Our minutes are scanned on to the website so are not searchable

Question

Do must parish councils do their minutes PDF so they can do searched

Answer 1

Your clerk probably scans as a picture (jpeg) rather than a pdf. The problem is that even doing that to allow it to be searchable is not automatic and you will require the appropriate programme from adobe to make the file searchable. It can be converted to word ( pdf to word converter) then saved as a searchable file  As to cost and whether it is worthwhile is for your council to decide.

Comments

Do you know if councils have to have minutes searchable

Answer 2

Is there any reason why they are scanned? Surely it would be easier to upload the original file, whether Word or pdf. Is this purely to allow the signed copy to be posted on the website?

Comments

I will start from the beginning a parishioner has asked why the minutes are not searchable when I ask the clerk why they were not the answer was she did not no how to  so they are always scanned so now it looks like we will need to sent her on a course,

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The reason pdf documents are used is to protect the document from alteration. The same is for them to be scanned as jpeg( photo) A quick search online and a little bit of research will give you ways of protecting the document from alteration and allow it to be searched for words or phrases. Going on a course is not necessary just seek out some information. Googles great
Try this
Microsoft Word (Windows, Free if you have Word)
Open Microsoft Word (2013 or newer).
Drag and drop the scanned PDF into Word.
Word will convert the scanned PDF into editable text.
Save it as a PDF again (it will now be searchable).
courtesy chat GPT ( not tested)

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Unfortunately its very easy to alter a pdf file these days, so an extra step of password protection helps, but can also be defeated in many cases.

Answer 3

There are no rules that state your minutes must be searchable. However it is so easy to achieve this (even easier than scanning a print out) that it makes sense to do it.

If the clerk is using word just go to File >> Export >> Download as PDF

You will then have a crisp clear PDF with searchable text rather than just an image of the text that you get if you print it out and then scan it.