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New Application Note Illuminates PDF’s Flexible Options for Custom Metadata

October 2025 by PDF Association staff

The PDF Association has released a new Application Note titled “Including Custom Metadata Structures in PDF.”

This document addresses the need for organizations to use custom metadata beyond standard XMP schemas in their PDF workflows. It provides guidance on designing custom metadata schemas, embedding them interoperably, best practices for versioning and extensibility, and strategies for exposing metadata to applications and tools.

The document’s objective is to enhance interoperability and efficiency by allowing custom metadata to travel seamlessly within PDF documents, eliminating the need for separate “sidecar files.”

The Note is now available on the PDF Association website.

The PDF Association has released a new Application Note titled “Including Custom Metadata Structures in PDF.”

This document addresses the need for organizations to use custom metadata beyond standard XMP schemas in their PDF workflows. It provides guidance on designing custom metadata schemas, embedding them interoperably, best practices for versioning and extensibility, and strategies for exposing metadata to applications and tools.

The document’s objective is to enhance interoperability and efficiency by allowing custom metadata to travel seamlessly within PDF documents, eliminating the need for separate “sidecar files.”

The Note is now available on the PDF Association website.

PDF/UA Processor LWG in Paris

February 2023 by Paul Rayius (Allyant)
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The PDF/UA Processor LWG will continue the work of developing a processor and AT specification to help drive better accessible PDF experiences for all!

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February 2023 by Peter Wyatt
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The joint Australian and New Zealand national committee on Records and Document Management Systems recommendation to both Standards Australia and … Read more

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January 2023 by PDF Association staff
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A new type of PDF Association event, PDF Week is the ideal way to get to know the experts developing … Read more

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January 2023 by Peter Wyatt
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Adobe engineers have formally added support for Unicode 15 to the CMap resources for both Adobe-Japan1-7 and Adobe-KR-9 in the … Read more

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January 2023 by Peter Wyatt
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How ISO 19445 might be used with PDF 2.0 and related technology updates relevant to the graphic arts industry.

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January 2023 by PDF Association staff
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Along with membership dues, Adobe’s Standards Support Endowment facilities administration of ISO TC 171 SC 2 and sustains the continuing … Read more

PDF Association news

January 2023 by Peter Wyatt
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CTO Peter Wyatt summarizes key takeaways from the first two years of the PDF specification’s public errata process.

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January 2023 by Peter Wyatt
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ISO TC 171 SC 2 is publishing new extensions and clarifications to PDF 2.0 in support of advanced cryptography.

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December 2022 by Duff Johnson
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In 2023 the PDF Association will focus on technical community while the final phase of the SafeDocs program offers an … Read more

PDF Association news

December 2022 by Matthias Valvekens (Matthias Valvekens)
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A commentary on the interoperability of encrypting PDF documents with public-key cryptography.

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December 2022 by Matthias Valvekens (Matthias Valvekens)
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Identifying the signer’s key in a PDF signature: how does that work?

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