Converting PDF to word is a common thing that businesses and individuals engage in a lot these days. People convert documents form other formats to PDF and from PDF to other formats. However, what most people don’t understand is that there are several formats of PDF besides the conventional PDF file format that is known by everybody. In this article, I will look at some of the commonest PDF file formats and some of the least known formats.
Common PDF file formats
The two most popular PDF file formats are PDF and PDF/A. PDF is the granddaddy of all versions and variants of PDF file formats. This was the first PDF file format to be introduced a few decades ago and its introduction revolutionized how people share information on computers. Without PDF, you had to have matching software for the type of document you wanted to open. For instance, if you wanted to open an MS word document, you needed to have an MS Office suit installed on your computer. When PDF was introduced, it changed all these by allowing documents to be opened on computers even if you did not have matching software.
PDF/A is another version of PDF that is used for archiving PDF documents. It allows interoperability between different kinds of platforms, computers, and systems. It is perfect for documents that need to be set in stone in terms of compliance, records, and archives.
Uncommon PDF standards
The two PDF types named above are the most common and most widely known. However, there are a few other types of PDFs that people barely know about. These include PDF/E, PDF/X, PDF/AU, and PDF/VT among others.
PDF/E is designed to be used by engineers and other professionals who deal with documents that contain large numbers of form fields, rights management, and huge multimedia images. It is suitable for use with anything that relates to construction or geospatial.
Next is PDF/X, which is most suitable for professionals who deal with graphic design. This type of PDF was invented to meet the needs of publishing and printing industry. It presents stricter image requirements and embedded fonts
PDF/AU was designed in an attempt to make the world a more inclusive place. It is designed for people with certain kinds of disabilities. These documents are usually compatible with assistive technology such as reading software and navigational aids among others. You can use them to read PDF documents more easily if you have disabilities that require you to use assistive technology.
PDF/VT is a version of PDF that is suitable for creating statements, direct mails, and invoices.
Bonus PDF standards
These aren’t really bonus PDF types, but I am categorizing them as such because of their lack of popularity. In fact, people who know about them are only the people that deal with them directly. Under this category are PAdES and PDF Healthcare. Like the name suggests, the latter type of PDF is used in the healthcare sector to maintain healthcare records.
All these varieties of PDF can be converted to word and other formats using PDF to word converter.