What is a Form Builder SDK?

A form builder or filler SDK is a software development toolkit that allows developers to integrate form creation, editing, and filling functionalities into their applications, supporting various formats like PDFs, DOCX, or custom forms.

An interactive form (sometimes referred to as an AcroForm) is a collection of fields (such as text boxes, checkboxes, radio buttons, drop-down lists, and pushbuttons) for gathering information interactively from the user. A PDF document may contain any number of Fields appearing on any combination of pages. All these fields make up a single, global interactive form spanning the entire document.

How is an Acroform different from XFA?

Historically there have been two main ways to create PDF forms to capture data: AcroForms and XFA forms. Both have their own advantages and disadvantages, however, XFA has been deprecated from the PDF specification, while AcroFormsremains supported - which can lead to problems for those sectors that still use XFA.XFA wraps XML-based forms inside a PDF. Since they allow data to be entered into PDF, XFA forms serve a similar role to standard PDF-based fillable forms (also known as “AcroForms”); however, they differ in one significant way. Rather than just having a static layout, XFA forms can dynamically reflow PDF content, where entering information into a form field can influence the appearance of related form fields.

What Does it Mean to Flatten a PDF?

Flattening a PDF is particularly useful when you want to preserve the visual appearance of a document with interactive elements (such as form fields, annotations, or layers) but remove their interactivity. This is often done to ensure that the document's appearance remains consistent across different PDF viewers or when printing, while preventing unintended changes to interactive elements. Flattening is commonly used for documents that need to be shared or printed in a static format, where the original interactive elements are no longer necessary.

Is the Apryse SDK compatible with mobile and web platforms?

Apryse offers cross-platform support, enabling developers to build applications for both web and mobile, allowing users to fill forms on any device.

Does Apryse Form Builder SDK support web accessibility?

The Apryse WebViewer UI adheres to accessibility standards like WCAG 2.1 AA, providing features like keyboard navigation and screen reader support, ensuring all users, including those with disabilities, can complete forms easily.

Can an SFDC Developer use Apryse SDK to create and fill forms in Salesforce?

Many Salesforce users would like an automated flow to populate fields in document templates with Salesforce data — whether to send auto-filled letters to customers or quickly sign their internal documents, like contracts. Apryse supports this in Salesforce and offers full sample code demonstrating how to add form fields, including signature fields to a PDF. Fields are first added as annotations and then converted to interactive form fields.

Form Builder SDK

Embed best-in-class form creation, filling, and editing in your web, mobile, desktop, and server applications.

Effortless Form Creation

Create, customize, and automate fillable PDF forms—complete with digital signature fields—directly within your applications. Build dynamic, interactive forms that streamline workflows, improve user experiences, and maintain robust data security.

Embed Digital Signature Support

Integrate secure digital form signing and streamline workflows with programmatic document signing. Apryse supports everything from simple e-signatures to advanced digital signatures, including those backed by certificate authorities, ensuring both flexibility and compliance for your signing needs.

Form Builder Use Cases

Onboarding

For building or extending employee and client onboarding applications, Form Builder automates form submission, accelerates the process, and ensures compliance with company policies and regulations.

Contracts

Create applications that speed up the sales process with fillable and signed forms while ensuring contracts are legally binding and tamper-proof.

Case Management

Forms and digital signatures are essential tools in building case management applications, enhancing efficiency, ensuring compliance, and providing workflow continuity for all parties involved.

Key Features of Form Builder

Customize Form Fields

Adjust field properties such as dimensions, field options, and more in real-time all within a flexible panel that could be customized using WebViewer’s modular UI. Edit fields individually or perform batch actions to fields such as alignment or renaming.

WYSIWIG Editing Experience

Form Builder offers a true what-you-see-is-what-you-get experience, ensuring a pixel-perfect experience for users. Real-time editing and previews make on-the-fly adjustments, saving the annoying time sink into resetting fields.

Embed Digital Signatures

Build forms that give users the ability to sign interactively or automate workflows through programmatic document signing. Apryse supports both e-signatures and digital signatures.

Accurate Display and Printing

Produce a consistent representation of forms and signatures across devices and when printed.

Form Flattening

Reduce document size and ensure formatting consistency by flattening the form. The fields are removed by converting text and images in the PDF to regular objects.