If you’re familiar with a PDF, you know editing the file is close to impossible. While this is also a benefit of PDFs, you don’t need to worry about someone altering your text.
If you need to make a last-minute change, you may be out of luck. However, this isn’t going to be an issue with a Word file. You can easily make any changes, even if the document is published online. This is only an example of why you may want to convert PDF to Word files online.
While converting PDFs to Word files has advantages, there can also be a downside or two. So, before you start converting every PDF you encounter, here are a few things to consider.
Upsides of Converting PDFs to Word Documents
Editing is a Breeze
When it comes to editing a Word file, you’re not going to run into any problems. Need an editing tool? No worries, there are plenty to choose from including some from Microsoft. You can edit text, play around with the formatting, add images, and make revisions as needed.
Remember how an advantage of a PDF file is its difficulty for others to make edits? This also applies to you, even as the document’s owner. Once you’ve converted the PDF to a Word file online, you can easily make any changes. This is also a great benefit for older content that may need some updating.
Easy Collaboration
Have you ever tried collaborating on a PDF file? If the answer is yes, it’s probably an experience you hope isn’t repeated. Since PDFs are designed to be difficult to edit, this makes collaborating on the file a pain. Chances are, your first instinct is to convert the PDF to a Word file and this is when an online converter comes in handy.
Converting the PDF to a Word file allows multiple users to simultaneously work on the document. They can make edits, insert comments, and easily track any changes in real time. If you’re not sure collaboration is worth converting PDFs to Word files, you may be missing out on some of the benefits.
Employee productivity and efficiency increase, frustration levels decrease, and you’re creating a positive team environment.
Potential Downsides of Converting PDFs to Word Documents
Converting a PDF Can Be Difficult
Some PDFs have complex formatting, which doesn’t always convert well to a Word document. These discrepancies may not be a huge problem, but your document can have a less polished and professional appearance. If the document is staying in-house, formatting may not be a concern. However, this changes when it’s time to publish the content online.
Your complex tables and graphics may not be completely accurate after converting to Word. Sometimes, margins can be misaligned and this takes time to correct.
Security Can Be an Issue
PDFs offer more security than Word documents. However, when you convert a PDF to a Word document, you lose some of the built-in security features that these documents contain. This is something to consider if the PDF contains sensitive information.
While there can be a couple of downsides to converting PDFs to Word files online, overall, the upsides typically outweigh any potential disadvantages.
