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Participant
July 26, 2025
Question

Acrobat Prepare form does not work as it should

  • July 26, 2025
  • 1 reply
  • 305 views

It's been at least 4 hours I want to create a simple form based on a Word file.

I need to have a template for my contracts so I can simply fill out and send them to my clients and they check/correct, fill and sign them to me.

1. When I create the contract I cannot sign it my self. If I send it first and they sign it, I cannot fill it. If they sign first I cannot sign! 

2. The desktop app does not have calculated field and the online one's won't work. (Your website is like a liquid everything is changing every second. It is impsible to fine some thing that I have used before)

3. After I create a template with the online version I cannot edit it! I wonder how you guys think! if you do.

4. on the desktop app the date and currency type are usless because they can type nunsense. there is no validation.

5. In the web version when I create a filed and send the form they cannot see some part of their entry.

 

I h.a.t.e you guys 😠

1 reply

creative explorer
Community Expert
Community Expert
July 26, 2025

@maryamo97557528 wow, that's pretty harsh if you are saying 'I hate you guys?' Why should we even help you then?! 

So, with your questions...

Your intro: If you're creating a PDF form in Word and then trying to use basic "fill and sign" features in Acrobat Reader, you're limited. Reader is not designed for multi-party, sequential signing with robust permissions. The problem of not being able to fill after signing (or vice-versa) points to a lack of proper workflow control, which is a feature of more advanced e-signature platforms, not basic PDF editing. Adobe Acrobat Pro can create signing workflows.

So, what version of Acrobat do you really have will be the key here—I am going to assume you have the Pro. If not, then the next few things will be useless then until you get the Pro. https://www.adobe.com/acrobat/pricing/compare-versions.html

 

Questions:

  1. When I create the contract I cannot sign it my self. If I send it first and they sign it, I cannot fill it. If they sign first I cannot sign! When distributing, make sure your recipients understand they should open it with Adobe Acrobat Reader (up-to-date version) or Acrobat Pro for the best experience, and that you have properly "Reader-enabled" the form if they need to save their input.

  2. The desktop app does not have calculated field and the online one's won't work. (Your website is like a liquid everything is changing every second. It is impsible to fine some thing that I have used before). I and many others have no issues creating a form. Ensure that dates, currency, and other critical fields are entered correctly.

  3. After I create a template with the online version I cannot edit it! I wonder how you guys think! if you do. If you created and edit the underlying PDF document, including its text, images, and form fields, and set up validations and calculations. Templates created here should be editable, assuming no security restrictions were applied. BUT, if you are using Acrobat Sign that's a different story! While you can upload a PDF and add signature fields and other form fields within the Sign environment to create a template for signing, the actual document content (the static text, images, etc., that came from your original Word file) is typically not editable within Adobe Acrobat Sign itself. If you need to change the base content of the contract, you'd usually have to go back to the original PDF in Acrobat (or Word), edit it there, and then re-upload it to Adobe Acrobat Sign as a new template or a new version of the template.

  4. on the desktop app the date and currency type are usless because they can type nunsense. there is no validation. Acrobat Pro does have validation options for date and currency fields. You need to access the "Properties" of the form field and set the "Format" and "Validate" options. Double click on the form properties

  5. In the web version when I create a filed and send the form they cannot see some part of their entry — This is a highly likely a compatibility issues between the version of Acrobat (or whatever tool) used to create the form and the app/browser used to view/fill it.

    Honestly, create your form in Excel or Word, and save it as a PDF. Then open the PDF in Acrobat Pro. To create a fillable PDF form in Acrobat Pro, use the "Prepare Form" tool to add form fields like text boxes, checkboxes, and dropdown menus — like the examples shown. It's easy once you get the hang of it. 
    https://helpx.adobe.com/ca/acrobat/using/create-form.html
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