Creating and managing PDFs with external software can be quite a pain point for organizations. After all, it's yet another external program that needs to be used. Nuance must have thought of this too, because with their Power PDF software, they have done everything possible to keep the user-friendliness of the interface as high as possible. Hence, when you start the software (which does take a while, as the package is quite heavy), you are greeted by an environment that looks exactly like Microsoft's Office suite. Pleasant, because that means you can get started immediately.
Integrated
The interface uses Microsoft's so-called 'ribbon', where you can find the most commonly used functions sorted by menu. Of course, you can customize the ribbon to your liking, just like in Office. The integration doesn't stop there, which speaks volumes for Power PDF 2. You can create, import, and export PDFs directly from Office. Think of it as an extra layer on top of the standard PDF export that is already built into Office. In addition to Office integration, services like Dropbox, Evernote, and SharePoint are also supported. This is convenient if you work a lot from the cloud or collaborate remotely within a team.
Many functionalities
While Adobe made changes to its Acrobat Reader software not long ago to make it more user-friendly, but which only made the interface feel more cluttered, Nuance has tackled it better. On the left side of the screen, you will find standard functions like selection tools, adding attachments, and creating bookmarks.
It's nice that you can view and call up more extensive underlying functions for each function via the context screen that opens next to the function. For example, when selecting security options, you can create entire security schemes at the top of the context screen in addition to the standard security functions. Not everyone will use these functions. Nuance knows this too, which is why they always get a discreet spot in the context screen.
However, if you take a moment to delve into all the functions, you will quickly discover that you can essentially tailor the software entirely to your own needs. This not only increases personal usability but also makes your work faster. By setting various schemes and, for example, changing the sort order of comments, you can make rapid adjustments to documents without having to do it on a per-PDF basis. Processing batches of documents works perfectly as well.
Security
Where Nuance Power PDF 2 excels are the many security options at your disposal. You can fully secure your document including metadata or exclude metadata, or increase or decrease the level of encryption to enhance compatibility with older PDF versions. It is also possible to attach a password to the document to prevent editing, for example. Another handy option is redacting sensitive information within PDFs, an option you use more often than you think.
Automating
We already mentioned the schemes that take a lot of work off your hands, but Power PDF 2 Advanced contains even more handy features that save you work. Processing batches by assigning a folder containing documents, for example. You can also assign a so-called 'watched folder', which is continuously monitored for new files and whose documents are automatically converted according to the scheme. By deploying this smartly, you automate large parts of your document flow that you no longer have to worry about. Very convenient.
Nuance Power PDF 2 Advanced
With Power PDF 2 Advanced, you bring home a complete document processing package that integrates perfectly with existing applications and offers enough functionality to get the most out of the PDF format. The daily use of the program feels pleasant, although the program is quite heavy. However, this should not be a hindrance, as the functionality makes it more than worthwhile.
+ Many functionalities
+ Familiar user interface
+ Various options for automation
– Quite heavy software
Score: 8.6
Price: € 169,-
Info: nuance.com
