How To Create A Fillable Pdf Template

Creating a Form Template Using a Fillable PDF

HotDocs supports only fillable PDFs (or Acrobat Forms or AcroForms) created with Acrobat Professional. It does not support any fillable PDF documents created or edited using Adobe LiveCycle Designer. This includes XFA forms, XML Forms, or Designer Forms. Please note that a small subset of XFA forms might still work, as long as you aren't using any dynamic form features. Typically, if you have edited an AcroForm using LiveCycle Designer and only changed properties of fields, it is likely to still work in HotDocs.

Some PDF documents you receive from various organizations contain fillable fields, which enable you to enter the data required by the document while you are viewing the PDF in Adobe Acrobat or Reader. You can create HotDocs form template s based on these fillable PDFs.

For example, say you download a fillable PDF from a court system. You can create a HotDocs PDF template using this fillable PDF as the basis for the template. When you do, you can choose to keep the fillable fields in the template, or you can choose to remove them from the template. If you choose to keep them, HotDocs creates special HotDocs fillable field s (or linked field s) that mirror exactly the underlying fields. This is useful if you need to file the resulting document with an agency that requires you to provide answers in very precise places on the form.

Keeping fillable fields in a form template also makes it easy to re-adjust fields back to their original position and format, especially if you accidentally move, change, or delete a linked field while editing the template.

If you choose to remove the fillable fields, HotDocs still creates form fields where the fillable fields were—however, they are no longer associated with the fillable fields. Additionally, users are not able to save the document as a fillable PDF, and the PDF will be static.

Once you create a template that contains fillable fields, you can attach variables to those fields. When you do, HotDocs attempts to use information from the original fillable PDF to suggest what type of variable to create. It also suggests other properties, such as variable names and answer formats.

Finally, when assembling a form document that contains fillable fields, you have three options for saving the document:

You can save the document as a regular HotDocs PDF document (.HPD) file. If you select this option, you can view the file and edit the answers in it using HotDocs Filler only.
You can save the document as a static Adobe PDF document. If you select this option, you can only view the document in Adobe Acrobat, Reader, or HotDocs Filler. You cannot edit the answers. HotDocs removes any fillable fields that were present in the template when you save the document.
You can save the document as a fillable PDF. If you select this option, you can edit the answers in the document in Adobe Acrobat or Reader.

To create a PDF template from a fillable PDF

Start HotDocs.
Click on a folder in the file list and click New Template .
Click the Type drop-down button and choose HotDocs PDF Template from the list.
In the File name field type a file name for the new template. If you decide to store the template somewhere other than the default template folder (as seen in the Target folder field), you can also Browse to the new destination. HotDocs adds the correct extension to the file name based on the type of text template you selected. HotDocs displays the full path of the currently selected template location in the Target folder field.
Click in the Title field and either accept the suggested title or replace it with your own. You can also add an optional template Description.
To add an existing component file to the new template, you can select a component from the Shared component file drop-down list. If you do so, the component file you choose is now shared between the new template and any other templates using that component file.
In the Initial contents group, select Other file .
Type in the full path of the fillable PDF document or click Browse and browse to it.
Click OK at the New Template Initial Contents field. A message box appears, asking if you want to leave fillable fields in the form.
Decide, based on the following options:
- Select Yes, leave fillable fields in the form if you want to use the fillable fields from the PDF as the basis for fields in the new template. This enables you to create HotDocs fields that match exactly those fields in the underlying PDF.
- Select No, remove fillable fields from the form if you do not want the template to use the fillable fields from the source PDF document.
If the fillable PDF document contains any annotations (such as notes, stamps, highlighting, etc.), a second message box appears, asking if you want to leave annotations in the form.
- Select Yes, leave annotations in the form if you want the assembled Adobe document to show these annotations. Be aware, however, that annotations do not appear on the form in HotDocs Automator.
- Select No, remove annotations from the form if you want to remove all annotations so they do not appear in the assembled PDF.

HotDocs creates the template and adds fields to it. If you selected to keep fillable fields in the template, HotDocs has linked these HotDocs fields to the fillable fields. Otherwise, HotDocs creates regular HotDocs fields.