Field Reports works with most PDFs, but the best experience will be had with PDF documents that have fillable fields, also referred to as Smart PDFs or AcroForms.
- Does my PDF have fillable fields?
- What types of fields are supported?
- Setting the Tab Order
- How do I convert my forms into PDF format?
- How do I convert my flat PDF into a fillable form?
- What if my PDF has security settings?
- Does Field Reports support calculations or JavaScript?
- Troubleshooting tips
Does my PDF have fillable fields?
You can check to see if your form has fillable fields by opening your PDF document in Adobe Reader. Fillable fields such as text inputs, checkboxes, and drop-down selections are highlighted in blue.
What types of fields are supported?
The following input types are supported:
- Text
- Date
- Signature
- Radio Buttons
- Checkboxes
- Drop-down lists
Note: The date field will currently be the current date only (see image below), as opposed to a 'date picker' option, which let's users see a drop down calendar to select.
Setting the Tab Order
To assure that a Submitter's tab button goes from one field to another in the order you want, you can follow the steps below to set the order, prior to uploading it to PlanGrid.
1. Open the template PDF in acrobat
2. On the right hand side, search for "Create Form", click the button, and hit "Single File", and "Start"
3. On the right side, a list of Form Fields appears, in the current tab order
4. To change tab order, drag and drop the form field to the desired location in the list
5. Save the updated Template PDF and upload it into PlanGrid
How do I convert my forms into PDF format?
Most modern scanners can convert paper documents into electronic PDF format. To learn how to do this, you can search for "Scan to PDF" with the model number of your scanner to find instructions using the search engine of your choice.
If your document is in Word or Excel format, you can convert it with these steps:
- Open your document in Word or Excel.
- Select File, then Save As.
- Change the file type to PDF.
- Click Save.
How do I convert my flat PDF into a fillable form?
There are many tools available to build fillable fields into a PDF form. We recommend using Adobe Acrobat Pro for form creation. Adobe Acrobat Reader does not contain the form-building functionality. Learn more about creating forms using Acrobat Pro or try a 7-day Acrobat Pro Trial.
Bluebeam eXtreme also has a form creation tool, and offers a 31-day trial. Get help creating a form using Bluebeam.
What if my PDF document has security settings?
We are unable to support PDF documents with any security settings at this time, including password protection or certificate encryption.
You can check to see if your document has security settings by opening the document in Adobe and navigating to File > Document Properties. To guarantee compatibility with your document, the security settings of your document should match the screenshot below.
Learn more about how to remove these settings from your documents.
Does Field Reports support calculations or JavaScript?
Field Reports has limited support for calculations and JavaScript. Basic arithmetic formulas are supported on all platforms.
Note: This will not be available on the following browser versions:
• Internet Explorer 11
• Microsoft Edge 17 & 18
Troubleshooting tips
"I can't see buttons in my form"
"My signature field acts like a text box"
"Some of the features of my fillable form don't work right"
"I can't see buttons in my form"
Buttons are currently not supported by Field Reports.
"My signature field acts like a text box"
If your signature field is acting like a text box, then the creator of the document has elected to require signatures for setting up the form. This setting is designed for documents and signatures to be managed from within Adobe's software, and not with third party applications like PlanGrid.
To ensure that the signature field behaves correctly in PlanGrid, create the form and do not select the option to require signatures.
"Some of the features of my fillable form don't work right"
Dynamic XML or XFA PDF files created with Adobe LiveCycle Designer are not supported and will need to be converted to flat PDF documents before they can be used. Learn more about XFA forms.
How can I tell if my PDF has XML/XFA?
- Open the document in Adobe
- Navigate to File, then Properties
- In the Description tab, inspect "Application" and "PDF Producer". If either of these sections lists Adobe LiveCycle, the form will need to be converted.
How do I convert my XML/XFA PDF file into a flat PDF file?
The best way to convert your document is to follow the steps recommended by Adobe.