How to Create Fillable PDF Forms

Turning plain PDFs into smart, fillable forms can save hours of manual work. With Formester, you can create fillable PDF forms that automatically collect responses, generate documents, and even send them directly to your respondents. This guide will show you how to do it step by step.

Step 1: Upload Your PDF and Set Up the Form

1. Log in to your Formester account and create a new form.
2. Add all the fields you need, such as:

• • Auto Unique ID: Automatically generates unique IDs for invoices, orders, or applications.
  • Personal Information Fields: Name, address, phone, email.
  • Picture Choice Fields: Include images of items or options with price labels.
  • Number Fields and Calculations: Track quantity, price, and total calculations.
  • Financial Fields: Bank name, account number, or other financial info.
  • Signature Field: Collect signatures from managers or clients.

3. Include conditional logic and custom variables where needed—for example, updating the price based on the item selected.

Step 2: Connect Your Form to a Custom PDF

1. Open Advanced Settings in your form.
2. Find the Connect to PDF feature and toggle it on.
3. Upload a blank PDF for accurate field mapping.
4. Click Go to PDF Editor.

Step 3: Map Form Fields to Your PDF

1. In the PDF editor, click Add Element to map form data:

• • Text Fields: Recall form data using the @ sign for dynamic text mapping.
  • Image Fields: Embed logos or other images into your PDF.

2. Map essential fields like:

• • Invoice number
  • Date issued
  • Company name
  • Item descriptions, quantities, and prices
  • Totals and calculated fields

3. Once mapping is complete, Save and return to the form builder.

Step 4: Publish and Test Your Form

1. Click Publish to make your form live.
2. Submit a test entry to ensure all fields map correctly to the PDF.
3. In the Results tab, click the three dots and select Download as PDF. You’ll see your form responses automatically filled into the custom PDF.

Step 5: Automate Delivery (Optional)

You can set up your form so that every submission:

• Generates a ready-made PDF
• Attaches it to a custom email
• Sends it directly to the respondent’s inbox

This works perfectly for:

• Invoices and receipts
• Contracts and agreements
• Certificates and membership documents

Benefits of Fillable PDF Forms

• Save hours by automating document creation
• Reduce manual errors in invoices, contracts, or reports
• Collect and store structured data directly in Formester
• Personalize PDFs for each respondent using form data

Final Thoughts

Creating fillable PDF forms with Formester is fast, accurate, and fully automated. From field mapping to automatic PDF generation and delivery, this feature transforms plain PDFs into smart, interactive documents.

Start creating your own fillable PDFs today to simplify workflows and enhance productivity.

Updated on: 03/10/2025