PDF, PDF/A, PDF/X, password-protected, flattened. The options overwhelm. Most professional decisions come down to four scenarios.
Here's how to pick.
Daily working PDFs: standard PDF
For documents you're actively working on — drafts, briefs, in-flight contracts — standard PDF is right. Editable, widely compatible, all features available.
Most of your PDF life happens here. Don't overthink the format.
Long-term archives: PDF/A
For documents you want to open reliably in 10–20 years, use PDF/A. It embeds fonts, removes risky features, and is the standard for archival.
Most PDF tools can export to PDF/A. For regulated archives (tax, legal, medical), PDF/A is often required.
Sensitive shares: password-protected PDF
For documents containing financial data, PII, or commercially sensitive numbers being sent to specific parties, password-protect. Send the password via a separate channel.
For publicly distributed material, skip the password — friction without benefit.
Signed finals: flattened PDF
Anything signed and being shared externally should be flattened — signatures embedded in pixels, not on editable layers. Flint flattens automatically on signed download.
Flattened signed PDFs are the right artefact for archive, distribution, and audit.
FAQ
Is PDF/A backwards compatible with regular PDF readers?
Yes — PDF/A is a subset of PDF. Any PDF reader can open it. The constraints just ensure it doesn't depend on features that might break.
What about PDF/X for print?
Specialised format for print production — embeds colour profiles, ensures print fidelity. Useful for design and prepress, overkill for office documents.
Can I convert between formats freely?
Yes — standard PDF to PDF/A, and back, is a straightforward export. Password-protect after the conversion if needed.
Does compression affect format choice?
Compression is independent — you can compress a PDF/A, a standard PDF, a password-protected PDF, all the same way.
Four scenarios, four formats. Don't agonise; pick from the list. Process your next PDF in Flint with the right format from the start.