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PDF Forms - Put Yours to Work!

Just How Green Are You?

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SUMMER 2009

PDF Forms — Put Yours To Work!

I just completed a huge move — not my office, my home. Let me just say that every little bit helps. The extra pair of hands to move that futon, an extra blanket to wrap around the table my dad made — the last minute to finish cleaning before the new tenant moves in. Even without the heavy lifting, moving information can be just as taxing, so lets see what we can find to help you!

This month I want to review the often overlooked Acrobat PDF. Most computer users are familiar with them, but do you know that they can help streamline your communications?

Easy to Use, Easy to Update

Specifically, I’m talking about interactive forms.Order forms for dealers or consumers, patient questionnaires — you name it, it can be digital. Conveniently, people may now place orders and email them out — no longer requiring the facsimile, the scanner, the pen or the pencil.
With Acrobat 8, Adobe started allowing users to print and save forms. Previously this function was disabled and you would receive an error message along the lines of "you won't be able to save or print this."

What Does This Mean For You?

If you routinely send buyers or clients Excel files to fill out, or have them fax in hand written forms — it's a great time to switch over to PDFs.

Benefits

1. User Friendly: Anyone can read and then fill them in, regardless of whether or not they have Excel. It will require Acrobat Reader, but that's free!
2. Design: Pdfs can match all the rest of your marketing materials.
3. Web Traffic: You can post these small files on your website with embedded links of all sorts, to refer people to additional info. they may need on your website.
4. Tree Friendly: Fill it out digitally, email it back — clearly we’re saving paper!

How to...

1. The form must be saved as a PDF.
2. Form fields must be added. (Acrobat Pro 9 does this for you, so you might need to pass it off to a designer or friend with this software.)
3. Usage rights must be enabled so people can print or save the form.

Hope this is useful. Happy Summer everyone!