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Ever Have Trouble Opening Electronic Files?

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Article written by Evan Kropp for the February 2002 issue of Promotional Products Business (PPB) magazine and reprinted with their permission.

You have encountered situations where you received a digital file either through e-mail or on a diskette from a supplier or client. You couldn't open it because your computer doesn't have the program in which the file was created, or it was created on Mac and you have a PC. It may have been an EPS image file, but you don't have image software to see it. It may have been a sell sheet or catalog page, but you don't have publishing software to view it.

Throughout each business day, we often work with colleagues, clients, suppliers/vendors and others on projects, reports and various documents. We all have the need to share information whether it's sending a document for someone to review or reviewing a document that someone sent us. Unfortunately, sharing information hasn't always been a hassle-free experience.

Differences in computer operating systems, such as Mac OS, Microsoft Windows and UNIX, as well as differences in software programs or versions of the same program can make information sharing difficult. In the promotional products industry, we have a need for the quick and reliable transfer of documents. More importantly, we need our co-workers and clients to see our documents in the same way we created them, including the page layout, formatting and images. So what's the solution to this information-sharing problem?

The solution is PDF, Portable Document Format, created by Adobe Systems Inc. Some of you are familiar with PDF, and some probably have the free PDF reader, Adobe Acrobat, on your computers. But do you really know what a PDF is and how you can best utilize it to relieve many of your everyday headaches?

What Exactly Is A PDF?
Adobe Systems Inc. began development of the Portable Document Format (PDF) in 1991. A PDF file is a self-contained, cross-platform document. Basically, it is a file that will look the same on your computer screen and in print no matter what type of computer, operating system or printer you may have. As an added bonus for modem users, PDFs are highly compressed so they take less time to download from the Web or via e-mail without disrupting the integrity of the file.

There are several advantages to using PDFs in your business:

To view the file, you don't need the application in which the document was created.

Documents always display exactly as they were created.

Documents always print correctly.

Documents can be viewed in multiple platforms (example: Mac, PC, UNIX).

Content such as text and images can be saved and used in other applications.

Who Uses This Format?
With the growing popularity of the Internet, many industries and individuals are quickly discovering PDF as a valuable tool. Would you like to apply to college? No problem! Simply log on to your University's Web site and odds are it will have an admissions application in PDF format ready to be downloaded. Would you like to know how many people live in the United States? That's easy! Log on to the U.S. Census Bureau's Web site and you will see that all of the statistics are published in PDF format. In fact, all Census Bureau publications released since January 1, 1996, are available in PDF format.

At Prime Resources, we have created a PDF file for each of the catalog pages and data sheets. If you don't have a catalog or you need to send a quick data sheet to a customer, you can download it from Prime's Web site in PDF format and quickly e-mail it to whomever.

How PDFs Can Help You!
Have you ever received an art file from a client and not been able to open it? This can be caused by some of the problems identified above such as cross-platform issues or not having the same program in which the file was created. This is where the power of PDFs can help in our industry. PDFs can be utilized in the process of transmitting artwork from end users to distributors and on to suppliers.

Often, when distributors receive art files from their clients, they are inclined to open and view the artwork. This can be problematic because the distributor may resave the file incorrectly or, inadvertently, corrupt the file. When viewing art from a client, the main rule is to open the file, view it and close it without resaving the artwork. If clients are asked to save their artwork as PDFs, some problems may be reduced.

When an art file such as an EPS is saved in PDF format, it does not change the file in any way. It simply makes the art viewable in the free Adobe Acrobat Reader. Thus, distributors would not need to carry the burden of purchasing expensive graphics programs to view the artwork that comes through their offices. They could also worry less about negatively affecting the artwork, and the files would transmit quicker through e-mail, saving valuable time for offices that do not have high-speed Internet access.

"But my supplier said he wants an EPS file, not a PDF." Give your supplier a call and ask if he will accept an EPS file saved as a PDF. Odds are he will. Supplier art departments would be able to export the original artwork from the Adobe PDF since most of their art programs, such as Photoshop and Illustrator, are also produced by Adobe.

Keep in mind that this process would ensure the original integrity of the artwork and allow it to be viewed. But there are limitations. Artwork must still meet your suppliers' art requirements. Not all artwork saved as a PDF will be usable art. A PDF created with low-resolution art will result in a low-resolution PDF. It'll look a little fuzzy on screen and won't print clearly. PDFs simply allow you to transmit via e-mail and review documents and artwork more efficiently and with a reduced possibility of corrupting files.

How Do I Get Started?
To view and print PDFs, you will need the Adobe Acrobat Reader. This program is available at no cost from the Adobe Systems' Web site at: http://www.adobe.com/support/downloads/main.html. Once you complete the download and installation onto your computer, you can view and print any PDF file that anyone sends you or that you download from the Internet.

If you need to turn your own documents into PDF format, you'll need more than just the reader. You need the full version of Adobe Acrobat. The latest version is Adobe Acrobat 5.0, which costs around $200 - $250 and can be obtained online or through your traditional computer retail store. If you already have Adobe Acrobat, you can upgrade to the latest version for less than $100. The full version of Adobe contains several additional features that were not discussed here such as streamlining document review processes, digital signatures and searchable indexes.

Adobe Acrobat Reader is a must-have tool for everyone in the promotional products industry. It's free. It's really easy to use. And it's indispensable for reviewing documents and sharing information. Get it and use it now! PPB


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