Fill forms

Use the Highlight Fields tool at Forms > Fields to make it easier to locate all fields in a form. To change highlight color for ordinary and required form fields, go to File > Options > Forms.

Set basic form filling preferences

  1. Go to File > Options > Forms to select items that help in filling forms.

    See Forms for more details on form preferences.

  2. In the Field Settings section, select Automatically calculate field values, so that any calculations already defined in the form will be updated in the program.
  3. In the Field Settings section, select Display focus rectangle so you can always tell which is the current control.
  4. In the Highlight Form Fields section, select Highlight form fields when document is opened to color field backgrounds with the color specified in Field highlight color.
    1. Optionally, specify a more intense color at in Requested field highlight color.
  5. In the Auto-complete section, select On in the list to help you fill text boxes more quickly.

Fill an active PDF form

See Set basic form filling preferences before you proceed.
  1. Open the form in the program. All its form controls will be active.
  2. Check whether the controls are in order. Post-edit them only if necessary.
  3. Select the Hand tool at the top of the Panel bar.
  4. Step through the form elements making choices and entering text.
  5. Save the filled form, click its Submit button if it exists, or resend the form electronically.

Activate and fill a static form you have received

  1. Scan or open the form, converting to PDF if required.
  2. Use the Settings dialog box in the Form Controls panel to set a language for auto-detected labels.
  3. Use it also to enable or disable font resizing for text fields, allowing longer entries to remain visible.
  4. Run Form Typer to detect form controls, have them activated and labeled.
  5. Post-edit the form if necessary, moving, adding or deleting fields.
  6. Select the Hand tool, then fill the form.
  7. Resend the completed form, proceeding with any of the following steps:
    • Send the filled form as a PDF.

    • Print the form and its contents, and send the printed form.

    • Print only your responses onto the blank physical form and resend that.

Tip As an alternative, you can convert a static PDF form to an active Word form using form mode in PDF Convert – post-edit and fill the form in Microsoft Word and send that, electronically or physically.