As people move further away from printers and pen and paper, there is heavy reliance on online documents and PDFs. And, yes, going paperless has its advantages, however, if you’ve ever encountered a PDF you know just how frustrating and challenging they can be.
Fillable PDFs take this pain away, saving you time and effort. They allow users to complete paperwork without needing to print, complete, and scan their documents, making the paperwork completion cycle shorter and allowing for quicker transactions.
So, what is a fillable PDF and how can you create fillable PDF forms to make your life easier? Let’s find out.
What is a fillable PDF?
A fillable PDF is a document that users can digitally enter and edit data into—adding information into form fields, check boxes, and text boxes, and adding eSignatures among other things.
There are many reasons why brands and individuals opt to use fillable PDFs, such as:
- Companies conducting internal performance reviews, surveys, or data collection use fillable PDFs to get responses quickly
- Brands share fillable PDFs with target audiences to easily collect responses or eSignatures without requiring much from their leads
- Professionals may use fillable PDFs to fill out applications, eSign employee-related paperwork, and complete contracts
- Healthcare professionals may administer fillable PDFs to patients to collect patient data quickly and move appointments along more efficiently
- Anyone who needs to complete PDFs on the go or needs advanced customization options may use fillable PDFs to eSign documents, collect data, and complete important paperwork
Why are PDF fillable forms important?
PDF fillable forms are important because they offer flexibility to anyone handling paperwork. Depending on the fillable PDF tool used, this type of document can also ensure higher security and compliance than a paper copy.
Fillable PDF forms offer many benefits, including:
- Being easy to use, share, and collaborate with
- Enhancing productivity by minimizing entry errors and speeding up the processing information cycle
- Contributing to a greener environment by eliminating the need for paper, reducing paper waste, and promoting sustainability
- Enforcing data formats when designed with interactive features that minimize errors
- Ensuring security and compliance by encrypting, password-protecting, and electronically signing PDF forms, which is especially important when dealing with sensitive or confidential information
- Creating a better system for keeping important documents organized by cutting out unnecessary steps; electronic documents can easily be completed and stored online, eliminating printers and scanners in the process
Fillable PDF forms are becoming the preferred method for completing important paperwork, and their benefits make it clear why.
When it comes to choosing a fillable PDF form solution, it’s crucial to take pricing, credibility, and other features into consideration. SignNow is a leading electronic signature solution that meets all these criteria and more, and empowers users to complete their documents quickly and securely.
How to create fillable PDF forms with SignNow
SignNow is a powerful electronic signature solution, but it offers customers much more than that. In addition to secure and legally binding electronic signatures, SignNow allows users to add fillable fields to PDF forms and other documents.
With the ability to transform documents into interactive forms, you can complete them in minutes and on any device, and this is what over 20 million SignNow users get to do every day.
To make PDF forms fillable, SignNow allows users to add:
- Checkboxes
- Text fields
- Calculation fields (add, subtract, multiply, or divide values from different fields within a document)
- Smart fields
- Radio buttons
- Date/Time fields
- Initials fields
- Dropdown fields
- Signature fields
- Stamp fields
- And more
Step-by-step process for turning a PDF into a fillable PDF for free with SignNow
SignNow gives users the option to create fillable PDFs for free. To add fillable fields to your PDF form using SignNow, this is all you need to do:
1.Log in to your SignNow account or register it.
2.Click on the Upload Documents button at the top of your screen.
3.Open your document and find the Tools menu on the left.
4.Add multiple fillable fields to your document such as Text, Checkbox, Date/Time, Initials, Radio Button, Calculated and more by clicking on the corresponding option and dropping it where you need it to appear.
5.Set your field as ‘required’ by the recipient and if needed, apply additional settings using the toolbar on the right.
6.Insert as many Signature Fields as You Need by dragging and dropping. Click on each one to assign roles, and use the Signature menu on the right to make them required or conditional.
7. Collect other supporting documents by adjusting a Request Attachment option from the left-hand menu. Make it required or optional, or set the conditions for your signee.
8. Click Save and Close to finish editing your document.
9. Select how you will share your document. Use the Invite to Sign button to send it to recipients, or click Create Signing Link to post on your website and share it with your users.
Use SignNow to transform documents into seamless, fillable PDFs
It’s easy to switch from paper documents to fillable, electronic documents.
Fillable PDFs boost productivity, are environmentally friendly, ensure data security and compliance, and significantly shorten the document completion cycle. Using fillable PDFs is an economically sound choice that can greatly benefit small businesses and enterprises alike.
With features like editable fields, dropdown menus, checkboxes, and electronic signature fields, SignNow is an ideal tool for transforming any document into a fillable PDF. The best part: users can get started on their fillable PDFs for free, so stop putting off filling out that gargantuan form, try SignNow for free today, and turn your documents into interactive forms that are easy to complete.
