Deadline PDF compression: preserve the readable original

When a PDF must meet a size limit quickly, duplicate the original and compress the copy. Check the result's size, page count, and the most detail-sensitive pages—small print, signatures, charts, and scanned text. Open it in another viewer before sending. If compression cannot meet the limit without harming readability, consider splitting the document or using an approved delivery method instead of making it illegible. Do not overwrite the only source under deadline pressure.