Exporting documents and records as PDF
Export a document or record as a PDF from Steward’s menu with Export as PDF, on any paid plan. Every page is marked as an uncontrolled copy and names who exported it and when, and a document’s PDF ends with its revision history. Administrators can also export each Statement of Applicability.
What this is
Auditors, customers’ security questionnaires and new starters often want a policy as a file rather than a login. A PDF from Sted is a snapshot of one version, made at the moment you export it.
The controlled copy stays in StedOS. Good document control means nobody should mistake an old print-out for the current policy, so every exported page carries an UNCONTROLLED COPY watermark and a line telling the reader to refer to StedOS for the latest version. Sted renders each PDF on its own servers, and your browser downloads it from a link that works for five minutes. Those servers are in AWS London.
Where to find it
Export as PDF is a row in Steward’s menu while you have a document or record open. On a computer, open Steward’s button at the bottom right; on a phone, open the Menu and look under the heading Steward.
For a Statement of Applicability, Export as PDF is on the standard’s card on Summary, for administrators.
How it works
Export a document
- Open the document from Framework so that you are reading it.
- Open Steward’s menu.
- Select Export as PDF.
- Wait while the row reads Preparing PDF….
- Open or save the PDF your browser downloads.
The PDF shows the version you are reading. Reviewers and Personnel only ever see Approved documents, so what they export is always an approved version.
Export a record
- Open the record from Framework, then Records.
- Open Steward’s menu.
- Select Export as PDF.
- Open or save the PDF your browser downloads.
Export a Statement of Applicability
- Open your organisation’s name in the sidebar, then Summary.
- Find the card for the standard’s Statement of Applicability.
- Select Export as PDF on the card.
Sted keeps a Statement of Applicability for each adopted standard that has a control catalogue, such as ISO 27001. The Statement of Applicability page covers what the card holds.
What every PDF contains
| Part | What it shows |
|---|---|
| Header | Your organisation’s name and the title, on every page |
| Watermark | UNCONTROLLED COPY, on every page |
| Footer | Your organisation, who exported it, when, the code and version, and an export reference |
| Controlled copy line | A line telling the reader to refer to StedOS for the controlled latest version |
| Page counter | Page number and page count |
| Revision history | Documents only: a back page listing approved versions, newest first, with date, approver and change notes |
Every exported page carries the first five parts, and a document adds the revision history. Each revision records why it was made and what changed, which is what fills that back page.
When an export has to wait
Exports in one organisation run one at a time. If a colleague’s export is running, the row reads Waiting for another export in your organisation… and Sted tries again every five seconds, up to six times. An organisation can export up to 60 PDFs an hour, and each person up to 20.
Permissions
| Action | Administrator | Policy and Process Owner | Reviewer | Personnel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Export a document | Yes | Documents they can open | Approved documents only | Approved documents only |
| Export a record | Yes | Records they can open | Records they can open | Records they can open |
| Export a Statement of Applicability | Yes | No | No | No |
A Policy and Process Owner sees drafts only of documents they own, and Reviewers and Personnel see only Approved documents. Export as PDF appears only on what you are allowed to export, and the Statement of Applicability card shows it to administrators alone.
Limits and plan features
PDF export is on every paid plan and not on Preview. The paid plans start at £99 a month for Just the Framework, excluding VAT. On Preview, Export as PDF still appears and opens a notice naming the plan that includes it. Preview also opens only one generated document in full.
Exports in one organisation run one at a time, within the hourly limits above. Only administrators export a Statement of Applicability, because only their view of it is complete.
Related guides
- Document control: why controlled and uncontrolled copies matter, and how auditors check them.
- Approving documents and versions: where the change notes in the revision history come from.
- The Statement of Applicability in Sted: what the exported SoA contains and who keeps it current.
- Steward: the menu that holds Export as PDF and the other actions.
- Plans and billing: which plans include export.
Frequently asked questions
Can I export a policy as a PDF on the free plan?
No. PDF export is part of every paid plan, starting with Just the Framework at £99 a month excluding VAT. On Preview, Export as PDF still appears in Steward’s menu and opens a notice naming the plan you need.
Why does my exported PDF say uncontrolled copy?
Because the controlled version lives in StedOS, not in the file. Every exported page carries the watermark and a line telling the reader to check StedOS for the latest version, so a printed policy that has since been replaced cannot pass for current.
Can two people in my organisation export at the same time?
No. Exports in one organisation run one at a time, so a second export waits and Sted retries it every five seconds, up to six times. An organisation can run up to 60 exports an hour, and each person up to 20.
Why can’t I see Export as PDF on the Statement of Applicability?
Because only administrators can export it. Below administrator your view of the Statement of Applicability can be partial, and Sted only prints the complete one, so the button is shown to administrators alone.