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Action Wizard (Acrobat Pro DC)

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About actions

Run an action

Create a custom action

Manage custom actions

Automate password entry

for actions

Create and manage custom

commands

Applies to : Acrobat DC

About actions
When you apply one or more routine sets of
commands to your files, you can save time and
keystrokes by using an action—a defined series
of commands with specific settings and in a
specific order that you apply in a single step. You
can apply an action to a single document, to
several documents, or to an entire collection of
documents. You can even scan documents and
combine several documents into a single PDF
before running an action.

Acrobat DC provides some predefined actions.

You can also create your own actions. You can
access and manage the actions by clicking Tools >
Action Wizard.

Adobe Acrobat DC also lets you export and

import actions and commands so that you can
share them with others.

Note: The actions interface and architecture

replace the batch script mode available in the
earlier versions of Acrobat. Most of your Acrobat
XI batch scripts can be imported as actions; some
scripts require minor changes.

Run an action
Acrobat DC includes several simple predefined
actions that you can use to streamline your work.
These actions represent common tasks that you
routinely perform to prepare files for distribution.
You do not have to open any of the PDF files
before you begin to run these actions.

Note: You can avoid password prompts when

you run a sequence on PDFs that require
passwords. Automate password entry, or specify
a security method for these files in the Action
Wizard panel of the Preferences dialog box. If you
select Do Not Ask For Password, PDFs that
require passwords are not processed.
 1. Choose Tools > Action Wizard. A list of
available actions is displayed under the
Actions List in the right hand pane.
2. Choose the action from the list. The
right-hand pane changes to display each task
included in the action, as well as any
instructions provided by the author of the
action.
3. Under Files To Be Processed, click Add Files
to select the files that you want to run the
action on. You can run the action on the
currently opened file, or add more files,
folders, or email attachments.
4. When all the files you want to process are
listed, click Start.
5. If Acrobat prompts you, provide additional
information, such as output location and
settings.

A progress indicator displays the status of the

currently running process or task. A check mark
identifies completed actions or tasks. On
successful completion of all tasks, “Completed”
status is shown in the panel.

Note: You can click Stop in the panel to stop

processing an action. Acrobat saves any files that
have already been processed as defined in the
action. You can click Resume to continue the
Action or click the cross icon before the action
name in the RHP to exit from further processing
of the action.

Create a custom action

To make your action easier to follow, you can
group steps into panels, add divider lines, and
include instructions. You can limit the action to
specific files, apply it to all files within a folder, or
let the user choose a file from various sources
such as a scanner, web page, or Clipboard.

1 Choose Tools > Action Wizard.

The Action Wizard toolset is displayed in the

secondary toolbar.

Note: A list of available actions is displayed

under the Actions List in the right hand
pane.

2 In the secondary toolbar, click New Action.

The Create New Action dialog box is

displayed.

3 To apply the action to a specific file or to all

files within a folder, click the File or
Folder under Files To Be Processed (on
the right). Navigate to the file or folder and
click Open.

4 In the Choose Tools To Add pane, expand

the panels, and double-click a task to add it.
You can add multiple tasks. The tasks are
executed in the order in which they appear
in the Action Steps To Show list on the
right.

5 To predefine options for a task, click

Specify Settings.

6 To have the action prompt the user to select

options, click the Prompt User check box.

7 Add other tasks as required.

8 Fine-tune the action using the buttons on

the right. Add a new panel grouping,
instructions, or a divider line, or move or
delete items in the list.
 Creates a new panel grouping at the
bottom of the current set of tasks. When
prompted, type the name of the panel, and
click Save.
Adds instructions below the currently
selected task. When prompted, type the
instructions, and click Save.
Adds a divider line below the currently
selected task.
Moves the currently selected item up
the list. You can move a task, instructions, a
divider line, or an entire panel grouping.
Moves the currently selected item down
in the list. You can move a task, instructions,
a divider line, or an entire panel grouping.
Deletes the currently selected item. Be
careful what you select. You can delete an
entire panel grouping.

9 Click Save.

10 In the Save Action dialog box, enter a name

and a description for the action and click
Save.

Manage custom actions

Use the Manage Actions dialog box to edit,
rename, copy, delete, reorder, import, or export
actions.

Edit an action
1 Choose Tools > Action Wizard.

The Action Wizard toolset is displayed in the

secondary toolbar.

Note: A list of available actions is displayed

 under the Actions List in the right hand
pane.

2 In the secondary toolbar, click Manage

Actions.

The Manage Actions dialog box is displayed.

3 In the Manage Actions dialog box, select an

action and click Edit to change the tasks or
settings. You can also use the Edit Actions
dialog box to review an action, and exit
without saving changes.

Note: You cannot edit the actions that are

available out of the box.

4 To add tasks, expand the panels under the

Choose Tools To Add pane and click a task.

5 Click Save.

6 In the Save Action dialog box, edit the

description, if required, and click Save.

Rename an action
1 Choose Tools > Action Wizard.

2 In the secondary toolbar, click Manage

Actions.

3 In the Manage Actions dialog box, select an

action and click Rename.

Note: You cannot rename the actions that

are available out of the box.

4 In the Save Action dialog box, enter a new

name and description, if required, and click
Save.
Copy an action
You can duplicate an action, and you can modify
the tasks in the action before you save the copy.

1. Choose Tools > Action Wizard.

2. In the secondary toolbar, click Manage
Actions.
3. In the Manage Actions dialog box, select an
action and click Copy.
The Save Action dialog box is displayed.
4. In the Save Action dialog box, enter the
action name and description, and click Save.

A new copy of the selected action is

created and added to the Select An Action
list.

Delete an action
1 Choose Tools > Action Wizard.

2 In the secondary toolbar, click Manage

Actions.

3 In the Manage Actions dialog box, select an

action and click Remove.

Note: You cannot delete the actions that

are available out of the box.

4 In the confirmation dialog box, click Yes.

Export an action
1 Choose Tools > Action Wizard.

2 In the secondary toolbar, click Manage

Actions.

3 In the Manage Actions dialog box, select an

 action and click Export.

4 In the Save As dialog box, specify the name

and location of the file for saving the action.
Action files have a .sequ extension.

5 Click Save.

Import an action
1 Choose Tools > Action Wizard.

2 In the secondary toolbar, click Manage

Actions.

3 In the Manage Actions dialog box, click

Import.

Note: You can also double-click a .sequ file

to import an action.

4 In the Open dialog box, select the action file

to import and click Open. Action files have a
.sequ extension.

5 In the confirmation dialog box, click OK.

Note: If an action contains JavaScript, then

an alert message is displayed stating that
the selected action contains JavaScript. Click
Import to continue or Cancel to abort the
import process.

Automate password entry for

actions
Before you run actions on PDFs that are
encrypted or password protected, you can set
your digital ID to enter required passwords
automatically.

Note: Specify a security method for these files

in the Action Wizard panel of the Preferences
dialog box. If you select Do Not Ask For
Password, PDFs that require passwords are not
processed.

1. Open the Preferences dialog box.

2. Choose Signatures in the Categories on the
left.
3. For Identities & Trusted Certificates, click
More.
4. On the left, open Digital IDs and select
Digital ID Files.
5. In the list on the right, select an ID and then
select the following commands from the top
bar:

Login

Logs in using the specified digital ID. Type

the password and click OK.

Logout

Logs out using the specified digital ID when

you have finished running an action.

Create and manage custom

commands
Custom commands allow you to preconfigure
commands such as Watermark and Header &
Footer to reduce the amount of time each
command would take to set up. This saves time
for repetitive tasks.

Custom commands are single-step and applicable

to the current document, while actions are
multi-step sequences and applicable to multiple
files.

Create a custom command

1 Choose Tools > Action Wizard > New
Custom Command.

2 The New Custom Command dialog displays

a list of customizable commands in the left
pane. Choose a command that you want to
customize.

3 Change the command label and tool tip, if

you want. Also, choose whether you want to
see the command-specific options when the
command is run.

4 Click Command Options. Select or specify

appropriate values or options in the dialog
box and then click OK.

5 Click OK to save the new custom command.

The command is displayed under the

Custom Commands section in the right
pane.

Run a custom command

1 Choose Tools > Action Wizard.

2 In the right pane, under the Custom

Commands section, click the command's
name.

Manage custom commands

Use the Manage Custom Commands dialog box
to edit, copy, rename, remove, reorder, import, or
export commands.
 1 Choose Tools > Action Wizard.

2 In the Manage Custom Commands dialog

box, choose the command in the list, and
then click the appropriate button. Follow
onscreen instructions or prompts to
complete the task.

3 Once you are done, click Close.

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