PDFs first materialised in the 1990s, fashioned with care by Adobe Systems. The files have immense cross-platform compatibility, bringing all parties up to speed when sharing information. Whether it’s Android, Windows, iOS, or Linux – all these devices can access the revolutionary PDF file without compromise.
Of course, any tool with universality in areas like business and education will need to be used with care and monitored closely. Even where there are no rules and regulations tied to the PDF file itself, how the tools are utilised may still have lawful relevance elsewhere.
So, let’s take on a broad view of PDF compliance. What is it, and why should you care? We’ll tell you down below.
What is PDF Compliance?
Before we get to specific examples, we’ll provide you with a precise definition of PDF compliance. That way, you’ll know where you stand in broad terms.
The creators of the PDF, Adobe Systems, and the International Organisation of Standardisation (ISO) have provided much of the framework around PDF compliance. Their general aims have to be to ensure that PDF files are encoded in a way that promotes a fair and equal use of them.
Consequently, every PDF file has a standard to meet. There are many standards, but three are considered to be the most common:
- PDF/UA (ISO 14289) – Rules around the accessibility of PDF files.
- PDF/A (ISO 19005) – Rules around the archiving of PDF files and their all-important data.
- PDF/X and PDF/VT – Rules around the printing of PDF files.
Let’s focus on these three, as they’re the gateway to PDF compliance. We’ll explore PDF/UA (ISO 14289) first.
PDF/UA (ISO 14289)
Accessibility should be one of the founding principles of any business for all parties. Nobody should be left behind.
The PDF/UA (ISO 14289) standard is crucial here. The ‘UA’ stands for ‘Universal Accessibility’, and refers to making an accessible PDF that’s viewable by people who have disabilities. Guidelines enforce things like:
- Adding alternative text for images.
- Offering help tools for easier navigation.
- Providing guidelines for refining the structure of documents.
Given the importance of the task, it’s wise to seek support. AbleDocs can help you produce compliant PDFs around accessibility. They’re guided by strong ethics and uplifting values, dedicated to transforming documents like notices, bills, receipts, and any other high-volume and repetitive documents into more accessible and compliant formats. Despite the developments, your infrastructure will be untouched.
PDF/A (ISO 19005)
These days, businesses aren’t much more than data streams being stored or exchanged. The long-term archiving of electronic documents is a more secure, convenient, and even eco-friendly approach to business.
PDF/A (Archival) is a subset of the PDF format that was created to help with these aims. The file format preserves the content in terms of its style and structure, irrespective of what software and devices are being used to browse it. It can focus on text-based and static elements, multimedia elements, fonts, and even metadata, ensuring they can’t be changed within the PDF. Everything from how easy the content is to consume or retrieve is improved here.
Of course, preserving documents is surrounded with other rules and regulations too. After all, the unnecessary destruction of things like financial documents can plunge firms into chaos. PDF/A ensures this paperwork, along with things like research papers, historical archives, and legal contracts, can all be maintained for the long-term future. Who knows for how long you might need these documents?
It’s also about consistency too. Long-term archiving paves the way to long-term compatibility, as PDF/A is designed to work in complete synchronisation with any of the PDF files and viewers of the future too. Even as technology develops rapidly through the years, the files can always be rendered without incident.
PDF/X and PDF/VT
Professional printing processes are linked closely with PDF regulations. The PDF/X standard is the first example of this, as it defines the image resolutions, colour spaces, fonts, and various other factors to ensure the quality and accuracy of printed and frequently reproduced PDFs.
There are some variations to note here. PDF/X-1a ensures fonds and images use a CMYK colour space in general print jobs. Meanwhile, PDF-X-3 build upon this, promoting accurate colour reproduction by permitting the utilisation of colour profiles. There are others to mention, but they all generally promote the aim of ensuring all printed PDF materials maintain visual and design fidelity from screen to page.Bottom of Form
There’s also the PDF/V (Portable Document Format for Variable Data and Transaction Printing) standard to account for too. These regulations are designed to preserve the PDF integrity of transactional documents from PDF to print – things like printed statements, bills, and invoices. It supports the inclusion of variable data that can personalise, compress, and process data in the PDF. There are also functionalities around job ticketing accounted for, creating metadata capabilities for printing colour profiles and finishing options.
Much about a firm’s security and integrity can rely on these measures. They should be highly valued.
Who Should Lead the Charge?
The main responsibilities of PDF compliance will only pertain to select individuals (though everybody benefits in one way or another). So, depending on your lifestyle and job role, PDF could be of greater interest to you.
The people who care most about PDF compliance tend to be:
- People working in law – Those in the legal profession need to ensure compliance, as it can ensure the authenticity and security of all the sensitive documents they deal with.
- People working in academia – Considering nearly a third of university courses were still practising some form of online teaching in early 2023, these institutions will need to ensure their research papers, textbooks, and other reading materials are compatible with assistive technologies and computer devices. PDF compliance upholds those aims.
- People working in business – If entrepreneurs need to archive documents and manage them effectively, they’ll need to uphold their integrity by adhering to PDF compliance procedures.
- People working in content creation – Anybody creating graphic designs, websites, ebooks, and other digital literature and publishing materials that need to be optimised across multiple platforms may need to immerse themselves in the world of PDF compliance.
Many people have a part to play here. We all encounter PDFs daily, but some users will have more influence than others.
