This guide, and its companion for developers (Best Practice in creating PDF files for variable data printing – Developer Edition), are intended to help designers, composition tool operators and software vendors avoid creating inefficient PDF files.

Print workflow and metadata standards are used to communicate the intended appearance, processing steps, or job tickets for printed products through the use of existing PDF features.

PDF/VCR enables variable data printing applications using PDF template-based variable content substitution and a framework for in-RIP variable content merging.

The ISO 16612 family of standards defines PDF/VT for supporting variable data and high-volume transactional printing. PDF/VT builds on top of PDF/X.

The ISO 15930 family of standards define PDF/X, which support the graphic arts and professional printing sectors.

With PDF Processing Steps standardization, packaging and pro workflow components may be shared language-independent, vendor-neutral way, including specifications for cutting, varnishing, embossing, adding braille and other post-print operations right in the PDF.

PDF Assiciation publication about PDF/X. PDF/X was the first ISO standard based on PDF technology. A subset of the PDF specification, PDF/X was designed to constrain PDF files in order to cater to specific use-cases in the print industry.

The PDF/VT Application Notes discuss topics that aid implementers of PDF/VT workflow tools and demonstrate the various design features of the PDF/VT file format. The document was developed by the PDF/VT Competence Center of the PDF Association, in close cooperation with, …

Contents What you need to know about PDF/A and PDF/A-2 Legal Certainty Accessibility and Metadata Archives & Libraries Public Administration Business to Consumer The Portable Document Format – developed by Adobe Systems and first published in 1993 – offers a …