How do I create a single PDF form that can be completed by multiple users?

[kelliemanu]

I need to create a single page PDF fillable form that can be completed by three people

(employee, manager and payroll clerk)

Each user needs to be able to complete the fields relevant to them - all on the same form.

So the employee fills in the employee fields, sends it to their manager who completes the manager's fields, who then sends it to the payroll clerk who completes the payroll fields.

I've tried numerous ways to create the PDF form, but once the first user has entered their information, the rest of the fillable fields disappear - preventing the following two users from filling in their fields on the form. 

What is the correct way to create the form?

[Thom Parker]

So what are you doing to make the fields dissapear?

Is this a regular Acrobat form or a Fill and Sign Form?

[kelliemanu]

Once we've made the form - we send it to the employee to complete, and the fields work fine.

But when the second user opens the form the remaining fields have disappeared.

The form is created in Adobe Acrobat Pro using the 'Prepare Form' tool.

How do we ensure the remaining fields stay active/available/fillable after the first user has completed their fields and saved the form?

[Thom Parker]

Can you post the form. I can't really help if I don't know what the form is doing now.  

Just in general, a fill and sign form would work for what you are trying to do. 

[kelliemanu]

This forum won't let me upload the pdf form for you to see

[kelliemanu]

'fill and sign' option is only available for the first person who fills and signs the form.

Once the first person has filled and signed their section and saved the form - the rest of the fill and sign fields disappear which prevents anyone else filling and signing their sections on the form.

[Thom Parker]

That's not true. Adode sign allows for multiple signers, with each signer having there own set of available fields. The  problem with fill & sign in Acrobat is there are multiple ways to move a form into the Adobe Sign Process. If its not done correctly it doesn't work. You need to go through one of the tutorials on it.

But regardless, Test Screen has a point. In order to have the form filled by several people, it has to be done through a managed process.  You can use some Acrobag JavaScript in a PDF form to create a weakly managed  process. It's  weak because any of the signer's could break the process. You also need to guarentee that all users are filling the form in Acrobat or Reader. This won't in 3rd party PDF apps.  On the other hand, Adobe Sign offers a strongly managed process that was  created for this exact purpose.    

[Test Screen Name]

The real question here is not how you MAKE the form but how each person tries to FILL the form. If it is sent from person to person and filled with Acrobat Reader, without signing, it should be fine. Be sure you control this, don't leave the choice of method up to the end user.