Are you living with technophobia?
Being afraid to learn a new type of technology, or technophobia, is a fear many adults are struggling with. A recent study shows that at least 10% of Americans are living their lives offline. At least 32% of these offline individuals say they avoid going online because the internet’s too difficult to use.
Since you’re reading this article online, you’re probably not a technophobic. You understand that document management increases business efficiency and you do your best to keep up with the new technological processes and document management software. However, that doesn’t mean there aren’t areas of digital life that are being stifled by a lack of knowledge.
For example, are you completely comfortable with the common types of documents businesses use and how to format them? Instead of second-guessing yourself, get the knowledge you need to save and send with certainty. Read on to learn about what file formats are best to use and when.
Common Types of Documents
Let’s start by reviewing 5 types of documents you’re business will be likely to encounter regularly.
- Emails
- Business Letters
- Business Reports
- Transactional Documents
- Financial Reports and Documents
Emails are usually used internally, by co-workers and supervisors. Whereas, business letters, while they can be an email, are specifically made to reach out to people who don’t work within the company. Recipients of business letters could include customers, other businesses, and job applicants.
Whenever an email or business letter include attachments, they need to be in the correct format. Improperly formatted attachments won’t open, or they’ll display the information incorrectly.
When a company needs to convey a large amount of information, they create a business report. The report may use visual representations like charts, graphs, or images, to help deliver their message. Knowing the right file type to save the images for these reports is crucial if you want the recipients to be able to view them.
Finally, transactional, and financial documents, are typically large files. These large files usually only use text and don’t include images.
Understanding File Formats
Now you know a little more about the different document types you’re company is likely to deal with. Next, let’s look at the different types of files you can use to either create, save, store, or send, professional documents. Here’s a list of some of the most common file types you’ll encounter in the professional world:
- JPEG
- PNG
- GIF
- SVG
Of course, sometimes it’s not up to you how a file was previously saved, leaving you with the mission of converting the data. If you’re dealing with a document that’s saved in an unusable file format, there are ways to convert the information.
For example, if you had an XML file, but needed a PDF, you could use an XML to PDF converter. Similarly, if you need MSWord documents, you could use XML to Word converter. The document and its content will stay the same, but the file type will change to a compatible form.
JPEG Image Files Are Small
JPEG stands for “Joint Photographic Experts Group”. When you’re sending images for your company, you’re likely to be dealing with JPEG file types.
The JPEG file format keeps information that’s visible to the viewer and gets rid of information that the human eye can’t make out. JPEG’s are immensely popular because it’s got enough quality for digital use, while also having a small file size.
Small JPEG files will be able to load quickly and you can upload them to virtually any type of digital platform. Another benefit of using JPEG file types is that you can view this format on any device without the need of a special image viewer.
Be careful, however, if you’re saving a file multiple times as a JPEG file type. Every time you save a file as a JPEG, you’re telling the image to compress.
If you save an image as a JPEG too many times, you could lose the quality of the photo. As a result, the image will become grainy and pixelated looking.
PNG Image Files Are Large
Another file format for images is PNG or portable network graphics. PNG file types offer a higher quality format for the images. One disadvantage of PNG files is that they are large, and can take a while to upload.
While PNG files are great for logos and products, you should avoid having too many on your website. Too many PNG images can slow down site loading speed and user accessibility. One of the biggest benefits both PNG file types and GIF file types offer is their ability to work with a transparent background.
PDF for Online and Printing
A PDF file format is for creating online documents, or for printing reasons. The goal of a PDF file is to be able to display the same type of format, no matter what device your viewing the content with.
Since PDFs are reliable documents, you can share them without having to concern yourself over losing your first design. The text, images, and other details will appear in the same size and format, no matter who’s receiving your PDF file.
A PDF file can deal with images, audio files, text, and certain interactive designs, like buttons. Unlike JPEGs, you have to download a PDF viewer to be able to read PDF files.
SVG for Digital Illustrations
Finally, last but not least we come to the SVG file type. This format is most popularly used for digital artwork.
SVG files allow for a clean and professional look, with a high-quality image. If you’re creating a logo or digital illustration, be sure to save an SVG file for quality purposes.
Growing Your Digital Knowledge
Now you know more about the different types of documents, and the file formats they most commonly use. However, this doesn’t mean that your quest to understand the digital world is anywhere close to being over.
Technology is always changing, and we find the best way to keep up with the times, is by constantly learning. Ready to learn about the latest trends in digital marketing, app creation, and more? Go ahead and check out the Business section today!
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