A number of critics have spoken out against PDF/A, especially when the standard was first introduced. Many criticisms of the format, however, are based on misunderstandings. These are some of the most commonly encountered myths and legends.

Special measures are required for “long-term archiving” of both hardware and software, and PDF/A can fulfill many of the requirements for software and file formats. Archives are typically receivers of documents, and from their point of view it would be optimal when the files they receive are already in PDF/A format. This can be achieved through proper communication and organisation with the suppliers. There are many PDF/A scanning solutions that can applied when existing documents in an archive are to be converted into electronic format. For files that are delivered in other electronic formats, numerous tools are offered for converting to PDF/A. It may also be desired to archive both the original format (e.g. Microsoft Word) as well as a PDF/A version of the document.