When a project includes Desktop Publishing (DTP), linguists are asked to review the formatted PDFs after the DTP team has completed their work. This review is a lighter task than your original editing work in Bureau Works. It focuses mainly on DTP issues, though you should correct linguistic problems as well.
Overview
When you receive a PDF review assignment, you'll complete two tasks:
Annotate the PDF and mark all necessary changes directly in the PDF using Acrobat's annotation tools, then email the annotated PDF to your project manager.
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Disabling the New Acrobat UI
- Opening the Comment Panel
- Annotation Tools
Update Bureau Works (BWX) for any changes that are linguistic in nature, not just visual or formatting. Update those segments in your Bureau Works Proofreading task and deliver it.
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DTP vs. Linguistic Changes
- Updating the TM in the BWX Proofreading Task
Note: Share the annotated PDF with your project manager as soon as it's ready, then update Bureau Works afterwards.
Part 1: Annotating the PDF
The DTP team uses your annotated PDF to make all changes manually. This is more efficient than redoing the formatting work from scratch. Your annotations need to be clear and precise, since the DTP team works in English and will enter your changes directly.
Note: Always use Acrobat's built-in annotation tools. Don't type corrections as plain-text comments without the appropriate markup tool, since that makes it harder for the DTP team to locate and apply your changes.
Setting Up Acrobat: Disable the New UI
Our guides use the classic Acrobat interface. If your version of Acrobat looks different from the screenshots in this guide, you may want to disable the updated UI. In newer versions of Acrobat (about version 23 and later):
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Click the Menu icon (the three horizontal lines) in the upper-left corner.
- Click Disable new Acrobat.
- Click Restart.
If your version doesn't have this setting, your interface likely already matches our screenshots. If you're unsure, reach out to your project manager.
Opening the Comment Panel
You'll find all annotation tools in the Comment panel.
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On the right-hand side of the screen, click Comment.
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Expand the Comment panel by clicking the arrow.
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A toolbar appears at the top of the screen with all available annotation tools.
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To customize your toolbar with only the tools you'll need, right-click in the toolbar and select Customize Comment Tools.
Annotation Tools
Use these tools in order of preference, starting with the most precise option. They're listed from most preferred to least preferred. Once you make an annotation, you can add a comment to it in the Comment panel.
| Tool | When to Use | How to Use |
| 1. Add Note to Replace Text (Preferred) | Use whenever text needs to be replaced with different text. This is the most commonly used tool. | Select the words that need to change. Acrobat crosses out the selected text. Double-click the markup to open a comment box and type the replacement text. |
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| 2. Strikethrough | Use when text needs to be deleted entirely, with nothing replacing it. | Select the text to delete to apply the strikethrough. You don't need to write "delete," since the DTP team knows to delete anything marked this way. |
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| 3. Insert Text at Cursor | Use when something is missing (a word, space, or punctuation) and nothing needs to be removed. | Click the exact spot where the insertion should go. A comment box opens for you to type what to add. Type exactly what the DTP team should insert, including spaces and punctuation. |
Example — Insert Text |
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| 4. Arrow and Rectangle | Use when the area you need to annotate has no selectable text layer, such as an image, a graphic element, or blank space. | Draw an arrow or box near the element and type your comment in the Comment panel. Be specific about what needs to change and where. |
Example — Arrow & Rectangle |
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| 5. Highlight | Use to flag specific words or phrases that need a revision without crossing them out. This often calls out formatting changes. | Highlight the text, then double-click the highlight to add your comment. |
Example — Highlight |
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| 6. Comment Bubble (Use Sparingly) |
Only use when the document has no text layer and a global change is needed throughout, such as a term that must update everywhere. Don't use it for individual word-level changes; use Add Note to Replace Text, Highlight, or Strikethrough instead, since those anchor to the exact location. | Place the comment bubble on the first page and clearly describe the global change. If possible, also highlight each instance so the DTP team can find them quickly. |
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Large-Scale Changes
Even if you identify widespread issues, annotate each change individually. The DTP team has already completed their formatting work and can't start over. They use your annotations in the Comment panel as a checklist when applying your changes.
Colors
You can use colors to distinguish annotation types, for example, blue for replacements, red for removals, and green for additions. Select a tool, click the color bubble in your toolbar, and choose your color. Acrobat remembers your preference for each tool.
Navigating to Annotations
To jump to any annotation, click it in the right-hand Comment panel. Acrobat navigates to that location in the document automatically.
Part 2: Updating Bureau Works
After you finish annotating the PDF, update Bureau Works for any changes that are linguistic in nature. This step happens after the PDF review, but it's just as important, because it's where you update the Translation Memory for future projects.
DTP Changes vs. Linguistic Changes
Not every annotation requires an update in Bureau Works. Here's how to tell the difference:
DTP-only issues — update the PDF only
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Extra space between paragraphs
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Wrong font size or style
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A corrupted character or accent mark caused by formatting
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Layout or spacing issues that are purely visual
Linguistic issues — update the PDF and BWX
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Spelling or grammar mistakes
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Terminology that needs updating for consistency
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Missing or incorrect punctuation
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Any content change that affects the meaning of the text
Note: If you're annotating a change in the PDF, especially a bold or formatting issue that may be tag related, search those segments in BWX to check whether the translation memory also needs updating.
Working in the BWX Proofreading Task
You'll be assigned a Proofreading task to make any post-formatting updates to the TM.
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Update only the segments that had linguistic changes annotated in the PDF. You don't need to touch segments that were DTP-only.
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If you have any open questions about a change, reach out to your project manager and wait for their response before updating those segments. The TM should only reflect confirmed, accurate translations.
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Once all updates are made and any questions are resolved, go to Segments > Confirm All at the top of the screen.
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Leave the pop-up box checked and click Yes, so the updated translations save to the Translation Memory.
- Deliver the task to your project manager.
Unacceptable Markup Examples (What to Avoid)
If your project manager receives a PDF with unclear or improper markup, they'll return it to you for corrections.
Using Comment Bubbles for Individual Word Changes
Comment bubbles don't anchor to a specific word or location in the text. Using them for individual changes makes it hard for the DTP team to identify what needs to be updated.
If you have questions at any point during the PDF review, whether about how to annotate, what counts as a linguistic change, or how to update segments in BWX, reach out to your project manager. We're happy to help. Thank you for your careful work on these projects!