For each form individually you decide how users fill it out. You’ll find the setting in the template editor, right below the basics, in the Fill mode section. There are two variants.
Guided form
Default. Your app builds its own mobile-optimized form from the detected fields - with large input fields, clean labels, group headings and required-field validation. The user works through a clear list; the original PDF is filled on the server at the end.
Fill the PDF directly
The user fills out the rendered original PDF interactively - just like in a browser, with zoom. On submit, exactly this filled PDF is sent. Ideal when the original’s layout must be preserved exactly.
| Situation | Recommended mode |
|---|---|
| Mobile, quick capture - many short fields | Guided form |
| You want to rename, sort or group fields | Guided form |
| Multilingual labels for the fields | Guided form |
| The original layout must stay visible 1:1 (e.g. an official template) | Fill the PDF directly |
| Users should see the document exactly as it arrives | Fill the PDF directly |
If you choose “Fill the PDF directly”, the editor hides the Fields and Grouping areas - the user works directly in the original document, so those settings are irrelevant. Labels, order and groups (Forms) apply exclusively to the guided form.
Regardless of the mode: the original PDF is filled in and sent as a file attachment by email to the configured recipients (and optionally to the user). Double opt-in, archiving and retention behave identically in both modes.
