How to download and use free PDF writing software

Important: Any document created using a Systems2win template that is distributed outside of licensed users must be in a non-editable format, such as a printed paper, or PDF.

Exception: You can allow your hired consulting firm to use your Systems2win templates on your behalf - as long as the template is used only on your behalf, and each template is provided one-at-a-time on an as-justified basis. To use the templates for any other client, your consulting firm will need to purchase a consulting license. See License Agreement.

How to use ANY PDF writing software

Ctrl+P > choose the PDF writing software that has been installed on your computer

Free PDF writing software

If your company has not already provided you with PDF writing software, you can download free PDF writer software. One popular choice is available for free download at http://pdf995.com. Or do an Internet search for "free PDF writer".

PDF 995 has the advantage of being free - and with the helpful training we provide here, installation only takes 3 minutes.

Tips for installing pdf995

You must install 2 separate downloads: pdf995 printer driver, and free converter

To do advanced editing (like including active hyperlinks in your PDF's), you will also download and install a third free file: PDFedit995

And if you want the option to encrypt PDF's - you can optionally install the free signature995.

Tip: Sometimes during installation, you might need to minimize an advertising or help screen in order to reveal the product screen beneath it.

How to use pdf995

Ctrl+P > pdf995. (or File > Print > pdf995)

This will create a basic PDF file, which can then optionally be enhanced with additional features using pdfedit995 and/or signature995.

Tip: If using the free version, a pop-up ad page will display for about a minute before showing your completed PDF file. If this annoys you, you can pay (you guessed it) $9.95 for the version without ads, or $29.95 for their entire suite of 10 products.

Other ways to comply with Systems2win license agreement

If you find pdf995 or any other freeware too difficult to install or use, then there are many inexpensive PDF writing applications to choose from.
Perhaps your IT Department suggested different PDF writing software when they personalized your Systems2winInstallReadMe file.

Or you can comply with your Systems2win license agreement by distributing your documents in some other non-editable format, such as printed paper or an image file. (You can capture a screenshot as an image file by pressing the Print Screen key on your keyboard, and then pasting into any application.)

Cash rewards for reporting unauthorized piracy of Systems2win templates. See details in your License Agreement.

How to include active hyperlinks in your PDF's

(requires installation of third free download: PDFedit995)

Immediately after generating a simple PDF file (using File > Print> pdf995)...

Open pdfedit995 (Start > All Programs > software995 > pdfedit995)

On the Links tab, select Auto-Convert URL's to links.

This will automatically make active hyperlinks for any text in your document that starts with www. or http://

Link icons
Systems2win menu > Insert Link Icon

What if we don't want an ugly sea of blue underlined text?

The default way that Excel ships, whenever you type any URL anywhere in a data cell, it will automatically convert the text for the entire cell into one huge blue-underlined hyperlink. (Ugly and all-too-easy to click by accident.)

You don't want this. Instead, you want to turn off this annoying "feature".
Tools > Auto-Correct Options > Auto-Format As You Type tab > uncheck the box for Replace As You Type > Internet and Network Paths with Hyperlinks
Excel 2007: Office Button > Excel Options > Proofing > Auto-Correct Options > Auto-Format As You Type tab > uncheck the box for Replace As You Type > Internet and Network Paths with Hyperlinks

The much more professional way to make hyperlinks is to insert a Link icon from the Systems2win menu.

If your document will be used as an Excel file (by licensed users of your Systems2win templates), then you're done. Users can just click the Link icon.

If some users will be using the document as a PDF file, then in addition to (or instead of) the Link icon, you will want to type the full URL path within your text.

Then when you follow the above instructions for how to include active hyperlinks in your PDF's, the user will see all of your professional-looking colors and fonts (rather than a sea of ugly blue underline text), and ONLY the URL will be an active hyperlink.

Extra bonus free training from Systems2win:
How to use pdf995 to create encrypted PDFs

Notice: It is not a Systems2win requirement for your PDF to be encrypted. An unencrypted PDF is sufficient for license compliance.
You might, however, have other reasons for wanting to encrypt some of your PDF's.

Unlike most other PDF writing applications, which can create an encrypted PDF in one step simply by choosing a few setup options...
creating an encrypted PDF with pdf995 requires two steps:

Step 1) Create an unencrypted PDF file

(Instructions above)

Step 2) Create an encrypted PDF file

Start > All Programs > pdf995 > signature 995

Tip: If you are using the free version, you will need to wait for their advertising screen to run it's ad.
Even then, you might need to minimize the help page that comes up - in order to get to the window containing the signature995 program.

On the Encryption tab, press the PDF Rights Management button.

(Again, you might need to minimize the help page in order to view the PDF Rights Management screen, which is shown below.)

Select the file to encrypt (if not selected already). Select the checkboxes to Restrict copying content to clipboard, and Restrict modification. (Tip: you do not need to password protect the document unless you have your own reasons for wanting it password protected). Then press Encrypt the document button.

You then need to choose a name for your encrypted document - which must be different from the original unencrypted PDF file that you started with. Suggestion: Add a capital E to the original filename. (Example: original.PDF, and orginalE.PDF)

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