Converting Files to PDF/A Format
What is PDF/A?
PDF/A is an archival format of PDF that embeds all fonts used in the document within the PDF file.
This means that a user of your file will not have to have the same fonts that you used to create the file
installed on their computer to read the file. The solutions provided below will ensure that all fonts,
including common system fonts, are embedded and provide compliance with PDF/A standards.
Note that the National Science Foundation (NSF) Public Access Repository (NSF-PAR) system
requires users to upload a PDF/A file format for purposes of long-term preservation and archiving as
well as to satisfy 508 compliance requirements of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).
How do I create a PDF/A file?
Microsoft Word documents can be saved in the PDF/A format. Adobe Acrobat Professional is the most
commonly used document conversion software. There are other non-Acrobat applications or services
that are free or have free versions to convert documents to the PDF/A format such as PDFTron,
DocuPub, and Ghostscript. Although none of the aforementioned software is endorsed by NSF, step-
by-step instructions on converting Microsoft Word documents and PDFs using Adobe Acrobat
Professional to the PDF/A format are included below since this conversion software is widely used.
If you choose not to convert the file yourself, NSF recommends working with your publisher to obtain a
properly formatted version of your publication. Another valuable resource is your organization’s library
staff, who often have tools to help you manage your deposits.
Converting Microsoft Word Documents to PDF/A Format
1
Click the File tab in the upper left corner.
1
Published August 31, 2022