◆ Acrobat · edit

Flag Traffic Differences

Compare the final [submittal=developer submittal PDF] to the approved [study=site-traffic study PDF] and produce a mar…

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 final [submittal=developer submittal PDF] to the approved [study=site-traffic study…+
Compare the final [submittal=developer submittal PDF] to the approved [study=site-traffic study PDF] and produce a marked [document=PDF] highlighting differences for my review memo due [deadline=Friday].
when the reply comes backPush once: ask it to sharpen the weakest part, and to say what it assumed.
BImprove — “do it better”Produce a reviewer-ready comparison: use a side-by-side [method=PDF compare] to flag changes in…+
Produce a reviewer-ready comparison: use a side-by-side [method=PDF compare] to flag changes in trip generation, lane configurations, and mitigation measures, classify differences as minor/major, and export a summary [table] I can paste into the memo for decision-makers.
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 Adobe Acrobat on your computer.

  2. 2

    Go to Tools and select Compare Files.

  3. 3

    Click Select File under 'Compare' and choose your first PDF (the older or original version).

  4. 4

    Click Select File under 'With' and choose your second PDF (the newer or revised version).

  5. 5

    Click Compare to start the comparison.

  6. 6

    Review the results in the comparison summary and use the side-by-side view to examine highlighted differences.

    Best practiceFor best results, avoid using scanned PDFs as input files, as text recognition may be inconsistent.

You can filter the comparison results to focus on text, images, or formatting changes for a clearer review.

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

Glossary

words on this page
Compare FilesThis tool helps you find differences between two similar PDF documents.ExampleYou use this tool to quickly spot the differences between an original and a revised PDF document.
Security SettingsRules that protect a PDF file, like preventing changes or copying.ExampleThe security settings on the PDF prevented anyone from printing or copying its contents.
Autodetect ModeA setting in Compare Files that automatically chooses the best way to compare your documents.ExampleCompare Files uses Autodetect Mode to figure out the best comparison type for your documents.

The real tasks

the one, listed here
Compare the final developer submittal to the approved site-traffic study and flag any differences for the review memo.

Who does this

3 roles
EditorLegal AssistantProject Manager

FAQ

about this task
  1. Open Acrobat and go to 'All tools'.
  2. Select 'Compare files'.
  3. Choose your 'old' and 'new' PDF files.
  4. Pick a comparison mode (e.g., Autodetect).
  5. Click 'Compare' to see the differences in a summary report.

'Compare text only' is an option in the Compare Files tool. When you select it, Acrobat will only look for changes in the written words. It will ignore any differences in images, drawings, or other graphics in your PDF documents. This is useful when you only care about text edits.

This message means that one or both of your PDF files have security settings. These settings stop Acrobat from making changes or even comparing the content. To fix this, you must first remove the security protection from the PDF files. You can usually do this in Acrobat's 'Protect' tools, if you have the right permissions.

When you compare signed document versions, Acrobat will show you the changes made after each signature was added. This is very important for legal documents. It helps you track if anything was altered in the document after someone signed it, ensuring the integrity of the signed agreement. The comparison highlights these specific changes.

  • Autodetect: Acrobat tries to figure out the best way to compare your files.
  • Reports/Spreadsheets: Best for comparing data in tables.
  • Presentation Decks: Good for slides and visual documents.
  • You can also choose 'Compare text only' to ignore graphics and focus just on words.

Sources

where this comes from
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