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TIFF to PDF+
Convert Image TIFs and Load Files to Searchable PDFs

Lexbe offers TIFF to PDF+, a service to convert document TIFF (tagged image file format) to searchable PDF in connection with litigation document reviews.  As part of this service single page TIFFs are combined into multi-page PDF documents using supplied load files.  Also, PDFs are made searchable using  optical character recognition (OCR).  This service is designed to assist litigators, litigation support staff and companies in connection with lawsuits and other disputes involving document review of large amounts of electronic stored information (ESI).

Below you can find details on TIFF to PDF+, including why it is needed, the key benefits and features, and how to get more information or a price quote.  If you have any questions, feel free to call (800-401-7809 x22) or email us at   

Need for TIFF to PDF Conversion as part of e-Discovery

TIFF is a raster-based file image most commonly used in the transmission of faxed pages.  However, many litigation document management programs (including Concordance, Summation™, IPro and RingTail Legal) were developed using TIFFs as a key part of their program architecture.  These programs were initially designed before the widespread adoption of the more versatile and now ubiquitous PDF format.

TIFF files are images and usually do not store computer readable text within the file.  Instead, first generation litigation management systems associate text from a separate text file as part of what is known in the litigation support industry as a 'load file'.  These load files vary somewhat from program to program but generally are ASCII delimited and reference TIFF images a page at a time, and associate the document image of each file to its corresponding text file.  Load files also include document breaks of single-page TIFF images and sometimes other file metadata.  Concordance, Summation, Ringtail and other first generation litigation document management systems then use this information to allow TIFF document images to be displayed and searched. 

PDF files have advantages as compared with TIFF files as PDFs can include both the images of document pages (like the TIFF file) and corresponding text.  A PDF file saved this way is known as a 'searchable PDF' or a 'text-under-image' PDF.  Most recently developed litigation management systems (like Lexbe Online) were developed with a 'file-based', rather than a 'image-based' architecture, and work well with PDFs and other native files (e.g., Word, Excel and other Office documents), as well as being able to display images.

Problems arise with TIFF images if someone wants to review documents and does not have or want to purchase a TIFF based litigation review system.  Single paged TIFFs, associated text files and load files may not be very usable otherwise.  One solution is to use the information in these files to create searchable PDFs. 

Key Benefits & Features of TIFF to PDF+ Conversion Service

Lexbe specializes in litigation support and working in particular with the PDF file format as part of e-Discovery.

  • TIFF images made more usable and searchable by PDF.
  • Load file information from Summation,  Concordance, iPro, Ringtail and other popular litigation management programs is used to combine pages into files and establish document breaks.
  • PDFs are created using OCR as text-under-image searchable PDFs.   
  • PDFs can be viewed and searched with Acrobat Viewer and a host of other commonly available programs.
  • Fast service and turn-around designed to meet critical litigation and discovery deadlines.
  • Inexpensive volume-based pricing.
  • Processing log provided for evidence authentication.

As an alternative you may wish to consider having us load your TIFF Production directly to Lexbe Online, our web-based review tool, for search, review and coding without the need to convert to PDF first. Click here for more information.

Getting Started

You can send us image TIFFs on CDs, DVDs, flash or portable USB drives by overnight courier, or you can upload the files directly to our secure FTP server for quicker service.  

Additional Information and Price Quote

Additional information and a price quote is available here, or feel free to call (800-401-7809 x22) or email us at 

All services described on this and related pages are subject to Lexbe's eDiscovery Services Agreement.