Why are menu items disabled when I send an Email-based review?

Dear Lori,

The feature in Acrobat 7 Pro (and Acrobat 3D) that allows me to start an email-based review is great. However, I’ve noticed that once a review is started, my customers with Acrobat 7 Standard, pro, or 3D don’t have all their menus/tools available. Can you explain what is going on?

— Sarah, NY

Lori responds,

Hi Sarah,

Sure thing!

Using the feature of “Send by Email for Review” is just that – allowing users to participate in a REVIEW – not a full blown EDIT. For example, once I send a document for review, *and* include the ability for reviewers with free Adobe Reader to participate, certain features are disabled. If you look at Figure 1 you can see that many of the functionality under the Document menu are grayed out. Additionally, if the document you are reviewing contains form fields, they are also disabled.

Figure 1: Many of the functionality under the Document menu are grayed out when Send by Email Review is selected

You might ask – ‘well, hey – I have full Acrobat and want to have full control of the documet’ – this is possible, by creating a copy of the original file (see Figure 2 – “Save a copy” which is page 1 of the screenshots). The issue is that once you do this – the document is no longer tracked as part of the review process.

Figure 2: Acrobat's Save a copy dialog.

If you do have forms that you want to have reviewed using the Send by Email for Review feature , all reviewers must have Acrobat Standard, Professional, or 3D, and you need to deselect the “Also allow users of Free Adobe Reader 7.0 to participate in this review” (see Figure 3).

Figure 4: Select the checkbox that allows users of Free Adobe Reader 7.0 to participate in this review.

— Lori

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