SAN JOSE, Calif.--Nov. 17, 2003-- Adobe Systems Incorporated today introduced Adobe Acrobat Elements Server, new software that provides customers greater control over the deployment and maintenance of Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) generation across the enterprise. The product joins the company's comprehensive line of Adobe PDF creation applications, including Acrobat Elements 6.0 desktop software. Now, organizations have the flexibility to offer PDF generation via the desktop or server, based on specific IT and document process needs. Using Acrobat Elements Server, IT managers can centrally deploy PDF creation capabilities across a company without the need to manage additional client software on the desktop. Through a selection of user interfaces -- the Web for uploading documents, email aliases for sending attachments, or watched folders for drag-and-drop submissions -- the product enables Adobe PDF conversion from a variety of common file types. Using the Web services API, Acrobat Elements Server also can be integrated into more complex document creation and assembly workflows driven by enterprise content management systems. "Enterprise document automation requires document services, such as document generation, to be centrally managed, yet easily accessed by end users and customized by IT managers and enterprise systems," said Tim Hickernell, vice president, META Group. "Server-based document creation decreases deployment and support costs and optimizes document generation performance." Regardless of deployment method, Acrobat Elements Server provides IT administrators the flexibility and power to control the nature of PDF files generated by certain departments, or the entire company, to ensure they meet specific document generation requirements. For example, a finance department may need 128-bit encryption placed on all PDF files or a marketing communications workgroup might require press-ready PDF documents. In each case, Acrobat Elements Server can be configured to automatically deliver the desired result and help maximize productivity. "Wharton faculty, students and staff rely on Adobe PDF for sharing information across the enterprise," said Kendall Whitehouse, director of Advanced Technology Development for the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, which enrolls thousands and employs hundreds across 11 academic departments and 17 research centers. "For a global organization, with faculty and students frequently studying and working across the continent and around the globe, the flexibility of offering server-based PDF creation via the Web from anywhere, at any time and on any computer will be invaluable." Acrobat Elements Server supports Adobe PDF conversion from numerous desktop file types, including Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint, Corel WordPerfect, Adobe Photoshop and many popular image formats. Like the entire Acrobat 6.0 family, Acrobat Elements Server generates high-quality Adobe PDF files based on the latest version of the PDF specification. After an Adobe PDF file is generated by Acrobat Elements Server and returned to the requestor, it can be more securely and reliably distributed to colleagues, partners and customers across the extended enterprise. To view and print PDF files created by the product, users can employ free Adobe Reader software. The company has distributed over half-a-billion copies of Adobe Reader since its 1993 introduction.