There are major licensing changes that are happening to our Adobe Acrobat Pro and Creative Cloud Licensing at the university level. These changes will affect current and future Adobe licensed users.
Historically, Adobe Acrobat Pro (PDF editor) has been free to all members of NCSU through our license with Adobe. If a user/unit needed a special application within Creative Cloud (Photoshop, Premiere, In-Design) they were instructed to fill out a Creative Cloud Full License form and then assigned a creative cloud license. This license was covered by CALS IT.
Currently, Adobe has merged Acrobat Pro into the full Creative Cloud suite of applications and Adobe Acrobat Pro will no longer be offered as a separate and free product. Any user that wants to use Acrobat Pro will need to acquire a Creative Cloud license. The department and CALS IT will be responsible for covering this fee for the user.
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
I only use Adobe Acrobat Pro. Do I need a full Creative Cloud license?
Yes. The licensing change that is occurring this summer will require anyone who wants to use Acrobat Pro to have a Creative Cloud license.
I currently use Acrobat Pro, but do not actually edit any PDFs (simply use it as a viewer/fill PDF software). Do I need an Acrobat Pro license?
You do not need to use Acrobat Pro. Acrobat Reader/Microsoft Edge/Preview(Mac OS) is a viewing/filling software that does not have the capability of editing PDFs. If you need to edit PDFs, you will need Acrobat Pro.
When do we officially switch to a licensing model where Acrobat Pro is no longer free at the university?
There is no official date but we are making the transition this summer.
Are there any alternatives to Acrobat Pro that will lower the cost for the department/college?
Yes, currently FoxIt PDF Editor is a viable alternative at a cheaper price, however, it may now have all of the features that Adobe Acrobat Pro does.
Who is eligible for a full Creative Cloud license?
Only full-time faculty & staff are authorized to have a Named-User license for Adobe Creative Cloud/Acrobat Pro. They must obtain approval from their local group or college. The following groups are not authorized:
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- Emeritus professors.
- Retirees
- Visiting scholars
- No-pay employees
- Part-time staff
- Temporary employees
- Part-time students
- Full-time students
- Graduate assistants
- Research assistants
- Employees who are not knowledge workers
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