When to Use PDF Format: Three Real-Life Examples

Ever wondered which situations are best for using PDFs instead of Microsoft Word or other formats? Well, don’t fret, we’re going to let you know when to use PDF format in your everyday life. 

Certain documents require airtight formatting, a perfect layout, or even character recognition for text locked within images or scanned documents. Lucky for you, PDF format is the ideal format for those circumstances (and many others!). Along with a powerful PDF software like Soda PDF, important tasks are simple and quick to complete!

Though this article, we’re going to run you through three perfect situations for using PDF.

1 – Sharing Important Files 

When you need to share important papers or contracts, do you ever worry that your recipient may be able to alter text? Or play around with contract details (wasn’t his salary 40k, not 45k?)?

Similar to images, PDFs can be “locked”. Secure your documents using a password, or set permissions to stop receipts from editing, deleting, printing, or sharing documents! Check out our full blog post on PDF security here. When agencies and professionals are sharing important documents with clients or partners, they can be sure their work won’t be plagiarized or edited without their permission

As per Legal Scans‘ advice, legal documents “must be created in a file format that cannot be altered without leaving an electronic footprint.” The trusty PDF format falls into that category! That’s why PDF files are 100% admissible in court! Essentially, when dealing with legal documents is when to use PDF.

2 – Preserving Document Format

Do you like the format of your CV? 

Does that recipe look perfectly aligned?

Does that invoice look awesome enough to impress your employee?

Then save your document in PDF format and sleep relaxed knowing that, no matter what operating system anyone uses to view your PDF, it’s layout and content will remain intact.

As its name describes, the Portable Document Format (PDF) is a file format that presents documents in a manner independent of application software, hardware, and operating systems (what a civilized format!). 

As technology continues evolving, we expect a document to look the same no matter how, or where we view it. From different operating systems to reader applications and even mobile devices and tablets.

When the formatting and styling of your documents are of top priority is when to use PDF as your file format of choice. 

3 – Creating a PDF Portfolio

We tend to forget the ease with which we can merge and split documents using PDF format. Text and pages in PDF documents are organized and indexed in a format that allows you to split and merge pages without disrupting the content, layout, or quality of your original document.

By simply merging different PDF files into one document, you can create a PDF portfolio out of multiple pieces of work. Create a candidate portfolio out of our CV, cover letter, reference letters, and even samples of your work! Potential employers will thank you for being able to access all your files without scrambling through an abyss of emails. 

PDF portfolios are also useful when you consider that the file size of PDFs remain relatively small, and therefore are easy to save and share. This way, your documents are limited by nothing but your imagination!

Do you face any of these situations on a daily basis? If you weren’t already convinced that you need to start using PDF format, then you should be now.

Download Soda PDF and try it out for yourself. Once you start using PDF, you’ll never want any other format again.