Compare documents efficiently in Acrobat

Checking contracts or other documents can quickly become a tedious task. When faced with a revised version of your contracts, it can be frustrating to reread everything. But it doesn't have to be! Acrobat offers a handy feature that significantly simplifies the process of comparing documents. In this guide, I will show you how to make optimal use of the "Compare" function to quickly and easily identify changes.

Key takeaways

• With Acrobat's "Compare" function, you save time and frustration when reviewing documents.
• It is possible to compare only the text to identify the key changes.
• All found changes are listed clearly so you can quickly see where adjustments have been made.

Step-by-step guide

To successfully compare documents in Acrobat, follow these simple steps:

1. Prepare your documents

Before you start the comparison, make sure you have both the original version and the revised version of your contract or document at hand. In my example, I document a contract where the timeframe has been changed.

2. Open Acrobat and go to Compare

Launch Acrobat and upload the modified PDF file you wish to compare. Then, navigate to "Tools" in the top menu bar and select the "Compare Files" option.

3. Select the files to compare

You will be prompted to select the two documents you want to compare. Acrobat automatically suggests the most recently edited file, but you must also select the original version.

4. Determine the type of comparison

At this point, you can specify whether you want to compare only the text or also the graphics. In most cases, such as in my example, comparing only the text is sufficient as no other elements were altered. Choose the appropriate option.

5. Start the comparison

Once you have made all the settings, click on "Compare." Acrobat will now begin analyzing the two documents and searching for differences.

6. Review the results

Once the comparison is complete, Acrobat will show you all changes made. You can review the list of identified differences. For navigating between the changes, a simple button is available to you.

7. Analyze the changes

Click on "Next Change" to go through each difference. Here, you can see exactly what is in the original document and what adjustments have been made in the new version. For example, in my case, the timeframe was changed from 14 to 30 days.

8. Formulate your feedback

Use the identified differences to formulate any queries or feedback. Having the ability to see all changes at a glance gives you a high level of confidence when signing the document or engaging in further negotiations.

With these steps, you can effectively ensure that you notice all changes in your documents without wasting unnecessary time reading through the entire text. Thanks to the intuitive functionality of Acrobat, comparing documents becomes a seamless process.

Summary

In this guide, you have learned how to use the "Compare" function of Acrobat to quickly identify contract changes. With its simple usability and clear display of differences, you can ensure that you don't overlook anything when reviewing modified documents.