Data merge to create passwords in protected PDFs?

[HiveCreative]

I have an InDesign document which is effectively a 12 page personalised report. I have been mailmerging it to about 250 separate 12pp PDF reports for the past three years, but now the client wants me to add Security to the files so each PDF must be opened with its own password (not a common password across all the files). Is there a way I can automate the setting of a password using a field in the database I am already using to generate the merged PDFs?

[Steve Werner]

It certainly couldn't be done in InDesign with Data Merge.

There may be some way of using JavaScript in Acrobat Pro to automate the feature, but you'd have to ask in the Acrobat forums.

[Test Screen Name]

Acrobat Pro has no such feature either, except for plug-in developers creating their own plug-in using C++. No merging, scripting or automation solution to setting different passwords. Probably looking for a specialist non-Adobe tool.

[Jeffrey_Smith · Accepted solution]

Here's a link for an Acrobat Action to perform this task

https://acrobatusers.com/actions-exchange/password-security

[HiveCreative]

Hi Jeffrey - thanks for this; it's not a perfect solution because I wanted to automate it with a database of unique passwords but this looks like a good way to speed up the process significantly, with me pasting in a unique password for each file as we go. I'll see how I get on!