The preferred electronic format is Adobe Acrobat Portable Document Format (PDF). We specialize in creating quality reports and presentations, combining multiple formats into a single interactive CD. Many diverse file formats can be converted directly into PDF files. A document containing various formats can be combined into a single PDF file. One PDF file can contain scanned paper, word processing files, spreadsheets, photos, drawings, etc.

We create bookmarks and hypertext links to section headings within the scanned or imported PDF file, appendices, photos, and multi-media files, such as PowerPoint presentations and video clips. Navigation through your report and to sections of your presentation is as simple as a single click.

PDF has become universally accepted as a standard format for storage, presentation, and distribution. Users can view, navigate, and print documents using the free Adobe Reader software. Thanks to the internet, many users are already familiar with PDF documents. PDF captures the exact look-and-feel of your actual document, preserving fonts, format, and signatures. Your documents look the same on any PC and over the internet. They print accurately on any printer.

PDF files can be made searchable. Users can quickly search for text within documents. Bookmarks, hypertext links, and thumbnail views aid in navigating through files. The use of document information fields can assist in quick and easy retrieval.

PDF File Types

PDF Image Only -- Scanned or converted files are viewed as a picture of the actual document. Although text is not searchable, the use of bookmarks makes document navigation easier. Documents can also be indexed with searchable information fields. PDF Image Only is the most cost-efficient option.

PDF Normal -- Text of the document is fully searchable. This format produces the smallest file size. Please note that this method is only recommended for documents which are being translated/converted directly from Word or Excel (as opposed to being scanned from paper).

PDF Image + Hidden Text -- Creates a combination of the document image with embedded text. The reader sees only the image, never the OCR text. Text is searchable, but editing is not possible. This format produces the largest file size.

Should your needs require full text editing, we recommend OCR (Optical Character Recognition) instead of PDF.

Other PDF Options

Bookmarks -- Section headings and subheadings provide quick access to specific areas of a PDF document. retrieval of chapters, sections, appendices, and illustrations is only a click away.

Hypertext Links -- One-click access to other locations in the same page, same document, or different document. Links between and within documents make navigation effortless. The link can initiate movie clips, PowerPoint presentations, and even the internet to access a website.

Thumbnail Views -- Miniature version of pages can be displayed beside the document. Reader can quickly scan the thumbnail views to find the desired page. A click on the thumbnail brings that page into full view.

Form Templates -- Online forms with check boxes, click buttons, and fill-in text fields for electronic transmittal of form information.

Combined Formats-- Multiple formats combined in a single interactive CD. For example, scanned paper, word processing file, spreadsheets, photos, lab reports, and drawings combined as a single file.

Optical Character Recognition (OCR)

OCR (Optical Character Recognition) -- A scanned document is stored as an image. The text is not recognized beyond being a readable picture of the page. OCR is the process that produces text from that scanned image. OCR makes a document's text searchable. The OCR text file can be edited or re-used in a word processing program, which saves re-keying time. Accuracy of the OCR process is generally close to 99.995%, but can vary depending on the quality of the paper document and the font size.