PDF fillable form not displaying field data

[T_Hubbard]

Greetings, 

I have an employee who is receiving fillable PDF forms for work via email. When opening file preview on the form within Outlook Desktop the form is displayed and the field data is in the fields designated. When opening the PDF with Reader or Acrobat Pro the forms field data is blank. Clicking on fields to highlight test does not reveal anything, and trying to insert a space and delete the space within the field nothing is revealed. When opening the file with MS Edge, all the forms field data is then viewable. I have another employee that was able to open the same form using their Acrobat XI and was able to view the field data as well. With opening the PDF's via Edge, we are able to print form to MS Print to PDF and upon doing so and opening with Reader or Acrobat Pro the form data is viewable.  I have checked the versions of Reader and Acrobat Pro and both are up to date as well. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.

[Guest]

I found the work-around: File > Save As Other... > Optimized PDF... > then click on Discard Objects > then check off Flaten form fields > click OK > then save it (either rename it or replace it). (Note: my path here is on Acrobat Pro DC 2020.012.20041 on macOS Catalina, so you route to that feature may differ.)

[DREW23758681ihub]

I'm using Adobe Acrobat Pro DC and a document created in Microsoft Edge. The Optimize PDF button is greyed out and unclickable for me.

[Michael22381271q3v6]

Thank you! I was looking all over the internet for a solution. This worked!

[defaultxea3z0klm42a]

The "Correct answer" is no kind of answer.

This worked for me. It requires Micro$oft Word.

Adobe Acrobat, open file: File > Export To > Microsoft Word > Word Document

Open in Word: File > Save as... > File Format (drop-down menu): PDF

Re-open in Acrobat and the previously hidden fields should be visible.

[scott_chr]

Hi defaultxea3z0klm42a

Did you ever get a REAL solution to your issue with PDFs being empty or not showing data.  I'm have expereinced the same issue after performing a update of Adobe DC.  So far the only solution I have fould was to install a product called PDF-Xchange Viewer, now I can see all the data again.  I am not promoting the product, but it worked to the point where I can at least view the data in the files again without going through a bunch of Garbage the lazy tech was asking you to go through.  Please let me know if that helps.

[defaultfwmulvaegqcz]

SOLUTION finally! I have been trying to open the documents in Adobe Acrobat Pro or Adobe Acrobat Reader, and neither was able to reveal the filled-in fields by a work colleague. I resolved this by opening the PDF in a different browser. I have been using CHROME but switched to FIREFOX. This worked. THEN I saved the document via the "Printer" function setting the "Save As" as a PDF. Once this was saved this way, it could be read with Adobe sw. YAY!!

[defaultuj147010pxjx]

I don't call that a solution. If you are wasting all that time opening it in a browser whats the purpose of opening it in Adobe then?

[DREW23758681ihub]

To add on to this - the entire issue here is surrounding Adobe's software note recognizing any of the field inputs from the other softwares.

By printing, we're converting it from the field inputs to text directly onto the PDF. This allows Adobe's software to pick it up. When you first open it up in Adobe, the text will be visible but not editable. To make it editable, go to Tools -> Edit PDF. It will allow me to edit the fields after doing this. You'll have to manually click on all the field's to edit it rather than tabbing through the document. But if recreating the PDF is not an option, this is a solution.

Like to original poster, I am using a document originally created in Microsoft Edge.

[DREW23758681ihub]

Video walkthrough:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PAs8zPAO1g4

[Michael24969594qzd0]

Much needed find. Thanks so much!

What I'm wondering is: Why can every PDF read under the sun can apparently do what Acrobat Reader "Pro" cannot?

[Marek262080137ck4]

THIS is the answer. OK, at least it is a workaround that works. Thanks.

[scott_chr]

I don't know if this will help, but I gave up on support and found PDF XChange viewer, that seemed to do the trick, I can read all the files again.  It's sad when the "master" changes their software so much to add "features" rarely used and cripples the product to the point that the customer-base that made them what they are today has to find other products to get their job done.  The even the product support or QA can't offer a solution.

[defaultuj147010pxjx]

Completely agree, they are ruining their product!

[bazinet98A1]

On mobile app when we check on mobile android app we didnt se it on screen but in a computer we see the check mark

Only happens whe the check mark square is small 

Is it something that can be fixed?

[research associate]

Same problem here in June 2022. We get a PDF form from a client that displays form data correctly in Microsoft Edge, but is blank in the paid version of Acrobat Pro DC. The form is a from a government site and its pretty standard. Came here looking for a fix. Has there been any update on this issue - if so, can somebody reply with a link in case I'm in the wrong thread?

The green accepted solution in this thread, "Instruct the users to only use Adobe Reader and it should work fine." aint gonna cut it (and I say that respectfully since Try67's solutions and scripts have been awesome tools over the years).. As our court system in this part of Canada moves to more online forms, filings, and management (one of the few silver linings of the COVID19 pandemic), law offices are dealing with these types of glitches more often. We don't have any control over what tool/how clients or parties fill in PDF forms - its supposed to be a standard, no? Even if its not an Adobe issue per se, surely they can code a compatibility patch?

Acrobat Pro user since v3.

[try67]

> its supposed to be a standard, no?

It is. The problem is that not all software developers adhere to this standard when creating their PDF viewers.

> Even if its not an Adobe issue per se, surely they can code a compatibility patch?

Not really. You expect them to spend time (and money) fixing the mistakes made by others?

[research associate]

Ugh, I guess that makes sense. At the end of the day, its doc geeks like me who end up having to tell mgt that there is no simple solution, and that the clients, many of whom have little to know e-doc savvy, have to redo their information, which causes lots of problems since they just used the browser they know.  Or I end up manually re-entering information, which is great waste of my time and day. Hence the hope there was a solution on the Adobe end. Standards are for everyone! Thanks for the reply.

[Michael24969594qzd0]

It seems to me like no other PDF reader has a problem reading and editing the forms. So why should Adobe be the only one that gets a pass?

[Michael24969594qzd0]

After spending a bunch of time chasing down answers, I haven't found any technical solution by Adobe, no setting or something like that one can change after which it all suddenly works and the blank fields are filled with the lovely numbers and information we all so dearly long for in our work, tax and government forms.

The fact of the matter is: Adobe Acrobat Readers including the so-called "Pro" version simply cannot read all of the PDFs that other software puts out there – "Pro" as this polished crackerjack of a software package may be. Other more bush league software oddly can – amateur luck to be sure.

As far as usability in everyday life goes, the  the only two strategies to keep working with PDFs seem to be:

1) Stick with Adobe Acrobe Reader, run into this problem again and again, trying to get everybody else to use Adobe Reader Pro so that you don't encounter this issue.

2) Get a different PDF reader that can read and edit a PDF no matter where it came from. This option only requires you to deinstall Adobe Acrobat Reader "Pro" and move on to other options. You will be work with PDFs without problems andymore and can quickly move on with your work life.

I've gone with option number 2 and bought PDF Reader Pro. And so far: It works. 

[vertexsoftware]

We just had a contractor-turned-employee complete a government W-4 form using the latest online version of Acrobat Pro. Our finance people are also using Acrobat Pro to read it. It appears blank. It's not just that the font is the same color as the form field background or anything; clicking in the editable field places the insertion point at the 0 point (start) of the field. This is a bug that has persisted for years that for some reason Adobe can't or won't fix. The same is true of the Save/Freeze bug in Photoshop for Windows. While Adobe works hard to prevent you from canceling a license (they are of the Gold's Gym school of "if you make it difficult enough, we'll keep getting paid for services no one uses"), they don't pay attention to the needs of the customers who pay them well on a monthly basis to use their products. This is negative goodwill, not only in terms of gaslighting paying customers but also tarnishing Adobe's reputation as having the best products of its kind in this space. As a former Adobe shareholder, I say, institutional investors should take note, if senior management won't.

NOTE to others with this problem: We fixed this by opening in Firefox and printing it as a PDF. (Opening in MS Word did not display the field information.)

So the problem is resolved by using free third party software. But Adobe, don't you feel bad that your customers have to experiment like this to solve issues you can't be bothered to fix? We are here because we (used to) love using Adobe products, but increasingly we feel like Adobe doesn't have the commitment to being best of class that they once did.

If you sell software as a service (SAAS), you need to be service-oriented.

[scottk87463682]

January 2023 - this problem still exists.

[rossm79119925]

I experience these ridiculous problems with sloppy programming on mobile apps. If the document displays as you want (completed), then just screenshot it, crop to size, then PDF it. 

[Bruno28496957gy7t]

Feb 20, 2023: Problem still exists. Form created and shared in a cloud environment and all users see the form fields, except 1 user.  Did not find any setting to change situation. If this happens within, once the form is published for the public to use we can expect several of such glitches and subsquently, calls to customer service. Not a good experience 😞

[try67]

You should not publish a document with data in form fields. They are likely to be removed or edited, either on purpose or not. Flatten the file before sending it out, to ensure the values remain as they should.

[Bruno28496957gy7t]

Why do you assume there is data in the form fields?