How do I make sure my Condensed Evidence Packet is easy to navigate after combining files?

When you combine files, make sure 'Preserve Bookmarks' is turned on. This will create a top-level bookmark for each original file. These bookmarks act like a table of contents, making your packet easy to browse.

What is the difference between 'Combine PDF' and simply copying and pasting pages into one document?

Feature Combine PDF Copy/Paste Pages. Source Files Can combine various file types (Word, Excel, images, PDFs) Usually only works with pages from existing PDFs Bookmarks Automatically creates bookmarks for each original file Does not automatically create bookmarks from original files Ease of Use Simple interface for ordering and merging multiple files Can be slower and more manual for many pages/files

Condensed Evidence Packet in Adobe Acrobat — How-to & AI prompts

AI prompts

1 way to ask · copy any one

CDecide — “help me choose”This client, [client=Marco], has a complex history and I need funder buy-in to move him to a…+

This client, [client=Marco], has a complex history and I need funder buy-in to move him to a therapeutic residential program. I want a packet that anticipates funder concerns about cost and evidence. From the full record I give you, extract the three pieces of clinical evidence and one outcome metric that best justify placement, propose two low-cost mitigations to lower funder resistance, and write a one-paragraph executive summary for them.

when the reply comes backPush once: ask it to sharpen the weakest part, and to say what it assumed.

How to do it

the tool · the steps · what to avoid

1
Open Adobe Acrobat.
2
Go to File > Combine Files.
3
Click Add Files and select the PDF files you want to merge.
4
Arrange the files in your desired order by dragging and dropping them within the list.
5
Click Combine to merge the selected files into a single PDF document.
6
Save the new combined PDF to your preferred location.

In the appWith the API

You can preview and reorder files before combining to ensure the final PDF is in the correct sequence.

This runs in the Acrobat app - there is no separate API for this task.

Glossary

words on this page

Combine FilesAn Acrobat feature that puts multiple documents or images into a single PDF.ExampleYou use this Acrobat feature to gather several reports and images into one PDF.

ThumbnailA small picture that shows what a page or file looks like.ExampleClicking on the thumbnail of page 5 quickly displays the full content of that page.

BookmarkA link in a PDF that helps you jump to a specific part of the document.ExampleClicking the 'Exhibit A' bookmark takes you directly to the relevant court document.

Who does this

3 roles

Office AdministratorLegal AssistantAcademic Coordinator

FAQ

about this task

When you combine files, make sure 'Preserve Bookmarks' is turned on.
This will create a top-level bookmark for each original file.
These bookmarks act like a table of contents, making your packet easy to browse.

This issue often happens when the source files have old or damaged internal structures. Acrobat struggles to process them correctly. To prevent this, try re-saving each source file using 'Save As' before combining. This refreshes their internal data. If the problem continues, add files one by one, or use 'Help > Repair Installation' to fix Acrobat itself.

No, if your original files already had printed page numbers, they will restart for each new file in the combined PDF. To have continuous page numbers across the entire packet, you will need to add new page numbers to the combined PDF after you merge it. This ensures a consistent numbering scheme.

Feature	Combine PDF	Copy/Paste Pages
Source Files	Can combine various file types (Word, Excel, images, PDFs)	Usually only works with pages from existing PDFs
Bookmarks	Automatically creates bookmarks for each original file	Does not automatically create bookmarks from original files
Ease of Use	Simple interface for ordering and merging multiple files	Can be slower and more manual for many pages/files

You should keep your original files because you might need to combine them again. If there is a mistake in the order, or if you need to add a new document, having the originals makes it easy to re-merge the packet without starting from scratch. This saves time and prevents rework.

Condensed Evidence Packet

When to use it

AI prompts

How to do it

Glossary

The real tasks

Who does this

FAQ

Sources

Adobe help

Video

Other guides

When it fails