Set the text field format as Number but when user fills it in, the format changed to None

[Summer27869419onve]

In a PDF Fillable Form, I set the format of a text field as Number. But when I sent it to my colleague to enter value, she can enter any characters. When she sends back the form to me, I see the format of the same text field got reversed back to None. My colleague does not have Adobe Pro and she is not able to edit the form property. 

Why is this happenning and how can I lock the field's format? 

[Thom Parker]

It is very likely that she is opening the PDF in a non-compliant PDF viewer that is corrupting the form fields.  

Tell here to use the free Adobe Acrobat Reader. 

[Summer27869419onve]

Many thanks Thom! Other than that, is there a way to also protect the format of the form field? The fillable form will be distributed to external recipients and we cannot control what they would use to open the PDF form.

[Thom Parker]

The only way to protect the document from being corrupted is to prevent it from being used in a non-compliant viewer. 

JR has a great method for doing this. You can also try this method:

https://www.pdfscripting.com/public/Lite-Document-Security-Description.cfm

[ls_rbls]

++Adding to the discussion,

You may also employ Adobe Sign in this type of workflow, which will allow the user to fill and sign the form from a mobile device ( via web browser using a tablet or cell phone device) or a web browser on any desktop computer.

[Summer27869419onve]

That's a good point.  I will definitely try it. Thanks! 

[JR Boulay]

Beware: you cannot use Format and Calculation in a Adobe Sign form.

If you can't read French copy-paste these URL in Google Translate to learn how to make a PDF that opens only with Acrobat or only with a PDF reader worthy of the name:

https://www.abracadabrapdf.net/ressources-et-tutos/js-et-formulaires-ressources/forcer-utilisation-p...

https://www.abracadabrapdf.net/ressources-et-tutos/js-et-formulaires-ressources/forcer-utilisation-p...