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Professional PDF software : choice guide and automation

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August 20, 2025
9 min
Product Information Management

PDF software: how to choose the right professional tool

The PDF format has established itself as the universal standard for sharing, printing, and archiving professional documents. Its ability to maintain the original layout, regardless of the operating system or software used, makes it an essential tool for any company that wants to maintain the visual coherence of its communications.

However, not all PDF software meets the same needs. Between simple reading and advanced automation PDF software: how to choose the right professional tool

The PDF format has established itself as the universal standard for sharing, printing, and archiving professional documents. Its ability to maintain the original layout, regardless of the operating system or software used, makes it an essential tool for any company that wants to maintain the visual coherence of its communications.

However, not all PDF software meets the same needs. Between simple reading and the advanced automation of document production, choosing the appropriate tool can significantly impact your productivity and the quality of your deliverables. Modern businesses are facing growing challenges: increasing documentary volumes, frequent updating of product catalogs, customization according to markets, and the need to optimize creative processes.

This guide offers you a complete overview of the solutions available, from the most common uses to specialized tools, with a particular focus on the needs related to the production of catalogs and product documents.

📄 Automatically generate PDF files from your product data with SolidDesigner. No need to copy and paste anymore!

What is PDF software?

PDF software is an application that allows you to create, read, annotate, edit, or convert PDF files. These tools come in several categories according to their functionalities:

PDF readers like Adobe Reader offer basic consultation and annotation functions. Advanced editors such as Adobe Acrobat Pro, Foxit, or PDF-Xchange allow for complete content modification. The converters transform various formats into PDF and vice versa, while Extractors retrieve specific data from documents.

In business, these tools are used to produce contracts, brochures, technical sheets, product catalogs, quotes and various documentation. The choice depends on your specific needs and your volume of document processing.

How PDFs are used in marketing and communication

Marketing materials make extensive use of the PDF format to ensure the uniform distribution of information. Downloadable product sheets allow prospects to consult your offers offline. Exportable catalogs are used as much for professional printing as for digital distribution on websites and social networks.

Leaflets, technical instructions and sales arguments benefit from the faithful display of the PDF. This format preserves the graphic charter, custom fonts and complex layout, guaranteeing a consistent visual experience regardless of the consultation medium.

The universality of the PDF format eliminates compatibility issues. Your documents are displayed identically on a computer, tablet or smartphone, making it easy to share with customers, partners and internal teams.

🛠️ SolidDesigner allows you to automatically produce PDFs that are ready to be printed or downloaded from your PIM data.

The criteria for a good professional PDF tool

Professional PDF software should easily integrate with your existing layout tools, including InDesign. This compatibility maintains your creative workflow while adding automation capabilities.

Technical management remains crucial: integrated fonts, high-resolution images, lost print backgrounds, optimized compression to reduce file size without altering quality. These parameters determine the final appearance of your documents.

Batch generation is transforming your productivity. Instead of manually creating each product sheet or catalog page, a good tool automatically generates hundreds of documents from your databases.

Security features protect your sensitive content: passwords, editing and printing restrictions, digital signatures for authentication.

Automate the generation of PDFs from your data

Automation is revolutionizing document production. By connecting your PDF software to an Excel database, a PIM or a DAM, you transform your structured data into professional documents without manual intervention.

This approach generates sheets or catalogs on the fly, even for large volumes. One of our customers automated the publication of 300 produced PDF sheets, reducing production time by 90% while eliminating input errors.

The benefits are multiple: considerable time savings, reduction of human errors, instant updates when changes are made to the database, and guaranteed graphic consistency across all documents.

📘 Learn how our customers automated the production of their marketing PDFs using SolidDesigner.

SolidDesigner: transform your data into PDF automatically

SolidDesigner offers native PDF export functionality from your InDesign templates. This integration respects your creative process while adding the automation needed for mass productions.

The direct connection to structured data (Excel, CSV, PIM) automatically feeds your models. Create a multilingual catalog, dynamic brochures or modular sheets in a few clicks.

The formats generated are automatically optimized according to their destination: high resolution for professional printing, intelligent compression for web delivery. This versatility simplifies your workflow by avoiding multiple exports.

🚀 Generate your PDFs in a few clicks from your structured data with SolidDesigner. Try it for free now.

Optimize your documentary production

The PDF format maintains its central position in professional communication, but its exploitation can be significantly improved through automation. Businesses that invest in tools that combine design, data, and frictionless PDF export gain in productivity and quality.

Automation does not replace creativity: it frees it from repetitive tasks to focus on added value. This allows your team to focus on strategy, graphic innovation, and customer experience rather than manual production.

📥 Try SolidDesigner for free and create your PDF documents automatically from your Excel files or PIM.

In documentary production, choosing the appropriate tool can significantly impact your productivity and the quality of your deliverables. Modern businesses are facing growing challenges: increasing documentary volumes, frequent updating of product catalogs, customization according to markets, and the need to optimize creative processes.

This guide offers you a complete overview of the solutions available, from the most common uses to specialized tools, with a particular focus on the needs related to the production of catalogs and product documents.

📄 Automatically generate PDF files from your product data with SolidDesigner. No need to copy and paste anymore!

What is PDF software?

PDF software is an application that allows you to create, read, annotate, edit, or convert PDF files. These tools come in several categories according to their functionalities:

PDF readers like Adobe Reader offer basic consultation and annotation functions. Advanced editors such as Adobe Acrobat Pro, Foxit, or PDF-Xchange allow for complete content modification. The converters transform various formats into PDF and vice versa, while Extractors retrieve specific data from documents.

In business, these tools are used to produce contracts, brochures, technical sheets, product catalogs, quotes and various documentation. The choice depends on your specific needs and your volume of document processing.

How PDFs are used in marketing and communication

Marketing materials make extensive use of the PDF format to ensure the uniform distribution of information. Downloadable product sheets allow prospects to consult your offers offline. Exportable catalogs are used as much for professional printing as for digital distribution on websites and social networks.

Leaflets, technical instructions and sales arguments benefit from the faithful display of the PDF. This format preserves the graphic charter, custom fonts and complex layout, guaranteeing a consistent visual experience regardless of the consultation medium.

The universality of the PDF format eliminates compatibility issues. Your documents are displayed identically on a computer, tablet or smartphone, making it easy to share with customers, partners and internal teams.

🛠️ SolidDesigner allows you to automatically produce PDFs that are ready to be printed or downloaded from your PIM data.

The criteria for a good professional PDF tool

Professional PDF software should easily integrate with your existing layout tools, including InDesign. This compatibility maintains your creative workflow while adding automation capabilities.

Technical management remains crucial: integrated fonts, high-resolution images, lost print backgrounds, optimized compression to reduce file size without altering quality. These parameters determine the final appearance of your documents.

Batch generation is transforming your productivity. Instead of manually creating each product sheet or catalog page, a good tool automatically generates hundreds of documents from your databases.

Security features protect your sensitive content: passwords, editing and printing restrictions, digital signatures for authentication.

Automate the generation of PDFs from your data

Automation is revolutionizing document production. By connecting your PDF software to an Excel database, a PIM or a DAM, you transform your structured data into professional documents without manual intervention.

This approach generates sheets or catalogs on the fly, even for large volumes. One of our customers automated the publication of 300 produced PDF sheets, reducing production time by 90% while eliminating input errors.

The benefits are multiple: considerable time savings, reduction of human errors, instant updates when changes are made to the database, and guaranteed graphic consistency across all documents.

📘 Learn how our customers automated the production of their marketing PDFs using SolidDesigner.

SolidDesigner: transform your data into PDF automatically

SolidDesigner offers native PDF export functionality from your InDesign templates. This integration respects your creative process while adding the automation needed for mass productions.

The direct connection to structured data (Excel, CSV, PIM) automatically feeds your models. Create a multilingual catalog, dynamic brochures or modular sheets in a few clicks.

The formats generated are automatically optimized according to their destination: high resolution for professional printing, intelligent compression for web delivery. This versatility simplifies your workflow by avoiding multiple exports.

🚀 Generate your PDFs in a few clicks from your structured data with SolidDesigner. Try it for free now.

Optimize your documentary production

The PDF format maintains its central position in professional communication, but its exploitation can be significantly improved through automation. Businesses that invest in tools that combine design, data, and frictionless PDF export gain in productivity and quality.

Automation does not replace creativity: it frees it from repetitive tasks to focus on added value. This allows your team to focus on strategy, graphic innovation, and customer experience rather than manual production.

📥 Try SolidDesigner for free and create your PDF documents automatically from your Excel files or PIM.

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