Word to PDF: sending documents that stay put
Why a Word file can look different on another computer
Word re-flows a document using the fonts installed on whichever computer opens it. Swap one font and a paragraph gets longer, a table splits and a CV spills onto a second page. A PDF stops that by freezing the layout.
CVs, applications and contracts
Most employers and portals prefer a PDF for a CV, because the layout you designed is the layout they see. Contracts and invoices are also better as PDF, since it signals a finished version rather than a draft still being edited.
Fonts are the usual culprit
If your document uses a font that is not on the conversion system, a similar one replaces it and lines can wrap differently. Standard fonts such as Arial, Times New Roman and Calibri are the safest. If you use a special font, check the result.
Tracked changes and comments
Pending tracked changes appear with their markup. Comments are not carried over. Before converting a file you are sending out, accept or reject changes so the PDF shows only the final text.
Print size
Word documents are saved with a paper size, usually A4 or Letter. Check it before converting, because a Letter file printed on A4 paper can be scaled slightly.
Always look at the last page of the PDF. If a line has slipped onto a new page, a font was almost certainly substituted.