PDF Usage Trends Across Industries: A Data-Driven Overview

Our team has gathered the latest trends about PDF usage in different sectors such as healthcare and education to give you an insight into how and for what purpose software is being used.

You can also see our blog unpacking app user behavior trends to understand trends beyond the scope of PDF editors.

Megon Venter

B2B SaaS Content Writer

Megon is a B2B SaaS Content Writer with 7 years of experience in content strategy and execution. Her expertise lies in the creation of document management tutorials and product comparisons.

PDF Usage Trends in Healthcare

PDFs streamline patient communication, recordkeeping, and regulatory compliance in an increasingly digital medical landscape.

• Electronic Health Records (EHRs) in PDF for secure sharing between providers. (HealthIT.gov, 2023)
  
  
• Patient intake forms and prescriptions digitized as fillable PDFs. (HIPAA Journal, 2022)
  
  
• Lab reports sent via password-protected PDFs to ensure compliance. (HHS.gov, 2023)
  
  
• Medical consent forms are increasingly digitized as fillable and signable PDFs to streamline patient onboarding. (Journal of Medical Systems, 2022)

PDF Usage Trends for Law Workers

The legal industry relies on PDFs for secure, standardized document handling—from contracts to court submissions.

• Case files and contracts archived in PDF/A for long-term storage. (National Archives – PDF/A Guidelines)
  
  
• E-signature integration (e.g., DocuSign) on court documents. (DocuSign Legal Industry Report, 2022)
  
  
• Court submissions now often require PDF formatting with strict standards. (U.S. Courts E-Filing Rules, 2023)

"It's important to note that PDF became an open standard in 2008, aiding its continued growth and evolution. Standardization has allowed more companies and industry bodies to contribute to its advancement and adoption."

Eugene Xiong

CEO at Foxit

Source: Forbes

PDF Usage Trends in the Corporate Sphere

Businesses use PDFs to manage internal documentation, reporting, and HR workflows with professionalism and consistency.

• Internal reports and white papers formatted in professionally branded PDFs. (Forrester PDF Usage Survey, 2023)
  
  
• Annual reports distributed as interactive PDFs with clickable tables of contents. (PwC Annual Report Design Guide, 2022)
  
  
• Onboarding documents (HR forms, policies) handled as fillable PDFs. (SHRM.org, 2022)

PDF Usage Trends in Education

PDFs support teaching, learning, and academic administration by providing stable, shareable formats across devices.

• Lecture notes and assignments shared and submitted as PDFs. (Educause, 2023)
  
  
• Transcripts and certificates issued in tamper-proof PDF format. (Parchment.com, 2023)
  
  
• E-learning materials designed as interactive PDFs with embedded links/videos. (EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative, 2023)

"There's an often-overlooked aspect of accessibility that deserves attention: the accessibility of downloadable documents like PDFs. Whether it's a restaurant menu, medical form, user manual or many other examples."

Nayan Padrai

Founder of EcomBack

Source: Forbes

PDF Usage Trends in Engingeering and Architecture

Professionals in technical fields use PDFs to present complex designs and specs in accessible, high-fidelity formats.

• Blueprints and technical specs shared in high-res vector PDFs. (Autodesk Blog, 2022)
  
  
• CAD exports converted to PDFs for easier review by clients and non-engineers. (AutoCAD User Manual, 2023)
  
  
• Project documentation (RFPs, compliance forms) distributed as secure PDFs. (Construction Executive Magazine, 2023)

PDF Usage Trends in Retail, Finance and Banking

PDFs help retailers and financial institutions ensure security, clarity, and compliance in client communications and document handling.

• Invoices and receipts automatically generated and sent in PDF format. (Shopify Help Center, 2023)
  
  
• Product catalogs distributed as rich-media PDFs with clickable order links. (Adobe Experience Blog, 2022)
  
  
• Bank statements and tax forms delivered monthly as password-protected PDFs. (IRS.gov, 2023)
  
  
• Loan documents and disclosures signed electronically and saved as PDFs. (FDIC E-Sign Guidelines, 2023)

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