Efficient way of creating a PDF Form

  • rwaldenjr
    Asked on October 26, 2017 at 1:04 AM

    I tried creating a PDF version of my form as a faster alternative to creating a form with disabled elements. I tried creating a PDF using the "Create PDF Form" feature ("More" drop-down in the forms list). However, it didn't really create a PDF of my form. It created a new form with similar elements but in a totally different format.

    Is there a way to have it create a PDF with my exact same format? Also, is it possible to create a non-fillable PDF "image" of the form?

    Thanks for your help!

  • Support_Management Jotform Support
    Replied on October 26, 2017 at 4:35 AM

    Is there a way to have it create a PDF with my exact same format?

    Our system can never create a PDF that will look exactly like your form. It will only mimic the same fields you have on your form and attempt its best to generate a respective PDF. On top of that, most advanced features like payment fields, widgets, etc. will never carry over to the PDF form generated. These and more were discussed in the detailed article below.

    Complete guide: JotForm-Fillable-PDF-Creator-with-All-Points

    Also, is it possible to create a non-fillable PDF "image" of the form?

    You can exclude the SUBMIT button prior to generating the PDF form by unticking the INCLUDE SUBMIT BUTTON checkbox. This should, in turn, make your PDF form non-fillable.

    Efficient way of creating a PDF Form  Image 1 Screenshot 20

    Related guide: How-to-Create-a-PDF-Form 

  • rwaldenjr
    Replied on October 26, 2017 at 12:53 PM

    Jim -

    Thanks for your response. Unfortunately, unticking "Include submit button" didn't work. The form is still fillable. Is that the only solution?

    Also, since JotForm's PDF creator can't do so natively, is there another way to create a more accurate PDF version of our forms, possibly using an app or widget? If not, maybe that could be a development request. The bones of that capability already exist in JotForm. If not, maybe JotForm could partner with a 3rd party company to provide a more robust PDF creator. After all the time and effort it takes to build an effective online form, companies don't want to have to use an alternate (paper) form that doesn't really resemble their online version, and that doesn't even include all the same elements!

  • Nik_C
    Replied on October 26, 2017 at 1:56 PM

    The removing of submit button will make the form unsubmittable. So even if the data is filled the form will not be possible to fill.

    Not sure what is the purpose of creating such form?

    Regarding the creating of PDF form, it is hard to make the PDF in the same way like live forms, because of the nature of the PDF and how it is created.

    I will forward your request to our backend team though for further consideration in regard to the creation of PDF.

    Let us know if you have any further questions.

    Thank you!

  • rwaldenjr
    Replied on October 26, 2017 at 2:02 PM

    Thanks Nik -

    The reason I'm trying to either disable the elements of my forms and still have them be viewable, or else create non-fillable replicas of them as PDFs is explained in this related string, "How to disable forms?"

  • Support_Management Jotform Support
    Replied on October 26, 2017 at 2:43 PM

    I see - Looks like you updated that thread right before you posted your reply here. We'll continue the discussion there. For the time being, this thread has been forwarded by Nik to the concerned team as requested.

  • eugene
    Replied on October 30, 2018 at 4:26 AM

    UPDATE: We are excited to announce that we have just released the new version of JotForm PDF Editor.

    It has much-enhanced customization options than before. We will be very glad if you can check out the new fillable PDF form creator and leave us feedback about it.