Fillable pdfs

[davidc34923659]

Do fillable forms work on mobiles or is there some special way of msking them mobile friendly.

David

[AnandSri]

 Hi David!

I hope you are doing well, and thanks for reaching out.

Yes, fillable PDFs can work on mobile devices, but there are a few important considerations to ensure a smooth experience: 

Use Compatible PDF Viewers: Ensure that users open the fillable PDF with a PDF viewer that supports form filling, such as Adobe Acrobat Reader for mobile.

Optimize for Mobile: Design the form with mobile users in mind. Use larger fonts, single-column layouts, and avoid small or densely packed fields. See this article for more information: Create fillable PDF forms on Android step-by-step | Adobe Acrobat

Enable Some form functionalities rely on JavaScript, so ensure it is enabled in the PDF viewer. 

For more details, see these articles: https://helpx.adobe.com/in/acrobat/using/creating-distributing-pdf-forms.html

https://helpx.adobe.com/in/acrobat/using/fill-and-sign.html

I hope this helps.

Thanks,

Anand Sri.

[edited response]

[davidc34923659]

Thank you for response.

The fillable pdfs have been posted on our website as a downloadable file. These work fine on a PC but 'fillable' element does not display on a moble (android) or a tablet. I presume the reader on the mobile is as you describe.

[MikelKlink]

What exactly do you consider "fillable forms"?

An what do you mean by "work on mobiles"?

Concerning "fillable forms": Do you mean PDFs you can fill with the "fill and sign" tool of Adobe Acrobat? Or do you mean PDFs with an AcroForm form definition? Or even with a XFA form definition?

Concerning "work on mobiles": Do you mean whether you can fill-in the PDFs in a web browser on arbitrary mobiles? Or in the general Adobe Acrobat Reader App on an applicable mobile? Or in the special Adobe Fill & Sign App on Apple mobiles?

[davidc34923659]

Thank you - I am not a techie, so sorry about layman's language.

I mean fillable pdfs. Downloaded from a PC they are 'fillable'. But the 'fillable' content does not appear on a mobile or tablet, just the pdf.

These are entry forms for use of competitors, posted on our website as a downloadable pdf for completion by the entrant and submission to the event.

[MikelKlink]

Can you share an example file to analyze?

[davidc34923659]

see https://abernethyhighlandgames.com/competitors/entry-forms/

[MikelKlink]

Thanks for sharing the link.

The PDF I inspected has a regular AcroForm form definition. So as fas as the PDF standard goes this is the appropriate way to present forms in PDF.

Unfortunately, there are many PDF viewers that do not support dynamic PDF features like form fill-in but only static viewing of PDFs, in particular on mobiles. (When I select a PDF on my Android, a choice of 8 apps to open it with pops up, and only 2 or 3 of them properly handle PDF forms...)

So while your PDFs are good forms for people having a complete enough PDF viewer installed and knowing how to open the file with it, the current state of PDF apps on mobiles makes the use of html forms (probably with an optional download of a filled-in PDF after submitting the form) much more fool-proof, also see @ls_rbls' answers.

[davidc34923659]

Thank you for taking the trouble.

Putting the entry forms as a webpage or using something like MS office forms may be a better solution.

[try67]

The fields themselves are likely to work, but (almost all) scripts associated with them will not.

[davidc34923659]

Thank you for your response.

Fields appear on PC but not on mobile. Same with drop down boxes.

[try67]

The term "mobile" is extremely vague. What exact mobile device, and what application is being used on it to view the PDF files? At any rate, there's nothing much you can do about it, except instruct the users to use better software, like Adobe Acrobat Reader.

[davidc34923659]

Thank you.

The term 'mobile' means any smartphone.

The 'fillable' pdf is a downloadable file from our website www.abernethyhighlandgames.com. This is for use of any person wishing to enter the various competitions. One does not know the 'users', so it has to be accessible from all types of smartphone and tablet.

I am gaining the impression that Adobe filable forms are not suitable for general use.

[ls_rbls]

Hi @davidc34923659 ,

Regarding the link you shared for downloading the entry forms, there are a few reasons why PDF fillable forms can function on mobile devices, assuming the user has a PDF-compatible viewer installed. It's important to understand that the experience may vary depending on the device and the viewer being used.

When you mention 'mobile', it appears you are talking about a PDF form that is downloaded from the website onto a mobile device and then accessed through a mobile web browser.

The performance of these browsers can differ greatly, as each one has unique features that affect how PDFs are rendered.

In my testing of the Heavy Events Entry Form on an Android device using the Mozilla Firefox browser, I found that while filling out the form was straightforward, clicking the download option resulted in saving a blank form. Therefore, users should be aware that if they prefer not to use the free Acrobat Mobile App or similar PDF editing applications, they will need to fill out the form and print it to PDF using the browser's options, if available.

On Android, selecting Print from the browser will bring up the built-in Print utility, allowing users to connect to a printer via Wi-Fi or to 'Save as PDF'.

Since the website does not offer an online registration form, users will need to save the completed file as a PDF, open their email client, and send it back as an attachment. This process would be similar for those using the Acrobat Mobile app as well.

[davidc34923659]

Thank you for taking the trouble to lok at this.

It would appear that Adobe fillable forms are not particularly useful for posting on a website when multiple users are likely to use different devices and app to download these. They would seem to have a very limited application.

[ls_rbls · Accepted solution]

Yes, you are absolutely correct, but PDF fillable forms can be designed with any PDF editor, not just Adobe's.

The current workflow of the website makes it hard for users that are not tech savvy to find their way around on what to do next.

In which case, it would be beneficial if the website produce an online application form without the need to download anything.

In fact, it would look similar to their contact form. The user just input their data on provided blank fields and click on a submit button directly from their web browsers and with a few clicks.

Is not that very difficult to do that.

However, collecting money via electronic transactions online can be complicated and expensive to develop for charitable organizations.

[davidc34923659]

Thank you.

That's one solution or using MS office forms or similar, with responses fed into a spreadsheet may be another

[davidc34923659]

Excellent suggestion, thank you