Who this is for: Accountants and reviewers who tick and tie workpapers in Adobe Acrobat on Windows.
What you’ll learn: How to install the free Debits plug-in, open its panel, and which tools are free versus part of a Debits plan.
Before you begin
- You need Windows 10 or 11 and Adobe Acrobat Standard or Pro. Adobe Reader can’t run plug-ins, so the plug-in does not work there. There is no Mac version yet.
- The review tools are free, with no Debits account, no license key and no time limit. You only sign in to Debits for Workpapers and Deliver, which are part of a Debits plan.
- You do not need to turn off Acrobat’s Protected Mode. The installer leaves it on.
- Read more about the plug-in, and compare it with other tools, on the Debits plug-in for Adobe Acrobat page.
Step-by-step instructions
Step 1: Download the installer
Download DebitsSetup.exe. It is a signed Windows installer of about 4 MB.
Step 2: Close Acrobat
Close every Acrobat window before you install. Acrobat loads plug-ins when it starts, and it locks them while it is open.
Step 3: Run the installer
Open DebitsSetup.exe and follow the prompts. It finds your copy of Acrobat Standard or Pro and adds the plug-in. If your computer is missing Microsoft’s WebView2 runtime, which the panel needs, the installer adds that too.
Step 4: Open a PDF and open the Debits panel
Start Acrobat and open a PDF. Select the Debits button on the toolbar, or go to Plugins > Debits > Open Debits. The panel opens on the Review tab. To give the page more room, you can pop the panel out into its own window and dock it back later.
Step 5: Use the free Review tools
The Review tab has four sections:
- Marks — 40 tick marks (standard symbols, tax and audit codes such as F, XF, TB, PY and GL, and review flags), up to 24 custom codes of your own, 10 workpaper stamps such as Footed, Agreed, Traced to balance and Prepared by client, reference numbers, and a Sign-off as Preparer, Reviewer, Manager or Partner with your initials and the date. Pick a mark, then click the PDF where it goes. It repeats until you press Esc.
- Calc — a 10-key Calculator tape. Use Add from selection to pull figures from the PDF, Cross-foot to compare the total to a figure on the page, export to CSV, then Stamp tape on PDF to leave the tape on the workpaper.
- Markup — highlight, underline, strike, text boxes, sticky notes, arrows, rectangles, circles and freehand drawing, in the colour you choose.
- Pages — Bookmark current page, Build workpaper index (bookmark every page), and a Cross-reference link that jumps from a figure on the return to its supporting schedule.
Step 6: Sign in for Workpapers and Deliver (optional)
The Workpapers and Deliver tabs show a lock until you sign in. Select Sign in at the top of the panel and sign in with your Debits account. Workpapers opens your firm’s workpaper binders in the same panel. Deliver uploads the open PDF to a client’s tax delivery, lets you drag signature fields onto the page, and sends it for e-signature. Both need a Debits plan; you can start one on a free trial.
What happens next
Every tick mark, stamp, sign-off, note and tape is saved in the PDF as a standard annotation when you save the file. Anyone who opens it sees your review, in Acrobat, Adobe Reader or any other PDF viewer, with or without the plug-in. The review tools work offline and never upload your documents.
Troubleshooting
- The installer says Acrobat wasn’t found. You probably have Adobe Reader, which can’t run plug-ins. Install Acrobat Standard or Pro, then run the installer again.
- There is no Debits button after installing. Acrobat was open while you installed. Close every Acrobat window, then start Acrobat again. You can also open the panel from Plugins > Debits > Open Debits.
- A mark won’t go on the page and the panel says the PDF’s security settings don’t allow annotations. The file is locked against comments, which is common for brokerage statements and K-1s. Check File > Properties > Security, or work from an unrestricted copy.
- The panel says “Acrobat is not connected to the Debits panel”. Close Acrobat and the Debits panel, then open Acrobat again. If it keeps happening, run the installer again to repair it.
- Workpapers or Deliver says your plan doesn’t include it. These tabs need a Debits plan. The Review tools keep working either way.