PDF guide for journalists and editors

2 min read·22 April 2027

Journalists work with source files, freedom of information requests, legal documents, and published articles. With PDFrust all these documents can be safely compiled, archived, and protected.

Build investigation dossiers

An investigative project consists of FOI decisions, court documents, email correspondence, and personal data. Merge all documents into a chronological investigation file per case. Add bookmarks per source or timeline. Protect the dossier with a strong password — source protection is paramount.

Make scanned documents searchable

Scanned judgments, reports, and internal documents are not searchable without OCR. Use the OCR tool to make all scanned text recognisable so you can search by name, date, and keyword. This dramatically accelerates the research process with large document volumes.

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Redact source documents for publication

When publishing source documents, sensitive data (source names, personal information) may need to be removed. Use the Redact tool to permanently delete names and identifying information. Always retain the original, unredacted version separately secured.

Archive published articles

Print versions of published articles are scanned and archived as PDF. Use OCR to make them searchable. Archive by year and section. Export print versions from the CMS as PDF for long-term preservation regardless of future website structure.

Protect legal documents

Some source files are legally sensitive or contain classified information. Always store these in strictly protected PDF files on encrypted media. Use the Protect tool with a password of at least 20 characters. Never share via unsecured communication channels.