What is the difference between PDF/A-1, PDF/A-2, and PDF/A-3?

PDF/A-1 (2005) is the strictest: no transparency, no JPEG2000, no embedded files. PDF/A-2 (2011) allows transparency, JPEG2000, and OpenType fonts. PDF/A-3 (2012) adds the ability to embed arbitrary source files (e.g. the original XML or Excel) inside the PDF/A. Use PDF/A-2b for most archives, PDF/A-3 when you must keep machine-readable source data, and PDF/A-1 only when a regulator explicitly demands it.

What do the b / u / a suffixes mean?

b = Basic (visual fidelity only). u = Unicode (every character maps to a Unicode code point: searchable / copyable text). a = Accessible (full structural tagging, reading order, alternative text: required for accessibility compliance). Pick a when serving screen readers, u for search and OCR, b for plain archive.

When should I set Allow Downgrade to Yes?

Set it to Yes whenever your priority is a successful conversion rather than a specific level. If the source PDF has features incompatible with the requested level (e.g. asks for PDF/A-1b but the document uses transparency), the module will fall back to a level that fits instead of failing. Set it to No only if you would rather fail the scenario and re-route the file than accept a lower compliance level.

Can I convert Word or Excel files directly to PDF/A?

Not in this module: Create PDF/A expects a PDF on input. Chain it after a Convert to PDF module so the Office file becomes a PDF first, then the PDF becomes a PDF/A. Use PDF4me Convert to PDF (Word) or (Excel) as the preceding step.

Is the PDF/A self-contained?

Yes. The module embeds every font referenced by the source PDF, inlines all images, and removes any external resource references. The resulting file opens identically on any compliant reader 50 years from now, which is the entire point of the standard.

Create PDF/A in Make

What this module does

PDF4me, Create PDF/A converts any PDF into an ISO 19005 archival-compliant PDF/A directly from a Make scenario. Choose the compliance level (PDF/A-1, PDF/A-2, PDF/A-3 with b/u/a variants), opt in to automatic upgrade or downgrade, and pipe the result into Dropbox, Google Drive, SharePoint, or any compliance archive, fonts embedded, resources inlined, ready to survive decades.

Authenticating Your API Request

Every PDF4me module in Make requires a valid Connection. Create or select one that holds your PDF4me API key so the scenario can authenticate the PDF/A conversion request securely.

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Important Facts You Should Not Miss

PDF/A-2b is the safe default

For everyday archival workflows pick PDF/A-2b. It accepts modern PDF features (transparency, OpenType, JPEG2000) without the strict accessibility tagging burden of the a variants, and it's what most cloud archives and compliance audits expect.

PDF/A-3 lets you embed the source

Only PDF/A-3 allows attaching arbitrary source files (the original XML, the Excel that fed it, a ZUGFeRD XML). Use it for e-invoicing standards like ZUGFeRD / Factur-X where the machine-readable companion file must travel inside the PDF.

Allow Downgrade = success insurance

If the source PDF can't satisfy the requested level (e.g. transparency blocks PDF/A-1b), the module silently produces a lower-level PDF/A instead of failing the scenario. Set Allow Downgrade = Yes on bulk runs to keep the workflow flowing.

Make PDF4me Create PDF/A module configured with File set to Map, File Name and Document mapped from a prior Dropbox module, Compliance set to PDF/A-2b, and Allow Downgrade set to Yes — Set **File** to **Map**, wire **File Name** and **Document** from the prior module, then pick the **Compliance** level. `PDF/A-2b` covers most archive use cases.

Parameters

Required: Connection, File Name (when File is Map), Document (when File is Map), Compliance, and Allow Downgrade.

Parameter	Required	What it does	Example
Connection	Yes	PDF4me connection holding your API key. Click Add the first time and paste the key from dev.pdf4me.com, then reuse the connection across every PDF4me module.	`My PDF4me connection`
File	Yes	Radio button choosing how the source PDF arrives. Pick a quick storage option (Dropbox Download, Google Drive Get File) or choose Map to bind File Name and Document from any prior module.	`Map`
File Name	Conditional	Sub-field of File, shown when Map is selected. Filename of the source PDF including its .pdf extension. Map from the prior module File Name output.	`1. File Name`
Document	Required	Sub-field of File, shown when Map is selected. Binary content of the source PDF to convert. Map from the prior module Data / binary output.	`1. Data`
Compliance	Yes	Target PDF/A compliance level. Options: PDF/A-1b, PDF/A-1a, PDF/A-2b, PDF/A-2u, PDF/A-2a, PDF/A-3b, PDF/A-3u, PDF/A-3a. The suffix means b = basic, u = Unicode-mapped, a = accessibility-tagged.	`PDF/A-2b`
Allow Downgrade	Yes	When Yes, the module falls back to a lower PDF/A level if the source PDF cannot reach the requested level. Recommended on bulk runs so a single problem document does not halt the scenario.	`Yes`
Allow Upgrade	No	Optional. When Yes, the module promotes the output to a higher PDF/A level if the source supports it. Default behaviour keeps the exact requested level.	`No`

Output

Field	Type	What it contains
Name	`String`	Output filename for the archive-compliant PDF/A: usually the source name with a _pdfa suffix.
Doc Data	`Buffer`	Binary content of the PDF/A document. Map this into the next module (Dropbox Upload, Google Drive Create File, SharePoint Upload, HTTP Make Request) to land the file in your archive.

Scenario Examples

Contract Archiving
Financial Records
Legal Repository
Institutional Archive

Automated Contract PDF/A Archiving Scenario

Trigger: Contract fully executed and signed
Get Signed Contract: Download final executed PDF
Create PDF/A: Set Compliance to PDF/A-2b, Allow Downgrade to Yes
Save metadata: Insert retention class and category
Upload to Archive: Long-term contracts archive
Notify Legal: Alert legal team

Benefits: archives 100+ contracts annually, regulatory compliance, decades of accessibility.

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Industry Use Cases & Applications

Legal & Compliance
Financial Services
Healthcare & Medical
Education & Research

Contract Archives: Convert contracts to PDF/A for legal preservation
Court Documents: Archive legal filings in compliant format
Regulatory Submissions: Convert submissions to PDF/A
Legal Repository: Maintain PDF/A legal document library

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Important Facts You Should Not Miss​

Parameters​

Output​

Scenario Examples​

Industry Use Cases & Applications​

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