As technology advances and software updates, important information can be lost. Just as it is difficult to open most Word documents from 30 years ago on modern computers.
Specialists are able to recover files from old computers and storage media such as floppy disks or CDs. But what can an average PC user do to avoid losing an important document decades later? The PDF/A format may be the solution. In this form, your digital information - from photos to spreadsheets to text files - will be safe for decades.
What is the PDF/A format and what are its advantages
Lance Stuchell, director of digital preservation services at the University of Michigan, explained to Wired that software changes over time and documents become obsolete. Updates to software such as Microsoft Word mean that files that opened perfectly in the late 80s won't open in the 2020s.
The expert advised users to export files in an open format, especially if they want to keep them accessible in the long term.
For documents, he recommends PDF/A, an open standard based on Adobe's format. It contains everything you need to open the file, including the fonts used in the document. Microsoft Office, LibreOffice, and Adobe Acrobat all support the corresponding export, which means that it is relatively easy to create such a file.
This format ensures that your document will remain unchanged and readable for many years, even if technology changes. It differs from regular PDF, as the latter is a commercial product that is actively changing and is not suitable for long-term storage. PDF/A, on the other hand, is an open subtype of it, specially designed for archiving. It contains only the information necessary to preserve the document and does not include elements that may cause problems in the future.
The advantages of saving documents in open-type formats:
- Software independence. Documents saved in this format can be opened on any computer using free programs such as Adobe Reader.
- Preserve formatting. Even if you open a file many years later, it will look exactly the same as when you created it, including fonts, images, and more.
- Long-term storage. The format is resistant to changes in technology, so it is ideal for preserving, for example, contracts, research papers, historical documents, etc.
How to create open standard files
Depending on the user's needs and capabilities, there are several ways to create a file in this format. If you need a simple conversion, online services will suffice. For more complex tasks, it is better to use specialized software or built-in functions of professional programs.
Specialized programs usually have a built-in function for checking compliance with the standard. It is worth using it to be sure of the quality of document archiving.
Як зберегти документ у форматі PDF/A: покрокова інструкція
Using in Microsoft Word:
- Open the document in Microsoft Word.
- Go to the File > Save As menu.
- Select PDF from the list of formats.
- Before saving, click the Options button and select Publish as PDF/A.
- Save the file. Word will automatically convert it to PDF/A format.
Save to PDF/A using online services
There are many free online services that allow you to convert files to this format. Simply upload your file to the site, select the necessary options, and download the finished file. Examples of such services: PDF24, AvePDF, FreePDFConvert.
However, in this case, you should keep digital security in mind. After all, when you upload a document to any online service, you transfer control of that file to another party. Even if the service claims confidentiality, there is a potential threat that your data may be misused.
Using the software
Programs such as Foxit PhantomPDF or Nitro also have functions for creating files. They are quite easy to use:
- open the document in the program;
- find the Save as PDF/A option in the save menu.
Unlike conventional file formats, it is specially designed for archiving. It has stricter requirements for the document structure, which guarantees its durability. Therefore, it is not just a format for storage, but an opportunity to pass on valuable information to future generations or even, without exaggeration, to make a contribution to history.