PDF to Word Conversions and Document Formatting Services
At Transcription City, we provide document-formatting services, which include copy typing read-only PDF documents to an editable Word document format. We come across a lot of clients needing contracts or documents converted from PDF and there are a few tips we can provide for clients looking to take on this task.
PDF Conversion Services
PDF conversion software and software for scanning documents from hard copy is something that is still being developed. Many clients and companies looking to get documents formatted or copy typed have purchased such conversion software only to find it is riddled with errors. If you have a simple document of which the vast majority is simple text, you may be fine using conversion software and then perhaps paying for proofreading services. However, for more complex documents containing indents, tables, footnotes and other such things, you will most likely need to pay for formatting services to fix formatting errors that will exist within your document. For example, on a properly formatted Word document, a footnote will follow the page that the reference regards, but in a simple conversion from hard copy or PDF, footnotes will often appear wherever in the text they visually lie on the PDF. So for instance, if you edit page one of your document, and sizes change, you may end up with footnotes in the middle of a page rather than where they should lie (at the foot!) and you will need to pay to have this changed.
Professional Document Conversion Services
Cost cutting when using typing services is a bad idea. Copy typing should theoretically be a very straightforward process but if outsourcing, it’s important to make sure your typing services company uses typists that have an excellent grasp of the English language as they can pick up on already existing errors and/or avoid further ones in the retype. Also, consider that if using PDF or hard copy conversion software, you will likely still need to pay out for formatting services to fix any fundamental errors, or rather spend time fixing them yourself.
Consider Copy Typing and Document Formatting Services rather than Conversions
Copy typing services can start from £10 per 1000 words at Transcription City and formatting services can be comparably expensive depending on how extensive the work is. It may actually be quicker for you to have the whole document copy typed to begin with, rather than creating a ‘shell’ of the document using conversion software that may then be riddled with formatting and spelling errors that need to be fixed. To give an example of problems that may occur, it’s not uncommon for us to come across documents created from hard copy using such software that will have capital ‘O’s written in replacement of zeros and ‘I’s’ instead of the number one. Such errors are not always picked up by spell check programs but can affect a document’s accuracy and come across as very unprofessional.
In conclusion, whatever the method you decide to use to get your hard copy or PDFs into a workable, editable Word format, make sure you have considered all of the options before you go ahead. Our transcription company can format and copy type your documents in line with professional standards and whatever your needs, we’ll be happy to assist you.
If you are looking for information on copy typing or document formatting services, you can contact via email or instant message. Alternatively, give us a call on 0208 816 8584 or use our online web submission form!
