Original PDF: Ability to get the Original PDF file in Zapier or API

We are integrating our Jotforms with Zapier to bring the PDF to Zoho Workdrive, but the PDF URL is missing in the submission, can you add it? or is there any API function we can use to obtain the PDF URL as soon as possible.

Hi,

Are you trying to share an image? If yes, we didn't receive it properly. To post a screenshot here, please follow this guide: https://www.jotform.com/help/438-how-to-post-screenshots-to-our-support-forum

As for the PDF URL not working, please check your account privacy settings and disable these options:

Hi VincentJay, after getting those checks "unchecked" the result is the same, the filled PDF URL is missing in the Zapier returned array. Let me explain again, the problem is the URL missing at all, only the answers are coming up. Your solution would work for the included URL, but it never comes up in there. The filled PDF needs to be reachable from Zapier, otherwise, that integration loses its purpose. You can do logic and run actions based on the answers but in the end, is the purpose of filling the PDF with Jotform is to get the filled file? so could you include the filled PDF URL in the Zapier trigger payload? or somehow give access to it? Maybe this has to be adjusted on your side? What we need is the filled PDF URL to come together with the answers when the trigger in Zapier is "triggered" or somewhere in the payload, you know?

You can use the following URL to call to download the PDF file.

https://www.jotform.com/server.php?action=getSubmissionPDF&sid=SubmissionID&formID=FormID

Or

https://www.jotform.com/pdf-submission/SubmissionID

Just replace the bold text (SubmissionID and FormID) with the actual submission ID and form ID that you retrieved through API.

Guide: https://www.jotform.com/help/549-where-to-find-the-submission-id?

If you need further assistance, let us know.

Thanks.

Hi ronnet, it looks my explanation of the filled PDF missing was misunderstood. I'm trying to explain it again. The purpose of using Jotform is to get a PDF file filled right? We did upload a predesigned PDF form where Jotform put all the answers and in the end, we get the PDF form filled. Your solution is allowing us to download the answers themself as a PDF file but it is never the prebuilt PDF form we are looking for our customers to fill. Is it clear? The URL I'm asking from the beginning of this tread is this prebuilt PDF form we did upload, and the PDF form Jotform uses to build the questions on. The Zapier integration is useless without this PDF URL, what is the point of getting all the answers without this filled PDF form? Can you enable your Zapier integration to deliver the filled PDF form in addition to the answers? Or can we do something to get it?

Apologies for the confusion created.

I believe you are referring to the Original PDF that you have uploaded in the form.

As of now, we do not have any API call to generate the prefilled Original PDF. However, we do send the original PDF to the Google drive when you integrate the form with Google Drive. What you can do is get the original PDF file in the Zapier from Google Drive and then pass this file to Zoho.

Function to Dynamically search for a file

https://zapier.com/blog/updates/635/google-drive-integrations

https://zapier.com/help/doc/common-problems-google-drive

https://zapier.com/apps/google-drive/integrations/google-drive/10224/copy-new-google-drive-files

Thanks.

We are already using Google Drive as a bridge to get the filled PDF but it requires using extra steps that we are trying to save. When do you think there will be an API call to get it? We also tried the webhook and having a URL together with the answers in the payload to get the filled PDF would be very helpful right? And it could allow us to set up integrations without the use of Zapier, something we would like in the near future, when do you think this will be available?

Let me forward the thread to our backend team as a feature request for evaluation. We cannot provide any ETA for implementation if accepted at this moment. This depends on the developer's availability and the number of users requesting the same feature. However, rest assured, once there's any progress on this request, you'll be surely informed via this thread.

Thanks.

Ronnet, at the beginning Jotform seemed to be a very complete and usable alternative to Typeform, but it's becoming a nightmare every time we try to do something.

Let me explain:

As you mention our trigger is now the Google Drive original pdf arrival to its folder, then because we need also the customer answers to run some logic, we are getting them using a submission API call. The problem is, the answers are coming without questions and each answer is a full map very informative but at the same time unusable, so first, we need to call the questions in another API call and build an array matching questions and answer, and on top, for some type of answers like date, we need to look for the prettyformat to get something usable, it really is a nightmare. On the other hand, when we set up the submission to be sent to using a webhook as soon as the form is completed, the questions and answers come in a simple map completely usable, unfortunately, it's impossible to go this way because as I told you before the original filled pdf is missing, so, is there a way to get the questions and answers using an API call, the same way you send them to webhooks directly from Jorform? so we can get them, right after we get the original filled pdf and use them all together?

Thank you for the added information.

The feature request is now forwarded to our developers. Once we have any updates, we will let you know.

But Vincent, we are stuck here, what is the best way to get the original filled pdf and questions and answers all together? Zapier? API? or what would you suggest?

Currently, we do not have an API for PDF downloads. The PDF download link is not considered as a part of the API.  You can receive the original custom PDFs with our Google Drive and Dropbox integrations.

You could also receive the original PDF in your email notifications.

We have alsready requested for the implementation of this feature. We cannot provide an ETA for this implementation.

Thanks.

Correct -- I requested the same feature. Absolutely essential or the whole "SmartPDF" is relatively useless for anything other more than small-scale, 1 form at a time use.

I'm glad to hear the solution is on the way.

Currently, the only workable solution I know of, which is highly imperfect if your forms need to be edited, for example, or if speed is a factor, is to use the Dropbox integration and use Zapier to grab the url from Dropbox -> whatever you're trying to do. Not exactly elegant. Since Google Drive does not assign file urls systematically, it is also ruled out as an option.

Fingers crossed this happens quickly. I was so excited for SmartPDFs and now I regret having spent time with them and having to rebuild PDFs the old way for the time being.

Hello Shawn,

My colleague has opened a feature request ticket here in this ticket:

https://www.jotform.com/answers/2629266-

We will keep you updated whenever there is a progress on these tickets.

Thanks.

We will address your second concern in this ticket:

https://www.jotform.com/answers/2649019

Thanks

Viventa,

This answer was provided to me in a different thread:

Meanwhile, I suggest to try the following approach to get the original PDF via API - that is, you can use the following format:

https://api.jotform.com/pdf-converter/{formId}/fill-pdf?download=1&submissionID={sumissionID}&apikey={apiKey}

You just need to replace bold parts and check.

You can create your API key by following this guide below:

https://www.jotform.com/help/253-how-to-create-a-jotform-api-key

It does what you are looking for -- downloads the Original PDF that you upload with the answers placed over them (i.e., NOT a PDF that you build with the form builder.

Hope that helps!

Hi guys, these last months have been great being able to get the original pdfs with the API, after doing changes also with the API. But now the problem we have is changes after having the pdf generated. Actually, we need to modify our database, send the changes to Jotform using API and then generate the original PDF for the 2nd time, and 3rd, and 4th time, etc. Maintenance in this configuration and new setups are super complex and more with your very old API and the unusual mapping by ids that has to be done.

So, this new service docspring.com came to play, and in addition, to get the original PDF, they let us get it fillable and their API is simple JSON. It means, the PDF we get from there, our users can do changes right in the PDF itself, without having to modify our database, then having to modify yours and then generate the PDF again.

So, basically with docspring.com our users save a lot of time, they get the PDF and if there are changes, they can just do it in the fillable file and print the final file. Even, in some cases, we need our customers to review and do some adjustments and with docspring.com we can send the fillable PDF to them.

So, guys, we would like to stay here with Jotform but for that to happen we need to be able to get the fillable PDF version of the original PDF using API, so, do you have already a similar endpoint where we can get a fillable original PDF with API? if the answer is not, do you have it in your roadmap?

Have you tried this URL to download the original PDF via the API call?

https://api.jotform.com/pdf-converter/{formID}/fill-pdf?download=1&submissionID={sumissionID}&apikey={apiKey}

Just replace the form id, submission id and api key from the above link.

Let us know if you have further queries.

Thanks.

Hi roneet, again you are not reading my message. Hopefully one day you can take the time to do it. Here is the short version, please take a minute to read it. This new service docspring.com API allows us to fill PDF files in the same way Jotform's does, and even easier. But on top of it the downloaded PDF is fillable or editable, let me explain, keep reading pls, fillable or editable means that our users or even our customers will be able to 'edit' those PDF files and do changes after generated. Actually, we have been using your original PDF api call and it's been working well. The problem is that each change we need to change our database, then change your database and then generate the PDF again. If we can get the PDF fillable or editable then we will save tons of time of maintenance and our users when they need to do changes to those files. So, I hope you did read hopefully my 2 last messages in detail and can get the question right, do you have a way to get the PDFs fillable? or editable? if the answer is not, do you have it in your road map?

Hi,

I was checking docsrping.com (first page only) and it looks like the same as the Smart PDFs. I am assuming you already know what Smart PDFs can do. If not, please visit these pages:

1. how-to-use-and-get-the-best-out-of-jotform-smart-pdf-forms
2. https://www.jotform.com/products/smart-pdf-forms/features/

If that would work for you, you can ask more questions on this page: https://www.jotform.com/products/smart-pdf-forms/faq/

This is the same as the Smart PDF builder. You upload the Original PDF, create the Fillable form, Map the form fields to the uploaded PDF. Using this, you can also edit the submission and the original PDF will be updated. You can also integrate this Smart PDF with other apps.

Is that what you want to achieve? Edit the Original/Uploaded PDF data?

Hi Vincent, at least you are talking about fillable PDF, still, the links you gave me fail to answer my question, so I'm going to give you some context and then the question again, I hope to get a direct answer this time:

Your Smart PDFs require our users to go to Jotform. From the beginning, we avoided that because our users are busy using too many apps so we did the PDF generation with API, the whole process. We need all possible with API and docspring.com allows us to get the fillable PDF with API.

So here it goes the question again:

Please just answer the question and stop going in circles.

Hello!

I've scoured the entire documentation and the history of similar tickets, and have investigated the process of downloading a Fillable PDF of a form, and unfortunately, it looks like we don't support the feature to do this with the API.

The way it works currently is that the PDF Editor site sends a POST request to the API to initiate the download, but all data required to determine the ID of the PDF as well as the Form is carried over in cookies. Furthermore, the API used for this process is protected by CORS, so it cannot be initiated from any source other than the PDF Editor page itself.

Unfortunately, we do not have any information on whether this feature is on the developer's roadmap.

I will split your inquiry into a separate thread, as it is not the same as the original inquiry, and forward it to the devs as a feature request.

I apologize for the inconvenience.

Thank you for your patience.