What Does "Edit" Mean?

[Andy the Actuary]

From our favorite EFAST2 Q&A:

Q27a: Can I encrypt or password-protect the PDF files?

No. A PDF that has been encrypted or password protected to restrict editing, printing, or viewing can not be included as an attachment in your filing. If you attempt to include such an attachment in your filing, EFAST2 will remove that PDF from your filing and you may receive an error indicating an attachment is missing.

So, an accountant sends me a pdf, which may have been dumped from software rather than printed to paper and scanned in. I can open it and using handy/dandy Adobe Acrobat Pro 9 crop it, use the typewriter function, and likely other things. But, I cannot edit text a la "touch-up?"

The accountant certainly hasn't password protected or encrypted. However, I suspect the PDF writer nukes the possibility of editing text created by a different owner.

Will this pdf be rejected? If so, must the attachment be printed out and then imported via a scanner?

[Mike Preston]

I'm confused by what you have written. First you say that a pdf file must not be restricted (in the editing sense) and then you say that you think PDF writer will somehow not allow changes. Aren't those two things fundamentally inconsistent?

In any event, there are a number of programs that allow you to edit a pdf file. The full version of Adobe Acrobat does, of course, but there are cheaper alternatives if all you want to do is edit existing text. In fact, there is a free one, amazingly called "pdfedit", if you have the computer chops to get it to work (it is a unix based program that requires those on windows machines to load the cygwin X-server).

I think the theory is that if you are the one controlling the content, you should just make sure that the file is not tampered with when you upload it. Or, if there is any tampering to be done, make sure you are the one doing it!

[Andy the Actuary]

Mike, nice answer, but is the auditor's pdf acceptable by IFILE/EFAST2?

The point is have no idea what they mean cannot be restricted against editing.

[Tom Poje]

this is the warning message I received from the software I use. maybe your file is security locked without you knowing it.

thank heavens. i would never have known how to check for this!

ERROR! The file is either corrupt or is password protected. The DOL will not accept password protected files. To check if the pdf is password protected open it in Adobe Reader, press ctrl+d, and then select the security tab on the pop-up window. If the 'Security Method' is anything other than 'No Security', then you will need to have the file's author remove the security settings (only the file's author can remove security settings). Once the security setting has been removed, re-attach the file.

[Andy the Actuary]

this is the warning message I received from the software I use. maybe your file is security locked without you knowing it.

thank heavens. i would never have known how to check for this!

ERROR! The file is either corrupt or is password protected. The DOL will not accept password protected files. To check if the pdf is password protected open it in Adobe Reader, press ctrl+d, and then select the security tab on the pop-up window. If the 'Security Method' is anything other than 'No Security', then you will need to have the file's author remove the security settings (only the file's author can remove security settings). Once the security setting has been removed, re-attach the file.

Thanks for taking the time. Your response did a lot to clarify!!! Much appreciated.