How to collect data online with a web form.

Did you know you can add web forms to your website and share links to collect data online with Adobe Acrobat? Well, not only can you do it, but it’s quite a straightforward process to create a secure web form to get information from clients, customers, and other stakeholders.

Read on to learn how to create a web form using Adobe Acrobat Online and Adobe Acrobat Pro.

Photo of a person’s hands typing on a laptop with an online form with checkboxes displayed on the screen.

What you’ll learn

What web form is and what web forms are used for
The benefits of PDF web forms
How to create a web form using Adobe Acrobat
How to download data received in web forms with Adobe Acrobat Online
Tools to explore for free in Adobe Acrobat Online

What is a web form and what are they used for?

Web forms can serve various purposes on websites. They can be used to collect information and facilitate communication. Using web forms can also make it quick and easy for users to provide information to you.

Web forms can be contact forms and email list sign-ups that you might include as a public page in the development of a website. Web forms can also be created as links that you share directly with people to complete specific forms —that type of web form is the focus of this article.

Some different types of web forms that businesses might create from interactive PDFs as web forms include —

Event registration forms.
If you’re holding an event, workshop, or conference, chances are you’ll be using a registration form to track and manage attendance. Registration forms collect essential information such as names, contact details, and numbers of people attending. Depending on your event, you might also request information such as any dietary restrictions, and travel and accommodation details.

Feedback forms.
You might use a form on your website to gather feedback from customers or clients on their experiences or opinions of your business and the goods or services that you provide. Feedback forms can include fields for users to give you written comments in text fields, responses in drop boxes, or rating scales to gauge satisfaction.

Survey and poll forms.
Surveys and polls can be used to gather data and opinions from customers, clients, and stakeholders on various topics. You might include multiple-choice questions, rating scales, or open-ended questions, in a poll or survey web form.

Application forms.
You can use web forms for various applications — memberships, employment, expressions of interest, and more. Application forms usually collect contact details and relevant information about applicants regarding the purpose of the application.

The benefits of PDF web forms.

When you create a web form from a PDF form, you’re potentially saving both time and money. This is because you can create an interactive form once in Adobe Acrobat Pro. You’ve then got the option to share and send it in multiple ways if you choose to. You can send and share a PDF form for people to complete directly from within Adobe Acrobat as email attachments and linked to cloud storage. You can also convert the same form to a web form for people to complete online via a link.

For your users, all they have to do is follow the link you provide them with, along with any passwords you have added as security, and enter their information.

How to create a web form with Adobe Acrobat.

To create a web form using Adobe Acrobat, first create an interactive PDF form in Adobe Acrobat Pro. Then, use the tool in Adobe Acrobat online to create a web form that you can share the link to directly with the people who you want to fill out your form.

Step 1: Create an interactive PDF form.

The first step is to create an interactive PDF form. You can create an interactive PDF form in a few ways —

Create a new PDF form from scratch with an Adobe Acrobat app.
Convert other file formats to PDF online or in an Adobe Acrobat application.

In Adobe Acrobat Pro, use the “Prepare a form” tool to add form fields to your PDF document. Then adjust the properties of each field to add tooltips, change the appearance, add pre-defined options to select from, set required fields, and more. It’s quick and easy to resize form fields in a PDF to exact specifications, or simply drag and drop them into position around your PDF document.

Screenshot from Adobe Acrobat Pro showing the Prepare a form components and fields.

Step 2: Upload your PDF form to Adobe Acrobat Online.

In Adobe Acrobat Online, select the tool to “Create a web form”.
Add your PDF form. Then work through the options to name your form, add files, select actions such as fill forms, sign, and approve, add up to 36 participants, and add an access password.

Prepare your PDF web form. Use the options in the right-hand menu to add and edit signature fields, data fields and transaction fields in your web form. This step works like an online form builder where you can make further changes to a web form.

Create your web form. Click on “Create” to do the final steps before publishing your web form. From this screen, you can copy the URL to share your web form, copy the code to embed your web form in your website, and preview the web form you’ve created.

How to download data received in web forms with Adobe Acrobat Online.

To get the data you’ve received in web forms simply go to the PDF webform in your documents and open the file. From the menu on the right-hand side, select “Download Form Field Data” to get a CSV file

Screenshot from Adobe Acrobat Online showing the menu to extract data obtained in a web form.

Explore more Adobe Acrobat Online tools and features.

There are many tools and features can try out and use with Adobe Acrobat’s online web-based platform to work with PDF files. For example, A free Adobe Acrobat Online account gives you access to the ability to —