10 Things to Consider When Choosing a PDF Editor and eSignature Solution for Business
PDF is the most frequently used file type in business today. Due to its convenience and universality, the PDF format has become ideal for sharing information, creating agreements, and completing most business transactions. You can view a PDF file on any device and even open it in your web browser. However, when it comes to editing a PDF, you will need reliable editing software that supports this file type.
Today, you can choose from a wide range of PDF editors that will help you whenever you need to change the content of your document. Some are strictly for editing PDFs, while others offer more versatile functionality enabling you to create, convert, and even eSign your PDFs.
Knowing what kind of PDF editor you need before purchasing one is crucial so you don’t waste money on a service that doesn’t benefit your business.
Read our step-by-step guide to learn which criteria to consider to choose the right PDF editor for business purposes.
Table of contents
1. 10 Things to Consider When Choosing a PDF Editor for Business
- Functionality
- eSignature capabilities
- Ease of use
- Security and Compliance
- Collaboration features
- Desktop vs. web-based
- Mobile access
- Customer support
- Integrations with other systems
- Pricing
2. How G2 Reviewers Rate Popular PDF Editors
10 Things to Consider When Choosing a PDF Editor for Business
If you are looking for a quality PDF editing service, you should consider different criteria when checking the available options. Let’s look closer at each of these criteria:
1. Functionality
The first thing you need to consider before buying PDF software is the functionality you need in order to manage your PDF tasks. Although every PDF editor seems to provide basic editing features that would be just enough for changing a document’s content, primitive editors may be missing the bells and whistles some users are looking for. For example, some PDF software won’t let you rearrange or delete pages in a PDF.
With that being said, it is worth considering what features you need to manage your business documents. Once you have a list of required capabilities, you can compare it with what each editor offers and select a pricing plan that includes the features you need.
2. Legally-binding eSignatures
Powerful editing tools are only sometimes suitable for 100% digital document processes. You would still need to print documents to get them signed or use additional services that enable eSigning, which would make administrative staff spend more time handling documents instead of eSigning them right in the editor.
Luckily, some PDF editors have pre-built eSignature functionality that allows you to sign or send documents for signature from the same interface where you edit them. Adding legally binding eSignatures to your documents can eliminate the need for printing and save time and money for your business.
3. Ease of use
Having a feature-rich editor is priceless if editing documents is a part of your daily work routine. But what if you end up spending half an hour looking for that exact icon on a dashboard that’s supposed to highlight text in your document?
Some PDF editors and eSignature services are just too difficult to use because of a poorly designed user interface. They will make you spend more time editing your document and even cause errors. That can’t be good for your organization.
Luckily most PDF solutions offer a free trial to test them before investing in one. But if testing all available PDF editors is not an option, refer to user reviews platforms, like G2, which rate different characteristics of an app, including the ease of use.
4. Security and Compliance
Editing business documents with a third-party app implies that you give it access to your company’s confidential information. So how do you ensure that your business data is handled securely?
Check if the software you plan to use holds compliance certifications and applies best practices for storing and processing user data. For example, PDF solutions that hold SOC 2 Type II certification are considered secure. Services that follow industry-specific regulations don’t involve any data security risks for your business.
5. Collaboration
Not all editing services are convenient when managing documents by more than one person. But for many organizations, the ability to collaborate on documents in teams is an essential need. This is why it’s best if the editor you choose for business has collaboration tools that allow multiple users to work on the same document.
6. Desktop vs. web-based
Some PDF editors come as desktop apps, while others are web-based. Web-based editors are more convenient than desktop apps because they are always accessible from any device with an internet connection. They are better for team collaboration and data sharing and don’t require software updates.
7. Customer support
Even when using the best service, you may occasionally need to contact its support team. 24/7 live chat and proactive response can help you improve your experience with your PDF editor. Customer support agents equipped with both the right customer service tools and excellent communication skills can go the extra mile for you to meet your expectations.
8. Mobile access
Accessing and managing your PDFs from a mobile device may become an advantage when you urgently need to edit or send a document on the go. Choosing a PDF editor with a convenient mobile app version will enable you to do that.
9. Integrations with other systems
Some PDF editors allow you to integrate editing functionality into mainstream services like Salesforce or Dynamics 365. These integrations can save you time and streamline the editing process by enabling you to make changes to your documents without switching from one interface to another. Though an integration may only partially replace a comprehensive editor, it can save much of your time.
10. Pricing
PDF editors that offer similar capabilities may sometimes have very different pricing policies. You don’t have to overpay for big brands to get excellent service. So choose a scalable solution that completely accommodates your business needs without paying too much. This way, you will save your company budget and enjoy a quality editing service.
How G2 Reviewers Rate Popular PDF Editors
Why businesses choose pdfFiller — a comprehensive cloud-based document editor with built-in eSignature capabilities
pdfFiller makes a perfect solution for editing business documents. One of the best things about this service is that it provides a secure cloud-based environment for storing and managing your documents. You can organize your business PDFs in folders, tag them, access them, and share them at any time from any device.
pdfFiller allows you to create, edit, and share PDFs in minutes. You can add, erase, highlight, annotate, blackout text, and more. Plus, it enables you to add and delete other elements like images and shapes.
You can also change your PDF’s structure by merging, rearranging, or adding pages. Once you’re done editing, pdfFiller allows you to choose a file type and convert the format of your document.
If you need to create numerous invoices, agreements, or other documents, save your PDFs as templates and reuse them multiple times, minimizing the time you need to create a unique document. Adding basic fillable fields allows for creating fillable forms that can be used to collect data online.
By buying the pdfFiller Premium for Enterprise subscription plan, you will also benefit from legally-binding eSignatures provided by signNow and can sign your documents electronically with just a few clicks.
For more information on pdfFiller for business:
- Check out our detailed review of pdfFiller for Enterprise features and pricing.
- Learn how pdfFiller for business eliminates printing costs and helps organizations transition to paperless offices.
- Learn how pdfFiller business ensures HIPAA compliance in Healthcare.