Fillable PDF#

The fillable PDF screen (@@fillable-pdf) manages the PDF-based workflow of a survey: upload a fillable PDF template, fill it out in the browser and download the completed PDF, or map the PDF’s form fields to the survey’s JSON form. It is the bridge between paper-style PDF forms and the online survey system.

Fillable PDF screen

How to get here#

  • From the survey landing page, click Fillable PDF.

  • Directly at /my-survey/@@fillable-pdf.

  • The fillable-pdf feature must be enabled globally (default: on).

  • The same feature is configured in the survey settings (PDF Form / Fillable PDF fields, see Survey Settings).

What you see#

The page is organized into sections; the ones after the first only appear once a template has been uploaded.

Fillable PDF Template (always visible)

  • Without a template — an info box (“No PDF template has been uploaded yet.”) and the upload form: choose a .pdf file and click Upload PDF Template.

  • With a template — an info card showing the file name with download (⬇) and delete (🗑) buttons, the file size in KB and the number of fields extracted from the PDF.

Fill PDF Form (with template)

A form to fill the PDF fields directly in the browser:

  • Fields are grouped by page (Page 1, Page 2, …).

  • Each row shows the field name (code style), a type badge (textfield, checkbox, …) and a required marker where applicable.

  • Input controls match the field type: text input, checkbox, dropdown (with the PDF’s options) or a signature placeholder (signature fields are filled via the UI workflow).

  • Download Filled PDF submits the values and returns the completed PDF — the survey data is merged into the template.

Form Fields (with template)

A reference table per page: #, Field Name, Type, Options, Default Value, Properties (Read-only / Required badges) and In Form — a ✓/✗ indicator showing whether the PDF field exists in the survey’s JSON form. Fields without a JSON counterpart are the ones to watch: they will not be filled from survey data automatically.

JSON Form Properties (with template)

A table of the fields defined in the current JSON form (from the editor or AI generation) with their type and input type — the counterpart of the PDF field list, useful for checking the mapping between PDF and form.

What you can do#

Upload a template#

  1. In the Fillable PDF Template section, select a fillable PDF and click Upload PDF Template.

  2. The page reloads and shows the template info card, the fill form and the field tables.

  3. Check the In Form column: fields the survey form does not know are marked with ✗. Either add matching questions to the form (editor or AI generator) or fill those fields manually in the fill form.

Fill and download a PDF#

  1. In Fill PDF Form, enter the values per page (text, checkboxes, dropdowns; signature fields are handled via the UI workflow).

  2. Click Download Filled PDF — the completed PDF is downloaded.

  3. The filled PDF can be submitted or distributed like any document; for surveys with the fillable-PDF workflow, the submission is processed like a normal survey submission (see Actions).

Manage the template#

  • Download (⬇) — fetch the current template for backup or reuse.

  • Delete (🗑) — remove the template (a confirmation dialog appears); the page then offers the upload form again.

Tips & notes#

  • Only real fillable PDFs work — the file must contain form fields. If the “Form Fields” section shows no fields, the PDF is not fillable.

  • The In Form indicator is the key to automation: fields that exist in the JSON form can be pre-filled from survey data; the others must be entered manually.

  • The feature is separate from the PDF export of submissions: the PDF generator (@@pdf-generator) and the export converters render survey data as PDF documents — see Results and Exports.