◆ Acrobat · edit

Annotate Differences

Compare the latest vendor [contract] with the previous version and produce a short list of billing clause changes and …

2ready prompts
1real task
3roles

When to use it

real situations

AI prompts

2 ways to ask · copy any one
AExecute — “help me do it”Compare the latest vendor [contract] with the previous version and produce a short list of…+
Compare the latest vendor [contract] with the previous version and produce a short list of billing clause changes and line items to flag before approvals go forward.
when the reply comes backPush once: ask it to sharpen the weakest part, and to say what it assumed.
BImprove — “do it better”Compare the new vendor [contract] to last quarter's version, extract any changes in billing…+
Compare the new vendor [contract] to last quarter's version, extract any changes in billing rates, payment terms, and auto‑renewal language, and produce a one‑page summary that quotes old vs new text and flags items that would make procurement or finance hesitate to approve.
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. 1

    Open your PDF file in Adobe Acrobat.

  2. 2

    Click the Comment button in the toolbar to display the commenting tools.

  3. 3

    Select the annotation tool you want to use, such as Note, Highlight, Text Box, or Draw.

  4. 4

    Click on the PDF page where you want to add your comment or annotation.

  5. 5

    Type your comment or draw your annotation as needed.

  6. 6

    Click away from the annotation or press Escape to save your comment or annotation.

You can use multiple annotation types in one session, such as highlighting text and adding sticky notes for detailed feedback.

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

Glossary

words on this page
AnnotationAn annotation is a note or mark added to a document, like a highlight or a stamp, without changing the original text.ExampleHe added an annotation to the PDF, circling a key sentence and adding a question mark.
MarkupHighlighting, underlining, or drawing on a PDF to show what is important.ExampleYou use the markup tool to highlight key sentences in the report.
FlattenTo combine all comments and layers into the main document so they cannot be easily changed or removed.ExampleAfter review, you flatten the document to make all comments a permanent part of the text.

The real tasks

the one, listed here
Compare the latest vendor contract to the last version to spot any billing changes before we approve it.

Who does this

3 roles
EditorTeacherProject Manager

FAQ

about this task
  1. Open your PDF in Adobe Acrobat.
  2. Go to the 'Comment' tools.
  3. Select the 'sticky note' tool.
  4. Click on the page where you want the note.
  5. Type your message in the sticky note box.
  6. Click outside the note to close it. The note will stay on the page.

Highlighting text in Adobe Acrobat uses a color to mark specific words or sentences, making them stand out. It's good for drawing attention to existing text. A text box, however, lets you add new text anywhere on the page, separate from the original content. This is useful for longer notes or explanations that don't fit directly into the existing document text. Both are forms of annotation but serve different purposes in how they interact with the document's content.

You should sanitize a PDF document before sharing it to protect privacy and prevent information leaks. Comments and markups are stored as a separate layer, meaning they can still be seen or recovered even if they appear hidden. Sanitizing removes all review notes and hidden data, ensuring that only the final, intended content is visible. This is especially important for sensitive documents where review notes might contain private discussions or unfinished thoughts.

  • Use 'highlight' or 'underline' for quick text changes.
  • Use 'text boxes' or 'callouts' for detailed explanations.
  • Use 'drawing markup' tools if you need to circle or point to specific areas.
  • For shared reviews, use 'reaction emojis' to respond to others' comments quickly.

A 'comment layer' in Adobe Acrobat is like a transparent sheet placed over your main document. All your sticky notes, highlights, and other markups are added to this layer, not directly to the original text. This matters because it means your comments are separate data. If you don't 'flatten' or 'sanitize' the document, this layer can still be accessed, even if it seems like the comments are gone. This is important for ensuring privacy and control over what information is shared in your final document.

Sources

where this comes from
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