Fix Imported PDF Comments Not Published in Acrobat Shared Reviews
Question details
Imported FDF or PDF comments show up temporarily but fail to publish to a shared Acrobat review on SharePoint.
- Product
- Adobe Acrobat / SharePoint
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- A user is collaborating on a shared PDF review hosted on SharePoint and attempts to import feedback comments from an FDF or PDF file.
- Observed behavior
- The imported comments appear in the document temporarily, but the review interface indicates zero comments have been published to the SharePoint server.
Before proceeding, verify that you are logged into your SharePoint account with contribute or write permissions for the shared review folder, and ensure your internet connection is stable.
Verify Review Metadata and Supported Workflow
Ensure that the imported comments contain the correct review metadata linking them to the specific shared document on SharePoint.
For comments to successfully publish in a shared review, they must be associated with specific review metadata. If comments are exported from an offline copy that lacks this tracking data, Acrobat cannot synchronize them with the SharePoint host.
Confirm that the FDF or PDF file containing the imported comments was originally generated from the exact same version of the shared review document.
Open the live shared PDF document in Acrobat. Go to the Comments pane, click the 'Options' menu (three dots), and select 'Import Data File' to choose your FDF file.
Once the comments populate the list, click the 'Publish Comments' button located in the document message bar at the top of the screen to push them to SharePoint.
Check SharePoint Connectivity and Folder Permissions
Resolve issues where Acrobat cannot write comment data back to the SharePoint server due to access restrictions or session timeouts.
Seamlessly Collaborate on PDFs with WPS Office
Avoid complex SharePoint review workflows, missing metadata issues, and server sync errors. WPS Office provides a lightweight, highly compatible, and free alternative for managing, commenting, and sharing PDF documents across your team.
- 1. Download and Install: Download WPS Office for free from the official website and install it on your device.
- 2. Open Your PDF: Launch WPS Office and open the PDF file you need to review.
- 3. Add Comments and Share: Navigate to the 'Comment' tab to add notes, highlights, and annotations. Use the 'Share' feature to generate a direct link for team collaboration.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do my FDF comments disappear after closing the shared PDF?
If the imported comments do not contain the specific shared review metadata, Acrobat will only display them locally on your screen. When you close the document without successfully publishing them to the server, those local, temporary comments are discarded.
Can I publish comments made in a different PDF viewer to an Acrobat shared review?
Typically, no. Non-Acrobat PDF viewers may strip or fail to generate the proprietary tracking metadata required by Adobe's shared review system. It is best to stick to a unified tool or use standard sharing links.
How do I fix the 'Could not connect to the server' error during a shared review?
This error usually indicates network issues or expired SharePoint login credentials. Verify your internet connection, log out and back into SharePoint through your web browser to refresh your session, and then restart Acrobat.
