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How to Make a PDF a Fillable Form

PDFs are excellent to use when you want to create a sleek, professional-looking digital brochure or pamphlet. However, they are just as useful for creating electronic forms that you can pass along to customers, business partners, and even potential new employees for various purposes. However, has your team found itself asking "how can we make an editable PDF form easily?" The steps necessary for this process aren't always easy to see—another important question for the team on a budget: how to create a fillable PDF without Acrobat.

You could choose to use online solutions, such as making a "template" in Google Docs, but this doesn't provide you with the same versatility and range of options. Instead, you could opt for more affordable PDF editing solutions, such as Tungsten Power PDF. Take a look at why PDF forms are the right choice and how Power PDF makes quick work of this vital task.

Types of Forms You Can Create with PDFs

What are some of the types of forms you can create with Power PDF?

  • Fillable text boxes. Useful when you need to create space for freeform responses, such as for questions on an employment application.
  • Checkboxes. Ideal for creating lists where multiple options are acceptable answers.
  • Radio buttons, for locking in a user's choice on a single answer.
  • Digital signatures, to allow users to sign and endorse documents for official use.

How to Use Power PDF to Make Interactive PDFs

Power PDF offers users two main options for those wondering how to create an interactive PDF form:

  • The automatic "Form Typer" function. When you have existing PDF forms with static fields, Form Typer automatically identifies these areas and creates the appropriate forms.
  • Manual form field creation. Useful for when you're building a PDF from scratch or adding new fields to a PDF, you can create all the many types of fillable forms with just a few clicks. Select the location and set the size for the form to create it directly in the document.

Users will find all these options in the "Forms" ribbon, with easily accessible buttons for each type of form, the Form Typer feature, and additional tools.

To use the Form Typer on a document that already has visible fields, follow these steps:

  1. Open the document in Power PDF and select the “Forms” tab, converting to PDF if necessary.
  2. Click “Form Typer.” Power PDF automatically activates any detected fields.
  3. Use the additional form tools on the toolbar to add or activate any fields not detected by Form Typer.
  4. Save your document.

If you're sharing forms publicly, don't forget to lock down fillable fields that you don't want users to change or modify. For example, you may need to allow users to fill out a portion of the PDF while your office staff fills out the rest. Simple password protection and other field-related permissions are easy to apply within Power PDF.

Streamline Processes with Better Forms Today

Whether you need to create an intake form for new clients, invoices for sales agents to fill out, or any other type of fillable form, Power PDF takes the hassle out of the task. Quickly and easily learn how to add, edit, modify, and lock fields in all types of forms. Instead of figuring out how to create a fillable PDF in Google Docs, take advantage of Power PDF and add extensive document manipulation capabilities to your arsenal today.

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