One of the more common questions we receive at Allyant is when to use CommonLook PDF or CommonLook Office.
Additionally, we frequently find ourselves recommending changes to an organization’s workflow to better utilize the software at their disposal.
For example, if a client has access to both CL PDF and CL Office, it’s not uncommon to say something like, “This is actually much easier in our other platform,” or “Let’s explore using the other tool to handle situations like this.”
Our priority is accuracy and efficiency, so giving our clients these powerful tools and educating them on when to use them will always be a priority.
As a quick overview, it’s important to note that our software fits into specific niches, and different use cases can benefit from each tool.
CommonLook Office
CommonLook Office is a relatively simple plug-in to both Microsoft Word and PowerPoint that allows a client to walk through a checking and fixing process to ensure that the PDF output from that file is accessible with no additional manual remediation required.
It is simple to learn, powerful in specific document circumstances, and exclusively specialized in Microsoft Word and PowerPoint.
CommonLook PDF
CommonLook PDF is the most powerful PDF remediation tool available. It is a plugin to Adobe Acrobat and can work on any PDF, regardless of what program produced the document.
This is the logical choice for authors who work out of InDesign, Publisher, or other PDF producers, and the remediators who only have access to the PDF. Additionally, once mastered, the plugin is incredibly efficient.
Inputs and Outputs
Both CommonLook PDF and CommonLook Office allow users to generate accessible PDFs and compliance reports that are coupled with the documents. There are, however, additional outputs to consider.
CommonLook PDF is rather straightforward. You use it on an existing PDF, and the output is an accessible PDF. If your main goal is to create accessible PDF documents, that is the best and most efficient option.
CommonLook Office utilizes a Word or PowerPoint document input and outputs an accessible PDF. While PDFs are the most notable output, users will keep the Word or PowerPoint files they have been working on.
This means that the work done within CommonLook Office will forever change the source file when possible, resulting in an updated version that can be used to create additional accessible PDFs.
We frequently think of this “new and improved” Word or PowerPoint file as a template that was now built with accessibility in mind. In short, using CommonLook Office will output the accessible PDF but also a template that can be updated and changed for the next time an up-to-date, accessible PDF needs to be generated.
It’s worth noting that CommonLook Office also creates a temporarily useful XML file. CommonLook Office uses this file to create the accessible PDF, but once the PDF is created, that is no longer needed, so the XML is of no true consequence long-term.
| Software | Inputs | Outputs |
|---|---|---|
| CommonLook PDF | Inaccessible PDF | Accessible PDF Document Compliance Report |
| CommonLook Office | Word or PowerPoint document | Accessible PDF Document Compliance Report Word or PowerPoint template XML file (temporary use) |
Use-Case Examples
As you attempt to determine how and where CommonLook PDF and CommonLook Office fit into your workflow, we want to provide a few real-world scenarios. While these are some of the more common situations, this short list is not all-encompassing.
If a PDF document already exists and needs to be made accessible, CommonLook PDF is going to be your best bet. In short, if you have a PDF document, the most efficient way to make that document accessible is going to be to remediate it using CommonLook PDF.
If a Word or PowerPoint file needs to generate an accessible PDF, the easiest way to do that is going to be with CommonLook Office. This allows for the fixing of the source document, and enables easy editing and updating for the future, but also outputs the accessible PDF that we’re looking for.
Sometimes, users who are more comfortable in CommonLook Office than CommonLook PDF will attempt to export PDF documents back into Word in the hopes of then being able to use CommonLook Office in the Word file.
While this might seem like a simple solution, the challenge tends to arise from the exporting process. This conversion frequently changes fonts, layout, and other visual components of the document.
This is not a workflow we recommend, as this means that the document will need to be remade or significantly edited, resulting in more work and making the process less efficient.
Understanding CommonLook PDF and CommonLook Office and strategically knowing when to use them can drastically change your accessible document creation process and ensure that you’re doing so efficiently.
