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Document Formatting Looks Different After Upload

Jul 30, 20261 min read

You uploaded a Word file and the layout shifted — a font substituted, a table wrapped differently. Here's why, and the permanent fix. 

Why It Happens 

Word documents are converted to PDF at upload, and conversion has to make choices: fonts not embedded in the file get substituted; complex layouts (dense tables, text boxes, unusual spacing) can shift by a line or two. 

The Permanent Fix 

Export to PDF yourself before uploading — File → Export/Save as PDF in Word. Your own machine has your fonts, so the PDF renders exactly as you designed. What you upload as PDF is pixel-for-pixel what signers see, no conversion involved. 

If You Must Upload Word 

•  Stick to widely available fonts (the standard system families). 

•  Simplify heavy table layouts where possible. 

•  Always preview the converted document in the editor before sending — the shift is visible there, not a surprise later. 

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