| Despite the green movements for paper-use reduction, | | | | Moreover, if the user wants to mark only selected |
| the "paperless office" is still a myth. Everyday, millions | | | | pages of the PDF, each must be done individually |
| of documents are printed and left in printer trays from | | | | which can be a tedious process. |
| minutes to hours. This is particularly the case where | | | | As to the method, the document identification process |
| printers are shared. Information workers print a | | | | must be thorough and capable of marking all the |
| document, and, if the printer is a personal printer, they | | | | documents' pages with appropriate and/or necessary |
| have a tendency to leave it in the tray for extended | | | | indicia that is unalterable. The method must also be |
| periods of time. Others walk by, the desk is | | | | able to accept user-input to ensure that the marking is |
| unattended for periods of time, and a multitude of | | | | wholly appropriate for the document and handle |
| other situations occur where printed documents are | | | | extraordinary situations where truly custom stamps or |
| unattended. | | | | legends are required. |
| The absence of a simple and straightforward method | | | | Marginal stamping of documents is ineffective for |
| of document identification results in insecure and | | | | complete protection. This is the primary shortcoming of |
| vulnerable information. In the event a document is | | | | the rubber stamp which is very outdated. Preventing |
| misappropriated or misused, the consequences can be | | | | the misuse or misunderstanding of a document |
| minor or catastrophic. | | | | requires marking that cannot be removed. It further |
| Unattended and unidentified documents are an all to | | | | requires an user-friendly interface that facilitates and |
| common event in daily business. We print documents | | | | promotes use. |
| for many of reasons -- frequently without any form of | | | | Shaded gray images (watermarks) are useful in small |
| label to reflect our intent of to prevent misuse. | | | | settings and where mishandling or misappropriation are |
| Employing a rubber stamp in the margins of a | | | | low-risk. However, the security provided by this |
| document is a waste of time in ineffective. | | | | marking minimal given today's copier technology. Using |
| The most effective method of dealing with paper and | | | | shaded color offer additional protection but still doesn't |
| PDF document management is to identify and label the | | | | prevent alteration or duplication and deletion of the |
| document at the time it is printed. In the case of a PDF, | | | | marking. |
| the document marking should be done at the time it is | | | | Marking that cannot be removed from a printed |
| created from Word. This requires both a method that | | | | document is the most secure form of protection. This |
| is easily implemented and a policy requiring the action. If | | | | is accomplished by embedding an outline of the stamp |
| the PDF is not labeled or identified when it is created | | | | in such a manner as to not interfere with reading of |
| from Word, it requires a manual use manipulation and a | | | | the document. There is no way to cover or easily |
| PDF editing program to mark or stamp the document. | | | | remove this type of indicia from a document. |