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PDF Document Management Trends Among Software Developers
There is no denying that the Portable Document Format (PDF) is the generally accepted tool to open and view documents from anywhere and on any device. However, most web and software developers still need help integrating a pdf editing feature into their apps.
Even though these developers know the extra features will improve their product experience, only a few offer them in the apps. And even apps with these features usually need to be better.
This gap presents the undisputable need for flexible PDF integrations with a reliable pdf editor like Luminpdf to allow users to enjoy the maximum innovative potential in the digital document space.
Our article will look at PDF document management trends among software developers because of this shortcoming.
What’s Being Edited?
Depending on their services, organizations develop, share, and edit different content types, from fillable forms to charts, images, and texts. This makes the PDF format most acceptable, as it can contain all content types. So every team member can open and view documents effortlessly.
Certain content types may require some revision in apps with editing features. Although graphic content may not typically require editing, some users still believe they should be able to edit the images to aid the visual appeal of their works.
Tables and charts may also often not be edited since they are generated and included in documents for reference. But then again, an editing feature within the app will be valuable.
However, there is a general need for editing features for a content type with text. For users, the only thing better than an app that lets them view their pdfs is one that allows them also edit these documents in a pdf merging app.
That explains why developers view the text content type as the top option for editing features. Whether it is content for the front end for end-users or the back end, developers insist that these PDF editing tools should handle the editing seamlessly.
Regrettably, the general need for pdf text editing features does not trivialize the effort and skill required to make it work. That is why software developers still view this feature as the biggest challenge in PDF document management.
Implementing PDF Features
Software developers must access the specification document to implement the extra PDF features. The material is more than 900 pages with content explaining how to develop, view, present, convert, and even revise a pdf document.
So, the challenge for software developers is often learning the content of this material to implement pdf text to speech, viewing, annotating, editing, or merging pdf documents for an app.
Regardless of the importance of PDF editing functionalities, its implementation is often the least prioritized. This is usually the case since most in-house teams are responsible for pushing new features.
Now, because of the gap between what users want and the development team’s approach to solving them, there are some noticeable challenges, including:
Poor prioritization
For a company that handles all its needs internally, deciding what features to prioritize and implement first is often tricky. So, features like PDF editing is often trivialized and ignored, and no resources are allocated towards its implementation.
Instead, the development team emphasizes prominent features to make the product outstanding in the market. However, with time, users notice the absence of the editing feature, which could cause a bad user experience and reduce the product’s value.
Missed Development Targets
The specification document that explains the nuances of pdf manipulation is over 900 pages. Suppose a development team insists on working on the implementation of PDF features internally. In that case, every minute they spend on that material could have been put into developing the app’s viable propositions.
For every extra time on the feature, the whole development timeline is continuously extended, sprint deadlines are missed, and the launch date may also have to be postponed.
But that’s not all.
More delay translates to more test cycles (which means more cost, resources, and time). Plus, it could give your competitors the space to launch their products first, exposing them to more users and the initial monopoly in the market.
Lack of Adequately Skilled Developers
Very few software developers are skilled in the specialized functionalities of the portable document format. And it may be challenging to find enough developers, especially if the product is not a pdf editor app.
Even the several available open-source tools to let users open and edit portable document formats require a lot of skill and time for the developers to integrate into an app for the public.
Unfortunately, because of the budget limit, it would not be financially prudent to hire a dedicated PDF specialist for the product. This means that the team working on the pdf features will often be skilled developers with limited time and energy to learn the editing implementation.
Third-Party Integrations
With all these challenges in-house software development teams handle, they could leverage the solution from third-party integrations to fix the gap. The third party provides a reliable, time-effective solution, so teams do not have to build them from scratch.
The integration takes less time to install yet provides functionalities that could have taken months to build. They are also tailored to your product to offer flexible editing features in your app.
In addition, with the best pdf app, Luminpdf, you get general support even after the integration. So, if a developer wants to include a new capability or comes across an issue, they can contact a third party for support.
That way, both teams can work together to find and resolve issues in good time. The collaboration ensures that the development team continues to push essential features rather than chasing pdf-related problems.
Enhance Your PDF Capabilities with Lumin PDF
Luminpdf is the best pdf maker app that offers a boutique of creative PDF solutions to satisfy various development needs and integrates seamlessly into software apps.
Our solutions tend to every requirement, from the inclusion of versatile front-end viewing and revising functionality to incorporating robust programmatic PDF skills to the back end of your product.
You can contact our PDF specialists today to understand how Luminpdf annotate app can address your PDF document management issues and discover the perfect integration for your next software project.
