Practical Workflows > Digitizing Paper Documents > Enabling PDF Documents to be Edited with Adobe Reader (Reader Extensions)
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Enabling PDF Documents to be Edited with Adobe Reader (Reader Extensions)

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If you select the Reader Extensions mode when converting a paper document to a PDF file, you can add/edit comments, and add signatures using Adobe Reader (Adobe Reader 7 or later).

  • Benefits of Reader Extensions
  • Utilize PDF Files at a Low Cost

To add comments to a PDF file, it is necessary to install PDF editing software such as Adobe Acrobat in your computer. However, if you use the Reader Extensions mode, you can reduce adoption costs, since you can add comments even if the above software is not installed on your computer.

  • Fast Decision Making with Document Sharing

For example, when a project member is collecting comments on a preliminary plan, they can convert the draft document to a PDF file and save it in a shared folder that the members can access. Comments can then be collected in a faster manner than if a paper document was being passed around.


Required Condition
  • The Universal Send Advanced Feature Set is activated.
  • Network settings are set.

This section describes the procedure for saving a paper document in the shared folder of the Advanced Box in the Reader Extensions format. Multiple people will be allowed to view and edit the PDF file.

Follow the procedures below.

Checking whether the Advanced Box can be Accessed

Checking whether Documents can be Saved in the Reader Extensions Format

Converting the Document to a PDF File in the Reader Extensions Format

Opening the Saved Document with Adobe Reader


Checking whether the Advanced Box can be Accessed

It is necessary to check whether the destination Advanced Box can be accessed from your computer.


  1. Follow the procedure below to check that the Advanced Box can be accessed with SMB.

Press (Settings/Registration) → [Function Settings] → [Store/Access Files] → [Advanced Box Settings] → [Open to Public] → [By SMB] → [OK].


  1. Follow the procedures below to check whether Prohibit Writing from External is set to 'Off'.

Press (Settings/Registration) → [Function Settings] → [Store/Access Files] → [Advanced Box Settings] → [Prohibit Writing from External].


Checking whether Documents can be Saved in the Reader Extensions Format

Check that any functions that are incompatible with the Reader Extensions format are disabled.


  1. Follow the procedure below to confirm that [Format PDF to PDF/A] is set to 'Off'.

Press (Settings/Registration) → [Function Settings] → [Common] → [Generate File] → [Format PDF to PDF/A].

Select [Off] → press [OK].

In addition to this setting, you cannot save in the Reader Extensions format if (Settings/Registration) → [Function Settings] → [Common] → [Generate File] → [Optimize PDF for Web] is set to 'On' and a digital signature is set.


Converting the Document to a PDF File in the Reader Extensions Format

Scan a paper document and convert it to a PDF file.


  1. Press [Scan and Store] on the Main Menu screen.


  1. Press [Advanced Box].


  1. If the Log In screen is displayed, enter the user name and password → press [OK].

Enter the same user name and password used to log in to the machine.

After you are finished using the machine, press (Log In/Out) to log out.

If you are using SSO-H as the login service, press [Store Password] to store your user name and password. Next time you log in to the Advanced Box, the user name and password will already be entered and you can display the Space Selection screen by simply pressing [OK]. If the Log In screen is not displayed, this step is not necessary.


  1. Press [Shared Space].


  1. Select the folder to store the file in.

  1. Place your originals.


  1. Press [Scan].


  1. Press [File Format].


  1. Select [PDF] → press [Set Details].

If [Set Details] is not displayed, press [Reader Extensions] on the File Format screen.


  1. Press [Reader Extensions] → [OK].

  1. Press (Start).

If the following screen is displayed, follow the instructions on the touch panel display → press (Start) once for each original. When scanning is complete, press [Start Storing].

When scanning is complete, the scanned data is stored in the selected folder.

You cannot change settings, such as the document size or the scanning ratio, while the machine is scanning.

If you want to cancel scanning, press [Stop] or (Stop).


  1. When scanning is complete, remove your originals.

Opening the Saved Document with Adobe Reader

Open the PDF document saved in the shared folder of the Advanced Box from your computer.


  1. Click [Start] → [Programs] → [Accessories] → [Windows Explorer] → enter the following path in <Address>. (case sensitive)

//<IP address of this machine>/share


  1. If the Log In screen is displayed, enter the user name and password → click [OK].

If you successfully log in, you can access the shared space in the Advanced Box.


  1. Select and open the stored PDF file.

Save the PDF document after making an edit such as adding an annotation.

If an error occurs, check that the time on the machine and the time on the computer match. If you open a Reader Extensions compatible PDF in Adobe Reader, and the time at which the PDF file was created is later than the current time on the computer, an error occurs.


Reference Information
  • "PDF/A-1b" Format for Meeting ISO Standards

PDF/A is a standard set by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). It is suited for long-term storage because it guarantees that the display of the PDF does not change with the machine or viewing software.

To save a PDF file in the PDF/A-1b format, press (Settings/Registration) → [Function Settings] → [Common] → [Generate File] → set [Format PDF to PDF/A] to 'On' → convert the document to a PDF file using [Scan and Store] or [Scan and Send].

  • Optimizing PDF Files for Web Viewing

When viewing PDF files on the Web, you can optimize the files so that they can be viewed as each page is downloaded, without having to wait for the entire document to download. This is useful when distributing scanned data via the Web.

To save a PDF file optimized for the Web, press (Settings/Registration) → [Function Settings] → [Common] → [Generate File] → set [Optimize PDF for Web] to 'On' → convert the document to a PDF file using [Scan and Store] or [Scan and Send].

  • Cautions when Generating PDF Files

There are several combinations of settings that cannot be used when converting a paper document to a PDF file.

Unavailable Setting Combinations Description Remedy
Reader Extensions and PDF/A If [Format PDF to PDF/A] in Settings/Registration is set to 'On', you cannot select the Reader Extensions format. Set [Format PDF to PDF/A] to 'Off'.
Reader Extensions and Encrypted PDF If password authorization is set for Encrypted PDF, you cannot set the Reader Extensions format. Allow [Changes but Extract Pages] or [Add Comments and Digital Signatures] for Encrypted PDF.
PDF/A and Encrypted PDF If [Format PDF to PDF/A] in Settings/Registration is set to 'On', you cannot select Encrypted PDF. Set [Format PDF to PDF/A] to 'Off'.
Encrypted PDF and Digital Signature (Device Signature and User Signature) If password authorization is set for Encrypted PDF, you cannot set a digital signature. Allow [Changes but Extract Pages] for Encrypted PDF.

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