Overview

Some PDFs are created using Adobe PDF Save settings that cause the file to not behave as a standard flat PDF file when imported into the eAIM system (i.e., a file that is “flat” and presents no form-related layers such as those used for fillable form fields).  This document presents a work-around process that allows you to rebuild the PDF file using "special processing" so that it will import/upload correctly.  To diagnose a PDF file requiring special processing, see “How to Identify a PDF Requiring Special Processing” below.

How to Identify a PDF Requiring Special Processing

To determine if a PDF will present upload issues that are not encountered with normal, flat PDFs, look for the following conditions:

• If a given PDF displays with “clickable” fields (which will function as a form field and display a cursor when the user clicks the field area using the mouse), the PDF is not “flat” and requires special processing.

• If the eAIM system displays an error message when uploading/importing a PDF, the PDF’s file format is outside of the system’s expected standard PDF format parameters and requires special PDF processing.

Example of PDF file requiring Special Processing (with highlighted form field and bar cursor).