Attachments in PDF format may be annotated within AA without downloading and opening on another service.
This is useful when, for example, opening draft financial statements to review and add comments, highlighting areas, cross references or symbols. To access annotations first switch on the "advanced file features" security setting (an administrator must do this). This enables the preview function.
So here we have a copy of the financial statements added as an attachment (example downloaded from Charities Services):
Clicking preview opens the PDF within AA – rather than clicking the link which downloads it. The following screen appears :
- Notice the Adobe icon at the left. We are using an Adobe add-in for this but the work is bering done within AA - it does not get sent to Adobe.
- The file name of the attachment is displayed at the top. The file may be downloaded from here if required, or the preview may be closed (top right).
- There is a navigation/information bar on the right bale to be opened further to display pages using the four squares icon.
- The tool bar on the left allows annotations to be added to the page. For example:
- Comments may be added as text or with an icon that links to the side bar. Highlighting with different colours, freestyle drawing, etc.
- When an attachment has been annotated and saved there is an indicator next to the item on the parent page:
Note that when changing the location of a document (e.g. from an items required checklist dragged and dropped on a lead schedule) both versions of the PDF are the same, so annotations on one will appear on the other. If you want to keep the original intact you will need to make second version using "save as" to annotate.
Also note that there is some difference in behaviour between a PDF generated from a scan and PDF generated from a document e.g. in the ability to search the document, and to strikethrough the text.