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Hello,

Several times per week, I need to e-mail contracts that the recipient must
then print and complete.

I have the choice between sending my docs in Word or in PDF.

What's crucial is that the formatting in my docs remains the same and will
not be altered regardless of the type or printing characteristics of the
printer.

To date, I have sent my docs in PDF and all have been returned with the
formatting unchanged.

Does the same hold true if sent in Word format? Will my docs be printed as
composed by me or, due to their being in Word, are they subject to the
printer's characteristics?

Thanks!

Martin

Thanks for the prompt reply.

Much appreciated!

Martin

Martin wrote:

> I have the choice between sending my docs in Word or in PDF.

If any of your recipients have MS Word (or compatible word processor,
such as OpenOffice), they could edit and change anything they wished.
They also may not have the fonts you've chosen, which could dramatically
change their output.

If you send in PDF, the files could only be altered by someone who owned
PDF editing software, which would be rare. Most people have readers
only.

--
-bts
-Motorcycles defy gravity; cars just suck.

Thanks Beauregard!

Martin

In article <Yg9Qg.99401$>, Martin
<> wrote:

> Hello,
>
> Several times per week, I need to e-mail contracts that the recipient must
> then print and complete.
>
> I have the choice between sending my docs in Word or in PDF.
>
> What's crucial is that the formatting in my docs remains the same and will
> not be altered regardless of the type or printing characteristics of the
> printer.
>
> To date, I have sent my docs in PDF and all have been returned with the
> formatting unchanged.
>
> Does the same hold true if sent in Word format?


Word is incapable of what you describe.
Word cannot substitute an appropriate font -- Adobe's format can.
Word is version-dependent for many formatting types -- your recipients
have to have a minimum version to be able to open them. Adobe's format
is much more consistent and regular.
Just because YOU make them in MS Word doesn't mean everyone else has
Word to open with -- many people use more practical tools, like Open
Office, and that means two different programs behaving in two different
ways (and probably Open Office is the more consistent and
well-behaved!)

Adobe made the PDF format to do EXACTLY what you are describing.
Use it, it's good.

Thank you, Mitch!

I didn't realize that docs in PDF were far better in many ways than those in
Word.

That's why I ask my questions here, because posters to this NG provide a
wealth of info.

BTW, my ISP, Sympatico.ca, discontinued providing NGs where one can post,
but increased the monthly connectivity charge by $2. Let's hear it for
corporate greed! You listening Bell Canada Enterprises????

Regards,

Martin