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PDFs Piling Up? Convert Them to PDF/A in Make into Archival Format, Automated !

· 11 min read
Sankalp Mishra
SEO and Content Writer

Banks keep loan agreements for decades. Courts store electronic filings for generations. Regulators expect records that stay readable even when software and hardware change. PDF/A (ISO 19005) is the standard for that—fonts and images embedded, no external links, no encryption. Your document remains accessible and verifiable for years. In Make, you can automate the whole thing: download from Dropbox, compress (optional), convert to PDF/A, and upload the archival file. Four modules. One scenario.

In a nutshell: Dropbox Download → Compress PDF (optional, reduces size) → Create PDF/A (choose compliance level, e.g. PDF/A-1b) → Dropbox Upload to an output folder. Input: Sample PDF.pdf. Output: Result.pdf in PDF/A format.

Why PDF/A? Courts, Banks, and Regulators Rely on It​

Standard PDFs can break over time—fonts might be missing, colors can shift, external references can disappear. PDF/A solves that. It’s self-contained: every font, image, and color profile lives inside the file. No encryption, no scripts, no links to resources that might vanish. That’s why courts use it for electronic filings they must preserve for decades, and banks use it for loan documents and transaction records that regulators expect to remain accessible. Healthcare, government, and legal sectors rely on PDF/A for long-term preservation and compliance.

Make scenario: Dropbox Download a File → PDF4me Compress PDF → PDF4me Create PDF/A → Dropbox Upload a File

Workflow: download, compress, convert to PDF/A, upload. Each module processes 1 item.

What You’ll Get​

Input: A regular PDF (e.g. Sample PDF.pdf) in a folder like /Blog Data/PDFA. Output: An archival PDF/A file (e.g. Result.pdf) in /Blog Data/PDFA/Output—ready for long-term storage, regulatory submission, or court filing.

What You Need​

The Scenario: 4 Modules​

  1. Dropbox – Download a File — Gets the source PDF.
  2. PDF4me – Compress PDF — Shrinks the file before archiving (optional but often useful).
  3. PDF4me – Create PDF/A — Converts to an archival-compliant format.
  4. Dropbox – Upload a File — Saves the PDF/A to your output folder.
Make: Dropbox Download → Compress PDF → Create PDF/A → Dropbox Upload

Step 1: Grab the PDF from Dropbox​

Scenario so far: Download only.

  1. Add Dropbox → Download a File.
  2. Connection — Select your Dropbox connection (e.g. YnooxTestone).
  3. Way of selecting files — Select a file (or use Map for dynamic paths).
  4. File — Enter the path, e.g. /Blog Data/PDFA/Sample PDF.pdf.
Dropbox Download a File: Connection YnooxTestone, Way of selecting files Select a file, File /Blog Data/PDFA/Sample PDF.pdf

Step 2: Compress the PDF (Optional)​

Scenario so far: Download → Compress.

  1. Add PDF4me → Compress PDF.
  2. Connection — My PDF4me connection.
  3. File — Select Dropbox – Download a File (or Map and pick the file from step 1).
  4. Profile — Max (or a lighter profile if you prefer).
PDF4me Compress PDF: File from Dropbox, Profile Max

Why compress first? Smaller files archive and transfer faster. If you skip this step, connect Dropbox – Download a File directly to Create PDF/A.

Step 3: Convert to PDF/A​

Scenario so far: Download → Compress → Create PDF/A.

  1. Add PDF4me → Create PDF/A.
  2. Connection — My PDF4me connection.
  3. File — Select PDF4me – Compress PDF (or Dropbox if you skipped compression).
  4. PDF/A Compliance — Choose a level:
    • PDF/A-1b — Basic visual preservation (common for archives).
    • PDF/A-1a — Accessible, with document structure.
    • PDF/A-2b, 2u, 2a — Newer features, Unicode, accessibility.
    • PDF/A-3b, 3u, 3a — Allows embedding other files (e.g. XML, Excel).
  5. Allow Downgrade — No (keep the requested level; fail if not achievable) or Yes (allow a lower level if needed).
  6. Allow Upgrade — Yes (upgrade if possible) or No (stick to the chosen level).
  7. Xmp Meta Data — Optional. Add metadata for better tracking and discoverability.
Create PDF/A: File from Compress PDF, PDF/A-1b, Allow Downgrade No, Allow Upgrade Yes

Choosing a compliance level

PDF/A Compliance dropdown: PDF/A-1b, 1a, 2b, 2u, 2a, 3b, 3u, 3a

Basic (b) focuses on visual integrity; Accessible (a) adds structure for screen readers; Unicode (u) improves text handling.

Step 4: Save the Archival PDF to Dropbox​

Scenario so far: Download → Compress → Create PDF/A → Upload.

  1. Add Dropbox → Upload a File.
  2. Connection — Your Dropbox connection.
  3. Folder — Output path, e.g. /Blog Data/PDFA/Output/.
  4. File — Select PDF4me – Create PDF/A.
  5. File Name — e.g. Result.pdf (or map dynamically from the source filename).
  6. Data — Map 3. Document from the Create PDF/A module.
  7. Overwrite an existing file — No (rename if exists) or Yes (replace).
Dropbox Upload: Folder /Blog Data/PDFA/Output/, File from Create PDF/A, File Name Result.pdf, Overwrite No

Who Uses PDF/A? Real-World Examples​

Courts: Electronic court filings must often be preserved for 50 years or more. PDF/A ensures that decisions, pleadings, and exhibits remain readable and admissible regardless of future software changes.

Banks and financial services: Loan agreements, transaction records, and regulatory submissions must be retained for years. Auditors and regulators expect documents that won’t degrade—PDF/A meets that requirement.

Healthcare: Patient records, clinical trial documents, and regulatory filings often need to stay accessible for decades. PDF/A supports long-term preservation while supporting compliance.

Quick Reference: Key Settings​

ModuleSettingExample
Dropbox DownloadFile/Blog Data/PDFA/Sample PDF.pdf
Compress PDFProfileMax
Create PDF/APDF/A CompliancePDF/A-1b Basic Conformance
Create PDF/AAllow Downgrade / UpgradeNo / Yes
Dropbox UploadFolder/Blog Data/PDFA/Output/

For full parameter details, see Create PDF/A — Make.

Troubleshooting​

Conversion fails or returns an error

Some PDFs use features PDF/A doesn’t allow (e.g. certain fonts, encryption). Try Allow Downgrade: Yes to let the converter pick a lower compliance level, or choose a different level (e.g. PDF/A-2b instead of PDF/A-1b).

Output file is much larger

PDF/A embeds all fonts and resources. Use Compress PDF before Create PDF/A to reduce size, or choose a compliance level that supports more compression (e.g. PDF/A-2).

401, 402, or other API errors

PDF4me Troubleshooting covers 401 (API key), 402 (credits), and more.

What’s Next?​

  • Replace the manual path with a scheduled trigger or folder watch to process new PDFs automatically.
  • Add a filter to convert only specific files (e.g. by name, size, or folder).
  • Use Google Drive or OneDrive instead of Dropbox with the same pattern.
PDF4me on MakeGet API KeyCreate PDF/A (Make docs)Compress PDF (Make docs)