Forms tab

Use the settings on the Forms tab to create forms with elements and fields to be filled in by users.

Note Use the Form Controls panel to view and work with a list of all form controls in the document.

Tip To find tools in other tabs, see Ribbon, tabs and panels or use the Find a Tool function at the top right.

Fillable Form group

Form Typer icons Form Typer: This application detects form-like objects in static PDF forms and overlays active form controls that you can post-edit.

Form Elements group

Select a form control and define the page area where it should be inserted. When the dialog box appears, set preferences related to the format and behavior of the form control.

Button icon Button Tool: Insert a button control; provide a button label and/or icon, and set an action to perform when the button is clicked.

Text Field icon Text Field Tool: Insert a text box where a respondent can enter free text or select pre-defined values such as numbers, currencies, dates, zip codes, telephone numbers, and more. Numeric field values entered by respondents can be validated or calculated. A comb box is a special type of text field designed to accept only one character per space.

Check Box and Radio Button icons Check Box Tool and Radio Button Tool: These are two-state controls. When check boxes appear in a group, they can be selected or deselected independently one from another. When radio buttons are grouped and each control has the same Field Name, a respondent can select only one button in the group.

List Box and Combo Box icon List Box Tool and Combo Box Tool: A List Box allows a respondent to select an option from a list. Define the options and their order when the control is placed. A Combo Box is similar, but the respondent can either select a supplied option or type in different text.

Digital signature icon Digital Signature Tool: Place a form control where a respondent can provide a digital signature; define options to apply when a signature is inserted.

Fields group

Set Field Calculation Order icon Set Field Calculation Order: Set the order in which numerical values should be calculated from text fields specified for calculation. This tool becomes active only when at least one such control exists; practically it becomes useful only when at least three calculate fields exist.

Highlight Fields icon Highlight Fields: Make form fields easier to notice, both when designing and when filling forms. Highlight colors are set at File > Options > Forms for standard and required fields.

Reset Fields icon Reset Fields: Remove text responses from form controls but retain the controls. This tool also clears all check box and radio button controls and removes selections from list and combo boxes.

Set Tab Order icon Set Tab Order: Click the tool, double-click in the field to be first, and then click in each subsequent field. Click the Hand tool to finish renumbering.

Data group

Import/Export Data icon Import/Export Data: Import/export data from/to the .xfdf, .fdf, .htm or .txt file formats; export data from multiple files.