Combining PDF Files

Getting Started

Combining multiple PDFs into a single document can help save time, money, and effort when preparing mailings with LetterStream. This guide covers why combining files is beneficial and how to do it effectively.

In This Article

Why Combine PDF Files?

Here are some reasons to combine your PDFs before uploading:

  1. Save on Paper and Postage
    • Combine two 1-page PDFs into one 2-page document and select duplex printing.
    • Saves a sheet of paper and may reduce the mailing weight, potentially saving postage costs.
  2. Simplify Large Mailings
    • If you're uploading many pages, grouping similar documents (e.g., all black and white) reduces the number of files to manage.
    • Important: Keep color documents separate from black and white files for accurate print settings.
  3. Speed Up Daily Workflow
    • If you submit multiple jobs daily, combining them into a single PDF can drastically reduce job setup time.

Ways to Combine PDF Files

Here are several methods you can use to merge your PDFs:

Option 1: Using Microsoft Word

  • If you’re already merging documents in Word, export all content as one PDF instead of saving multiple files.

Option 2: Append with PDF Writer

  • Many PDF tools allow you to save to an existing file.
  • Choose “append” or “add to” (instead of “overwrite”) to keep adding pages to a single file.

Option 3: Use LetterStream’s Tool

  • Combine up to 10 PDFs at a time:
    • Go to My Account > PDF Tools > Join Multiple PDFs

Option 4: Adobe Acrobat Pro

  • Use the Combine Files feature to merge large sets of PDFs into one document.

Advanced Mailing Options

If you're sending more than 100 documents in a single mailing, we offer advanced automation tools:

  • Automatically combine multiple documents per recipient into a single envelope.
  • Combine cover pages with secondary pages for grouped delivery.

These options can be enabled upon request for high-volume users.