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loklooz
loklooz
Participant
March 9, 2021
Question

Prepare fillable form for multiple individual PDF

  • March 9, 2021
  • 2 replies
  • 1212 views

Hi, I used MS Word + MS Excel mail merged and generated 1000+ individual PDF file.

They are something like test score result. They share the same template, only the content on each is different according to the student profile.

I would like to change them as a fillable PDF for the student to type in their feedback after reading the result. However, I only know the way of changing them one file by one through the Acrobat "Prepare Form" function and it sounds very stupid.

Is there any way I can make it easier?

I am facing another problem is after they have filled in the form. They need to save it somewhere and email back to me. Any solution can make it like more streamline from "Data merge > dispatch result > review and comment > send back for filling"/

Thanks a lot.

 

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2 replies

Thom Parker
Community Expert
Thom ParkerCommunity Expert
Community Expert
March 9, 2021

It is possible with a script to automatically add the fields and scripts you need to the already merged PDFs.  It's not a bad workflow since you already have the mail merge part working. And it can actually be done in Reader.   

Do you have any programming experience?  

Fields are added to a PDF with the "doc.addField()" function. You can read more about using it here:

https://www.pdfscripting.com/public/PDF-Page-Coordinates.cfm#FldLocate

 

A button script can be used to create an email button. 

This article is on using scripts to set email addresses, however, it shows the basic scripting necessary to just send an email:https://acrobatusers.com/tutorials/dynamically-setting-submit-e-mail-address/

 

Thom Parker - Software Developer at PDFScriptingUse the Acrobat JavaScript Reference early and often
try67
Community Expert
try67Community Expert
Community Expert
March 9, 2021

It's true you can add fields in Reader, but one file at a time. Not very practical if you have more than a thousand files to process. And you can't create a submit button in it, because you can't set the button's Mouse Up action... This is a job for Acrobat Pro, not Reader.

Thom Parker
Community Expert
Thom ParkerCommunity Expert
Community Expert
March 9, 2021

True, Reader is not generally the best tool for any kind of production process.  Acrobat is obviously the best tool for this type of thing.  However, Reader does work for quite a lot. 

 

I haven't tested adding scripts in a long time, so  bummer. I have an example that adds fields to a PDF in Reader. But not scripts. 

It's a good one:  https://www.pdfscripting.com/public/FreeStuff/PDFSamples/TheFlyv3_EN4Rdr.pdf

 

 

 

Thom Parker - Software Developer at PDFScriptingUse the Acrobat JavaScript Reference early and often
try67
Community Expert
try67Community Expert
Community Expert
March 9, 2021

This is something you need to do before performing the Mail Merge... Create a PDF, add the form fields to it, including a button to submit the form back to you, and then mail merge it with your data.

I'm not sure you can do that using the PDFMaker plugin for Office, but you can do it using a script, like this (paid-for) one I've developed: https://www.try67.com/tool/acrobat-mail-merge-and-email-pdf-files

 

It will even allow you to automatically distribute the merged files to the recipients, if your data file contains their email addresses

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