In the modern era of paperless workflows, companies and individuals seek file formats to help them convey information. As a result, digital document formats like EPUB, MOBI, WORD, and PDF are becoming popular.

Like Word processors, you need a PDF editor to create, sign or edit a fillable PDF form. But before you start tinkering with these editing tools, let’s get to know different types of PDF forms.

What is a fillable PDF form?

A PDF form is a digital form in PDF file format. Unlike regular PDF documents, you can create the fields and fill them with data — or send them to others to complete.

What’s the difference between a PDF form and a web form?

Most people struggle to differentiate between PDF forms and web forms. So, let’s explore the differences.

A PDF form, as the name suggests, is available in PDF format, while a web form is often presented online using HTML code.

When working with a web form, you need to activate functions and methods like “GET” and “POST” to retrieve the data. Conversely, the data in fillable forms is available for everyone to see.

Not only that, users require knowledge of programming languages to create a web form, but you can make a fillable form without any advanced technical training.

And above all, you need an active internet connection to work with web forms, while you can make PDF forms offline.

When should I use fillable PDF forms?

Now that we’ve clarified the differences between PDF forms and web forms, let’s check out reasons to use PDF forms.

1. A PDF fillable form allows parallel editing for multiple users without having to be in the same physical location. You can send the file to your colleague to complete and send to you.
2. You can use a PDF form creator to plug all compatibility gaps across multiple devices. Users can access the form, regardless of the platform they use.
3. When the people working on the document are in remote locations, they can complete a PDF form offline with limited internet access.

How to create a PDF form

With the knowledge you’ve gathered about PDF forms, it’s time to create one. But first, you must know that the options for creating fillable PDF forms are unlimited nowadays. That said, let’s explore the most relevant ways to fill PDF form online.

Using an online PDF editor

Online editors are essential to the modern, fast-paced work environment because they allow individuals and organizations to stay on track and communicate smoothly.

With a tool like Lumin PDF, you can create a fillable form online without much hassle. Here are the steps to follow:

1. Open the tool.
2. Upload the file.
3. Click on the file, and it will take you to the editing panel.
4. Click on the “T” icon on the toolbar to start adding text fields.
5. Draw a text box in the area you want to make fillable.
6. Click on the “paint” icon to change the text box attributes like typeface, font size, and opacity.
7. You can move the text box to any area of the PDF you want. You can also delete and start again.
8. After creating the fillable form, copy the shareable link or save the file to your device.

Using Google Drive

There are two options for editing a fillable PDF within Google Drive.

Option 1 (drawing on a Google Docs canvas)

1. Open your PDF on Google Docs.
2. Navigate to the main menu.
3. Click on “Insert” > “Drawing” > “New”.
4. Insert a text box in the canvas.
5. Click on “Save and Close.”
6. Copy the shareable link or save it to your device as a PDF.

Option 2 (Add-ons)

1. Go to Google Drive.
2. Go to the document folder and click “Open With” > “Lumin PDF”.
3. Upload the file.
4. Go to the editing panel.
5. Click on the “T” icon on the toolbar to start adding text fields.
6. Draw a text box in the area you want to make fillable.
7. Click on the “Paint” icon to change the font size, thickness, and opacity.
8. Move the text box to any area of the PDF you want.
9. After creating the fillable form, copy the shareable link or save the file to your device.

Note: Creating a PDF form using Google Docs is complicated, even for those with experience in tech. So, using add-ons that provide free PDF templates is the best choice for fillable forms.

How to edit a PDF form

When you receive a PDF form to complete, you need to follow these steps depending on the platform you are using.

Using Lumin PDF

When you want to fill PDF online with the Lumin PDF tool, you need to sign up for the product first. Then, follow these steps:

1. Open the file in the editor.
2. Click on the “T” icon to activate the text box.
3. Go to the fillable area and click on it to make it active.
4. Fill in the PDF form.
5. Complete and save the final version.

Using Google Drive

To use a PDF template, open it on Google Drive using a Lumin PDF add-on. Afterward, you can follow the steps outlined above to edit the fillable form.

Using Mac Preview

Mac Preview is a PDF viewer that works only on macOS. To edit fillable PDF templates using preview, follow these steps.

1. Open Preview on your Mac.
2. Open the document.
3. Click on “Tools” > “Annotate” > “Text”.
4. Drag the text box to the area you want to fill.
5. Double click to type in the text.
6. Press “Command+C” to copy the text box and “Command+V” to paste.
7. To add your signature, go to “Tools” > “Annotate” > “Signature” > “Manage signature”.
8. Go to the signature bar and click on “Create signature”.
9. Choose “Trackpad” to draw a signature on your MacBook.
10. Click on “Done” to complete the process.

Using a mobile device

To edit a customized or blank PDF template on your mobile device, open it with Google drive and activate the Lumin PDF plugin. You can use this mobile PDF editing tool to create pdf invitation templates free.

Conclusion

Creating a fillable form for PDF template download is an easy task if you have the right tools. With an online form editor, you can create fillable documents and share them with your friends and colleagues instantly. You can also edit PDF forms with offline PDF viewers on desktop and mobile devices. Ultimately, choose the PDF editing tool that meets your needs and offers multiple editing options.