Because the PDF standard explicitly defines the allowed compression algorithms, all PDF viewers are capable of reading PDFs generated to a particular version of the standard.

Is it true that the TIFF format can offer smaller files than the PDF format?

Not necessarily. File size depends on a number of factors. In its uncompressed format, TIFF tends to result in very large files. A single page of a scanned black and white text document might compress a bit better in TIFF, depending on the compression algorithm being used, says Xerox's Kovnat, but in many other circumstances, the PDF format will give you a more compact file.

Day says that the whole file size argument is silly. "In some instances, PDF may produce a slightly larger file," he says, "but that's because PDF files are more robust, so they contain more information." He adds that rendered PDF files (for example, a Microsoft Word document converted directly into a PDF file) give you much, much smaller files that are superior in resolution to any scanned TIFF image.

What else do I need to know?
Kovnat says part of the reason we default to PDF is because of its portability. That was the PDF standard's mission, and it continues to perform well. Portability, he says, was not the TIFF's mission. Kovnat also points out that dealing with multipage documents can be clumsy in TIFF. The PDF format is much more flexible when dealing with larger, more complex documents, he says.

A Document Management System Is Essential
Broadly speaking, there are two types of documents that advisors need to concern themselves with: internal firm documents, such as business records, and documents distributed to others. For internal documents, the best solution is to use a quality document management system (DMS). Such a system can control who views, edits, copies or prints a file. It ensures the integrity of a document, and it provides a full audit trail. These systems can also allow sophisticated searches. Some, like the system offered by iNautix, write directly to an unalterable medium to further protect against document manipulations and alteration.

Among those providers offering DMS to advisors are Cabinet NG, CEO Image Systems, Docupace Technologies, iNautix, Laserfiche, NetDocuments, Redtail, Worldox and Xerox. When documents are stored in a document management system, the system itself provides the security, so in such an environment, the question of better security features between TIFFs and PDFs are not meaningful. However, when you need to e-mail a file to a client, the superior security options PDF provides are important.

 

 

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