10 Reasons to Convert XFA to PDF
You may have noticed some errors when trying to use an XFA document in your PDF software. This is common, and it can cause trouble for your workflow, but there is an easy solution: convert your XFA form to PDF. There are a few different ways to achieve this, depending on your requirements. In this article, we’ll discuss what it means to convert XFA to PDF and the reasons why it will make your life a bit easier.
What is XFA?
XFA (XML Forms Architecture) is a technology used for creating interactive forms within a PDF document. However, XFA forms are not widely supported by all PDF viewers, and they are mostly associated with Adobe software.
What is XFA Flattening?
Flattening XFA (XML Forms Architecture) forms means converting an XFA form into a static or non-interactive format, usually a standard PDF document. When you flatten an XFA form, you remove the dynamic and interactive elements, such as form fields and scripting, and create a fixed, uneditable representation of the form.
Reasons to Convert XFA to PDF
Converting XFA (XML Forms Architecture) forms to standard PDF forms is often necessary or beneficial for several reasons:
- Compatibility: XFA forms are not universally supported by all PDF viewers and software. Many mobile and web-based PDF viewers do not fully support XFA, which can create compatibility issues when sharing or distributing forms. Converting to standard PDF ensures broader compatibility.
- Accessibility: Standard PDF forms are often more accessible to users with disabilities. XFA forms might not provide the same level of accessibility features, such as screen reader support and other assistive technologies.
- Long-term Archiving: To ensure the longevity of your forms and their accessibility in the future, it's a good practice to convert XFA forms to standard PDFs. Standard PDFs are well-established and widely supported, making them a more reliable format for long-term archiving.
- Collaboration: If you need to collaborate with others who don't have access to XFA-compatible software, converting to standard PDF makes it easier to share and work with the forms.
- Data Security: XFA forms might include features that are not well-suited for data security and privacy. Converting to standard PDF can help mitigate potential security concerns.
- Legal and Regulatory Compliance: In some cases, specific industries or regulatory bodies may require forms to be in standard PDF format for compliance reasons. Converting ensures that your forms meet these requirements.
- Platform Independence: Standard PDF forms can be used on various operating systems and devices, while XFA forms may have limitations on where and how they can be used.
- Easier Data Extraction: Standard PDFs often make it easier to extract data from forms using tools or software, which can be useful for data analysis and integration with other systems.
- Improved User Experience: Standard PDF forms are generally more user-friendly, with familiar navigation and interface elements. Users may find them easier to complete and submit.
- Future-Proofing: The technology landscape changes over time. By converting XFA forms to standard PDFs, you reduce the risk of your forms becoming obsolete or unsupported in the future.
It's important to note that the decision to convert XFA forms to standard PDFs should be made based on your specific needs, your audience, and the requirements of the forms themselves. In some cases, you may choose to keep XFA forms for certain specialized use cases, while providing a standardized PDF version for broader distribution and accessibility.
How to Convert XFA to Standard PDF
You can use the PDF Forms Flattener Command Line Application to easily turn your XFA documents into PDFs. If you download PDF Forms Flattener (either as a free trial or available to buy) you’ll be able to import XFA form data into blank PDF documents before you flatten
Keep in mind that if your XFA form contains dynamic features or scripting, these may not be fully preserved during the conversion to a standard PDF, as XFA forms use XML-based scripting that's not supported in traditional PDF forms. So, the converted PDF may not retain all the interactive elements of the original XFA form.
What About Dynamic XFA?
Interactive forms that are able to change form fields based on user input are known as dynamic forms as opposed to static forms. Some tools have trouble converting dynamic XFA to PDF, but Adobe PDF Library is able to flatten dynamic XFA with no issues.
Hopefully you now have a good idea of how to XFA form flatten, why it can be a good idea to convert XFA PDF to standard PDF, and what it means to flatten XFA PDFs.
Need to flatten forms with an SDK? Forms Extension is for you.
Prefer a command-line tool? Forms Flattener is your answer.
