Currently, all EMMA submissions must be in PDF format and maintain the graphical and textual format of the original. Effective January 1, 2010:

  • PDF files must be word-searchable.
  • PDF files must not be password protected for viewing, saving, or printing.

Documents drafted in a word processor and converted to PDF format electronically (known as “PDF normal files”) are automatically word-searchable and are of smaller file size. The MSRB strongly encourages submission of PDF normal files.

Scanned PDF files are easily made word-searchable through the optical character recognition (“OCR”) function on Adobe® Acrobat® Standard or Pro. Unfortunately, the OCR function is not available on the free Acrobat® Reader. Using Standard or Pro, in order to make a file word searchable:

1) Scan the file in PDF format.
2) Open the PDF file of the scanned document in Acrobat®.
3) Open the “Document” menu on the top navigation bar.
4) Select “Recognize Text Using OCR” from the menu and then select “Start . . .”
5) Select the pages to be converted to a word-searchable format.
6) The selected pages should now be word-searchable.

The full MSRB notice is available here. Please let us know if you have any questions about the new EMMA submission requirements.