Prefill routine borrower fields in the standard small-business loan form used by [branch=branch 14] so staff send cons…
Open Adobe Acrobat and select the Prepare Form tool from the Tools menu.
Best practiceYou can quickly access the Prepare Form tool by searching for it in the Tools search bar.
Choose an existing PDF or scan a document to use as your form background, then select Start to begin editing.
Add form fields such as text fields, checkboxes, radio buttons, or drop-down lists by selecting the appropriate field type and placing it on the form.
Double-click a form field to open its Properties dialog.
To set up calculations, go to the Calculate tab in the Properties dialog, choose a calculation type (e.g., Value is the sum), and select the fields to include in the calculation.
NoteFor custom calculations, select Custom calculation script and enter JavaScript code.
To add field validations, switch to the Validate tab in the Properties dialog, select a format category (such as Number or Date), and set validation rules or custom validation scripts as needed.
Best practiceUse the Validate tab to set range limits or add custom JavaScript for complex validation.
To assign actions, go to the Actions tab in the Properties dialog, select a trigger (such as On Focus or On Blur), choose an action type (like Run a JavaScript), and configure the desired action.
Best practiceCommon actions include showing/hiding fields or displaying messages based on user input.
Repeat steps 4–7 for each field that requires calculations, validations, or actions.
Save the form to preserve your changes.
Best practiceTest your form thoroughly by entering sample data to ensure all calculations, validations, and actions work as intended.
Best practiceBLOGS: If you encounter issues with fields not updating, try closing and reopening the form or using the Clear Form option to reset field states.
You can preview your form in Acrobat by selecting the 'Preview' button to test calculations and validations before distributing.
This runs in the Acrobat app - there is no separate API for this task.
A Tooltip is a short description that appears when someone hovers their mouse over a form field. It is very important for accessibility because screen readers use Tooltips to tell users what each field is for, helping them fill out the form correctly.
No, it's not recommended to use Word's own form tools. While you should start with a well-structured Word document, you must create the actual fillable form fields in Acrobat using the 'Prepare a form' tool. Word's form tools do not export to accessible PDF fields, which can cause problems for users.
The tab order tells the form which field to go to next when a user presses the 'Tab' key on their keyboard. A correct tab order makes the form much easier to navigate and fill out, especially for people who use keyboards instead of a mouse or rely on screen readers.
| Feature | Text Box | List Box |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Allows users to type in any text or numbers. | Presents a list of choices for the user to pick from. |
| User Action | Types directly into the field. | Selects one or more items from a predefined list. |
| Example Use | Name, address, date. | Country selection, product options, academic courses. |