PDF/VT

PDF/VT – Portable Document Format Variable Transactionprinting

is defined as an international standard for using PDF for variable data printing.

PDF/VT

Based on PDF/X-4, this is the first VDP format to enable modern ICC-based colour management using ICC output intent. PDF/VT adds the concept of collected groups of graphical objects in order to efficiently support the processing of recurring content (text, graphics or images).

With the introduction of the document-part-metadata (DPM) concept, the standard enables reliable and dynamic page management for print data in high-volume transactional printing (or high-volume transactional output, HVTO) such as metadata-based selection of database entries or postage optimisation.

While PDFVT -1 always consists of files that are independent of external resources or external page content, other variants of the standard support the use of external graphical content (PDF VT -2) and streaming using multi-part MIME packages (PDF VT -2s). A file of this type is not just a digital template for VDP printing; users can also read, distribute and view it using a standard PDF reader, as long as a PDF/X-4, PDF/X-5 or PDF/VT-compliant PDF viewer requires accurate reproduction of the file.