout Tools
Open “Tools”* on right-hand side of the PDF
Select “Pages” -- provides options for
modifying pages, including:
Rotate, Delete, Extract
Replace, Crop, Split
Insert Pages (options)
Edit Page Design (options) – background,
watermark, numbering
* This menu is similar to the “Thumbnail Tools”
menu on previous slide.

28. Edit Content
Open “Tools” on right-hand side
Select “Content” -- provides options for revising
content:
Add Bookmark (creates in-document navigation)
Attach a file
Edit Text & Objects (options)
Add or Edit Interactive Objects (options)

29. Attach Files
In “Tools” open “Content” &
select “Attach a File” &
browse to find file(s) to
attach.
Notice that the paperclip icon
opens under the
“thumbnails” icon.
Attach multiple files, varied
formats (image, MS Office,
PDF, etc.).

30. Edit Text
In the Tools > Content pane,
select “Edit Document Text”
Click mouse pointer on document,
blue line will appear around
editable text.
Insert cursor to add, remove, edit
text.

31. Edit Object
In the Tools > Content pane,
select “Edit Object”
Mouse-over page, pointer with
small square will appear
(does not appear in screen
captures)
Point on object to select it. Blue
line will appear around it.
Right-click to open expanded
editing features menu.

32. Edit Object
Additional features:
Move -- Click on desired content, get the 4
“compass points” and drag/drop to desired
location
Resize – grab content at corners, drag
diagonally (to maintain aspect ratio)
Cut/copy – Saving a scanned signature for
future use

33. Edit Objects
Point at the area of the page to edit.
Right-click on page and limited editing
menu appears.
Choose action to take from the list:
Paste (item onto page)
Select All
Place Image (browse for file to
insert)
Find (an item in the document)
Edit Page

34. Edit Objects Example
In the Tools > Content pane,
select “Edit Object”
Pointer with box will appear.
Click on object, drag line around
it.
Remove it.
To insert replacement image,
right-click on page to open
small menu.
Use “place image” to add a new
image file.
Step 2 - Object selected for deletion
Step 1 - Original images
Step 3 - After logo removed
Step 4 - New image added

35. Before & After

36. Edit Objects
Explore the “Add/Edit Interactive Objects”:
Link
Buttons
Multi-media – video, sound, SWF
(ShockWave Flash element), 3D item
Other tools (locate on toolbars):
Add sticky note
Highlight text

37. Resources & Contacts
Resources
Jing – Screen capture software
http://www.techsmith.com/jing.html
Vermont State Library – Classes Online
Read Learning Services mini-manual,
http://www.uvm.edu/hrs/skills/manuals/vtlibraryclasses.pdf
UVM Learning Services “Online Learning”
http://www.uvm.edu/hrs/?Page=skills/moreOnline.html&SM=skills/skillsmenu.html
Links to no-cost and fee-based learning resources include Vermont State Library
Online, Lynda.com ($$) and more
YouTube.com
Search for “Adobe X Pro Tutorial” videos
Contacts
Christi Sherlock, christi.sherlock@uvm.edu, 802-223-2389, Berlin Office
Cathy Yandow, cathy.yandow@uvm.edu, 802-656-0319, State Office

38. References
About PDF/X, PDF/E, and PDF/A standards. Accessed online 4/9/14.
http://help.adobe.com/en_US/acrobat/X/pro/using/WSd7ad1123a4c5dffe-5183c8012b97790144-
8000.html.
Federal Courts Moving to Requiring PDF/A for Filings. Accessed online 5/9/14.
http://blogs.adobe.com/acrolaw/2010/10/federal-courts-moving-to-requiring-pdfa-for-filings/.
File format options. Accessed online 5/9/14.
http://help.adobe.com/en_US/acrobat/X/pro/using/WS58a04a822e3e50102bd615109794195ff-
7ef2.w.html
Image Formats: What’s the Difference Between JPG, GIF, PNG? Accessed online 5/8/14.
http://www.practicalecommerce.com/articles/1821-Image-Formats-What-s-the-Difference-Between-
JPG-GIF-PNG-.
TIFF File Format Summary. Accessed online 5/8/14.
http://www.fileformat.info/format/tiff/egff.htm.