PDF, Word, JPG or PNG: Which File Should You Print?

Synthetic preparation worksheet v1 — 25 October 2026. Not a physical sample, app screenshot, certification or fulfilled order.

Accepted does not mean recommended for every job

PDF: accepted; preferred for an already-final ordered document, after inspection. DOC/DOCX, RTF and ODT: accepted; editable layout can depend on fonts and conversion. PPT/PPTX: accepted; export the intended slides, notes or handouts to PDF when those distinctions matter.

JPG/JPEG and PNG: accepted; useful for images, but they do not by themselves define a multi-page reading sequence or suitable physical resolution. XLS/XLSX and other spreadsheet formats are blocked in the current validation; export the required print area to PDF. This matrix reflects source validation checked 25 October 2026, not a test of every file variant.

Separate three different failure modes

A ten-page Word file becoming eleven pages is a conversion/layout problem. A sharp-looking thumbnail printing blurry is an image-resolution problem. Five image files arriving out of sequence is an ordering problem. Changing the extension alone does not solve these.

For a fixed sequence, assemble the approved pages into one PDF and inspect every join. Keep the editable original separately for revisions; do not send conflicting final versions without identifying which one is authorised.

Record your decision

• ☐ Extension accepted by current validator — Notes: ____________________
• ☐ Final page order and count verified — Notes: ____________________
• ☐ Image quality judged at intended size — Notes: ____________________

Approved filename/revision: ____________________

Reviewer/date: ____________________