Pandemic Hastens Demise of Paper and Dramatically Increases Need for Digital PDF Documents by Businesses, According to a New Survey by Foxit Software

FREMONT, Calif., April 27, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Companies have dramatically increased their use of paperless business processes and PDF and related digital solutions during the Covid-19 pandemic, according to a new survey of more than 2,375 business leaders and employees. The survey was fielded by Foxit Software, a leading provider of innovative PDF products and services, helping knowledge workers to increase their productivity and do more with documents.

More than two-thirds of respondents (67 percent) say their company's need for paperless office processes has increased during the pandemic, versus only 1.2 percent who say that need has declined. In addition, some 59 percent said the need for PDF editing solutions has grown, compared to less than a half percent who said it has declined.

To see an infographic on the survey findings, please visit: https://www.foxitsoftware.com/infographics/How-the-use-of-PDF-changed-since-the-Pandemic-started/ 

Respondents also told Foxit the pandemic has not negatively impacted their work productivity. In fact, just 18 percent said they believe their personal productivity has declined. Some 71 percent said they were working remotely more often due to the pandemic.

"Paper was already becoming passé in many organizations, but this pandemic has dramatically accelerated its demise," said Frank Kettenstock, chief marketing officer of Foxit Software. "PDF editing and associated technologies, such as e-signature solutions, have become essential to the way people work and conduct business. As with many other changes hastened by Covid-19, the shift away from paper and toward more digital PDF processes will have a lasting effect on organizations around the world."

Foxit Software surveyed 2,378 business people, many of them Foxit customers, for its study. Among other findings from the survey:

• Some 68 percent of respondents said PDF solutions have played a more important role in their communications with customers.
• 53 percent reported their need for e-signature technology has grown during the pandemic, compared to less than one percent who said it declined.
• 42 percent said they read PDF documents on mobile devices more often since the start of the pandemic.
• 45 percent said the need for document security has grown due to the pandemic, versus less than half a percent who said document security has become less of a concern.
• 43 percent said the pandemic has made work more difficult, but only 18 percent said it has reduced their productivity.

"Thankfully, digital technologies, and most certainly PDF, have allowed many workers and businesses to remain highly productive and engaged during a challenging year," said Kettenstock. "We believe the digital lessons learned during this pandemic will pay important dividends as we move beyond the Covid lockdown."

About Foxit Software
Foxit is a leading provider of innovative PDF products and services, helping knowledge workers to increase their productivity and do more with documents. Foxit addresses the needs of three distinct market segments. For End-User Productivity, Foxit delivers easy to use desktop software, mobile apps, and cloud services to make knowledge workers more productive. ConnectedPDF delivers leading edge technology that powers document management, security, and collaboration services for PDF files. Foxit's Developer Solutions enable developers to incorporate powerful PDF technology into their applications. For Enterprise Automation, Foxit provides server software for large scale PDF document management and data capture.

Foxit has over 650 million users and has sold to over 100,000 customers, ranging from SMBs to global enterprises, located in more than 200 countries. The company has offices all over the world, including locations in the US, Asia, Europe, and Australia. For more information, please visit https://foxit.com.

SOURCE Foxit Software