Looking to learn how to comment on a PDF?

Have you ever been in a situation where you had no idea what your boss meant when they said they left a few comments on a document? Or perhaps you’ve been in a team project and wondered whether it would be better to send an email rather than simply commenting on the document. Don’t worry; it has happened to the best of us.

Sometimes delivering your comments in a verbal manner isn’t good enough, or maybe, there’s a specific part of the document that just needs a bit of fixing. Emailing details or requests can also cause a bit of misunderstanding since things can become lost in translation through text. Although it might seem like a trivial thing, a bit of miscommunication can put a damper on your workflow or even affect your team’s dynamic. So, how can you avoid this faux pas and have a seamless workflow? The answer might be more straightforward than you think.

Commenting on PDFs can be a huge help when it comes to project management. When everyone is on the same page, commenting on documents helps get the message across clearly and concisely.

You could place your comments where you want them to avoid this. You can’t pinpoint where you’re commenting with specific project management platforms. So, it’s often imperative that you explain your point thoroughly and that it’s easy to understand. This might be hard to do when dealing with complex tasks or documents.

The Struggles of Project Management

Working in teams is already stressful enough, so you wouldn’t want to deal with any miscommunication to add to the workload. Having the ability to comment on PDFs helps you reduce this. PDF commenting can be seen in many different ways, such as with hand-drawn shapes, colored text boxes, and even sticky notes. To help explain how commenting works on PDF files, we’ll go over commenting tools and why commenting is vital for task management.

Project management is complex. Plain and simple. There are so many moving pieces that it’s easy for something to slip through the cracks. Especially when you’re dealing with working remotely and different time zones, trying to keep track of who is doing what can be a daunting task. The best way to manage all the tasks at hand is by organizing your timeline and prioritizing efficiency.

The last thing you want is to experience miscommunication and confusion when dealing with documents or revisions. You might have experienced this at least once during your job. Maybe you were on the receiving end, or perhaps you were the one who caused all the chaos. Either way, there’s a lot of room for miscommunication to happen. For example, you might not understand exactly what your boss meant when they referred to a particular document. Commenting on a PDF can help get your point across without any ambiguity.

To do this, you can assign different roles or tasks to your members. For example, if there’s a project that needs revisions, you could leave comments on a PDF and ask certain people in the group to check these documents out and comment on them as they see fit. This way everyone is participating in a team effort. That being said, commenting on PDFs is a crucial part of the process.

In this article, we will go over the basics of commenting on PDFs and some tips and tricks that you may find helpful. We’ll also take a look at some project management tools that make commenting on PDFs even easier!

The Basics

A PDF is defined as a file format that provides an electronic image of text or text and graphics that looks like a printed document. This document can be viewed, printed, and transmitted electronically. You might have seen PDFs online since they’re common file formats for ebooks or documents.

PDFs are highly versatile and can be viewed by anyone. So, sharing documents in this format is often recommended. However, it is impossible to edit them like you would be able to for documents, so reviewing them in a PDF format can be a pain.

Think of a PDF as a conventional piece of paper. It’s not a word document you can cut, alter, or paste words on. When you’re reviewing a PDF document and have something to say about a particular part, it can be hard to point out which part you mean. Fortunately, there are tools that let you create, edit, and download your documents with ease.

How to Comment on a PDF with Ease

Thanks to technology, commenting on a PDF is definitely doable. Although it’s not possible to change the content in this file format, it does help get your point across in an effective and efficient manner.

Like how you would submit your essays in school and your teacher would comment on them with little notes and markings, commenting on a PDF is pretty much the same thing. The difference is that it’s definitely more manageable, and you don’t need to use up any ink or paper.

The Benefits of Commenting on PDFs

We’ve mentioned a few times that commenting on PDFs is an efficient way of sharing documents and feedback. We’ll list down a few other benefits of commenting on PDFs below.

Your team will know exactly what you mean.

Forget about your team misunderstanding your comments or missing your point. You can point out exactly which part and what you mean when you comment on a PDF. This minimizes any miscommunication in your team and ensures that the project runs smoothly.

Collaborating with Multiple Reviewers

When multiple minds weigh in on a document via PDF comments, things can get messy. Keep it streamlined by assigning color codes to each reviewer—this way, you instantly recognize who’s saying what. For even more efficiency, you can edit your PDF online to manage these comments in real-time.

Encourage concise, clear comments and use the reply feature to keep related notes bundled together. Regularly summarize and clarify shared points to ensure everyone’s on the same page. A touch of organization will turn your team’s varied feedback into a harmonious collective effort, transforming your document effectively.

You have complete control over the content.

Although you can’t change any content on a PDF, it boasts the benefit of not being able to be tampered with. So, if you’re sending a PDF to someone and you don’t want them to change anything on it, commenting is the way to go.

It’s Time-Efficient

Since commenting on PDFs is done electronically, there’s no need for you or another team member to print out the document just so that you can circle or highlight something. You can simply do it on the screen, and everyone will be able to see your notes and changes.

A Safer Form of Transmitting Files

Commenting on a PDF is definitely an efficient way of getting your point across without having to worry about editing permissions or mishandled documents. It’s also a great way to keep track of any changes that are made to the document!

You can sign PDFs

You can actually sign PDFs. This is helpful when you want to make an agreement with someone on a project. Instead of printing out the document and scanning it, commenting on PDFs allows you to sign documents digitally!

If you’re commenting on a PDF that’s important, you might want to consider adding your signature. This will certify that you actually reviewed the document and approved it.

Commenting on PDFs as a Way to Improve Project Management

When commenting on PDFs, it’s all about making the process of commenting, reviewing, and editing documents a breeze.

It can be difficult to manage projects if there are too many stakeholders involved or if you have to wait for your team members’ feedback before moving forward with a task. This delays the workflow of the project and results in missed deadlines.

Commenting on PDFs can help improve your project management. Your team will be able to move faster and not have to wait for a document that’s been edited incorrectly or has errors in it. Instead, commenting allows the entire team to see each other’s comments and suggestions so you can all work together to improve the quality of the project.

PDF commenting is a great way to keep everyone on the same page when working on projects. Leaving notes and comments on specific parts of the document makes it easier for team members to understand your suggestions or changes.

How to Comment on a PDF? (There are many ways!)

Now that we know all of the benefits commenting on PDFs has to offer, let’s look at how you can go about doing it.

There are many ways to comment on PDFs, but we’ll just be mentioning a few below.

Method One: Use commenting tools available in the software program used to create the PDF document

This is probably one of the most common ways of commenting on PDFs. Most programs that allow users to create PDF documents will also have commenting tools available.

The commenting tools allow users to add text comments, highlight specific parts of the document, and add stamps or other images.

Method Two: Use a separate software program like Nifty comment on PDFs

If you’re not happy with the commenting tools that are available in your software program, you can always download commenting tools from the Internet.

There are many commenting software programs available online, so be sure to compare them with each other before you choose one.

Method Three: Use an online commenting/editing tool to add comments on PDFs

This method is pretty straightforward – all you need is a computer and internet connection.

The commenting tool will be available online, and all you need to do is upload the PDF onto the commenting site (just like how you would attach files on an email). Then, you can start commenting away! But keep in mind that every time you want to add or edit a comment, your computer needs to be connected to the internet.

PDF Commenting Tools You Need to Know About

Now that you know how to comment on PDFs, it’s time to learn about the different commenting tools that are available.

There are many commenting tools out there, but we’ll just be mentioning a few of the most commonly used ones below:

Sticky Notes

One of the most straightforward commenting tools, sticky notes, are small post-its that you can add to your PDF document.

They’re great for adding short comments or marking a specific spot on the document you want to refer back to later on.

Text Comments

If you need to write longer comments, text comments are the way to go. They allow you to type out your comment and add it directly to the document.

You can also format your text comments to make them look nicer and easier to read.

Highlighting

If you want to emphasize a specific part of the document, you can use highlighting. This commenting tool lets you change the color of the text or background so that it stands out more.

You can also use highlighting to mark a specific spot in the document you want to refer back to later.

Stamps

If you need some commenting tools that are more fun, try using stamps. They’re great for adding quick comments without having to type anything out.

There are many different types of stamp comments to choose from, so you’re sure to find one that suits your needs.

Signatures

If you need to add your signature to a document, commenting tools will let you do just that. This is a great way to show that you’ve approved of a particular change or comment.

Instead of having to print out the document and sign it, you can just add your signature directly onto the PDF.

Best Practices for Commenting on PDFs

When commenting on a PDF, there are a few things to keep in mind:

Make sure your comments are clear and easy to understand

It’s essential that everyone who will be commenting on the document can understand your comments. Be concise – don’t write a paragraph for every comment you make

This one goes hand-in-hand with making sure your comments are easy to understand. If you need to say more than a sentence or two, try breaking up your comment into a few different parts.

Only make comments when necessary.

There’s no need to add commenting tools if the changes you’re making are apparent enough already. It’s a waste of time, and it might end up confusing other people who are commenting on the document as well.

Make sure all your commenting on a pdf is the same color

If you’re commenting on a PDF that has multiple people commenting, try to make all your commenting tools the same color. This way, it’s easier for other people who are reviewing the document to see who made each comment.

Be consistent with how you comment on a pdf.

If you’re using commenting tools to mark changes, make sure you use the same tool (e.g., highlighting) for every change that you make. This will help keep everything organized and easy to read.

Do not comment on a pdf too much information unless it’s relevant

There’s no need to include the date and time when commenting on a PDF. Other people who are commenting may not even be in the same time zone as you, so they won’t know what it means anyway.

Avoid including too much information. You don’t want to be commenting on a PDF that has sensitive information in it and then having everyone know who you are. For example, if you’re commenting on a medical record, avoid including your name or other personal details like where you live.

If you’re commenting on the text, use a commenting tool that makes it easy to identify your comment.

When commenting on the text, it’s a good idea to use a commenting tool that makes it easy to identify your comment. This way, other people who are reviewing the document can easily see which comments belong to you.

Do not include any formatting in your comments.

You don’t want to include any formatting in your comments. This will make it look like you wrote the comment yourself and not as though it was typed by someone else commenting on a PDF (which is what commenting tools do).

It’s okay if there are typos because commenting tools can automatically correct them for you, but avoid adding formatting like bold, italics, or underline.

Try and keep your comments brief and to the point

No one wants to read a long comment that’s hard to understand. Try and keep your comments brief and to the point. If you need to say more than a sentence or two, try breaking it up into a few different parts to avoid confusion.

Wrapping Up

When commenting on PDFs, following these guidelines can help make the process smoother for everyone involved. By taking the time to write clear and concise remarks, your team will know exactly what needs to be done.

PDF commenting is a great way to share documents and feedback with your team. It’s an efficient, time-saving method that everyone will appreciate! By commenting on PDFs, you’ll be able to minimize miscommunication and keep track of any changes made to the document. Not to mention, it’s also a safer way of transmitting files!

Moreover, when it comes to seamlessly integrating PDF data into your workflow, converting PDFs to Google Sheets can be a game-changer. This allows for better organization, analysis, and collaboration with your team, ensuring that important information is easily accessible and up-to-date.

You can also use a free ebook converter for more professional presentations.

Now that you know how commenting on PDFs works and why it’s so useful, try commenting on some PDF documents yourself! Comments on PDFs can be a great way to ease the workflow of a project and get messages across in a clearer manner. By following these best practices, you’ll be able to make the most effective comments possible.

Author Bio

Ebnu Sudarso is the Co-founder of Milkwhale, an internationally acknowledged infographic production agency. Graphic design and writing have always been a passion. Over the years at Milkwhale, the company has created and published numerous infographics and great visuals.