Is it worth upgrading to Adobe Acrobat Standard 9.0?

This latest version while not a singular upgrade that you should run right out and buy is one of those upgrades which makes sense if the firm is still using Adobe Acrobat Standard 6.x, 7.x, or 8.x. All three of these previous versions suffer from some type of programming problem which cause issues for the end user. This is especially true in accounting applications which integrating with other software such as Thomson Reuters Engagement CS or Intuit QuickBooks. Additionally, several of these versions had serious security vulnerabilities which if not patched in that specific version are definitely fixed in version 9.0. Note: Version 9 along with previous versions does have several security vulnerabilities including two which are currently under active exploit by hackers allowing them to take control of a computer system. The latest patch from Adobe released in August 2009 resolves the known exploits to prevent any infections from happening after the patch is installed.

Adobe Acrobat Standard is NOT to be confused with Adobe Acrobat Reader. I have found various people and firms which have confused the freely distributed Reader software as the same as the standard version. I have even had some users so unfamiliar with the advanced features found in the standard version that they have mistakenly uninstalled the Standard version and installed the limited reader software on their computers instead. The reader is used exclusively for viewing PDF documents. It has a very limited feature set and does not allow for the creation of new PDF files.

The standard version is the entry level version which most public accounting firms should consider purchasing. There is also a Professional version but this version is overkill for most accounting firms since it is designed primarily for creating PDF files from CAD/CAM drawings and other graphics files. The Standard version provides the ability to create a PDF file, add annotations and text comments to a document, add security and digital signatures to a PDF file, and various other features.

While the PDF format patents have expired, you can find many other PDF making programs on the market today. These programs will create PDF files just like Adobe Acrobat Standard but generally cost much less than a full Standard version of Adobe Acrobat. While these other third party software applications may create a PDF file, most of them do not have the full set of features available in Adobe Acrobat Standard. While they may have some, none of them have all the features.

Adobe Acrobat 9.x is a good solid upgrade for firms using an older version of the software.

So, will you upgrade?