PDF Snapshot Action

The PDF Snapshot form action creates a PDF of each submission, laid out like the completed form. The PDF is stored with the submission and can be attached to a GlobalCapture process by the GlobalCapture Workflow action.

How it works

When a form is submitted, GlobalForms opens the completed submission in a built-in browser, signed in as a GlobalForms account you choose, and saves it as a PDF. That account must be able to view the form's submissions.

Before you begin

• Create or choose a GlobalForms user account for generating PDFs. Give it read access to submissions on the forms that use this action, and nothing more.

• Decide where to keep that account's credentials. Storing them on the server (recommended) keeps the password out of form definitions and form exports.

Step 1 (recommended): Store the PDF credentials on the server

1. Add the account to config\local.json:

   JSON

   {
     "settings": {
       "pdfGen": {
         "credentials": {
           "username": "<PDF account user name>",
           "password": "<Password>"
         }
       }
     }
   }
   

2. Restart the GlobalForms service.

Step 2: Add the action to a form

1. Open the form in the form builder and select the Actions tab.

2. Add the PDF Snapshot action.

3. Complete the settings below.

4. Select Preview PDF to check the layout (see below), then save the action.

Preview the PDF

Select Preview PDF in the action settings to open a sample PDF in a new tab, using the form's most recent submission and your current Scale and Page Size. Adjust the settings and preview again until the layout looks right.

• The form needs at least one submission before you can preview.

• Previews do not change any submission's saved PDF. Preview files are removed automatically when the service restarts.

Move existing actions to server-stored credentials

Older PDF Snapshot actions store a user name and password in the form. To remove them:

1. Add the credentials to local.json as in Step 1, and restart the service.

2. Open each form's PDF Snapshot action.

3. Turn on Use server stored credentials, clear Authorize User and Authorize Password, and save.

Control page layout

To control where pages break, or hide parts of a form in the PDF, use custom CSS. See Controlling Page Breaks in Snapshots and Don't Print / Only Print.

Troubleshooting

Related pages

• GlobalCapture Workflow Action

• Controlling Page Breaks in Snapshots

• User Permissions