What's new

Stay updated on PlatoForms’ latest features and enhancements to improve your form-building experience. Explore new functions and make the most of platform improvements to create better forms.

Discover the latest features, updates, and announcements in PlatoForms through New & Noteworthy.

Conditional confirmation messages and redirect links

New Released on April 28, 2024

You can now personalize your form’s confirmation messages and redirect links based on what people enter. Go to the Submit Confirmation tab in your Form Settings, customize your messages and links, and save. This feature works with our Logics panel, allowing you to provide tailored messages or links based on user input.

Update dropdown list items dynamically with API

New Released on April 20, 2024

You can now easily update dropdown options across your forms via a new API - Update Dropdown List Options. Connect to your data sources to automatically sync the latest options, instead of manually managing them. With one API call, refresh choices in any dropdown field.

Expanded limit for uploading CSV files to Dropdowns

Enhancement Released on Apr 08, 2024

Dropdown fields now support uploading CSV files up to 5MB, simplifying the population of 10,000-20,000 cascading dropdown options.

Repeat field

New Released on April 02, 2024

Duplicate sections of your form effortlessly. Customize them with different fields and decide how many times they repeat.

Two-factor authentication

New Released on Mar 25, 2024

Use two-factor Authentication (2FA) to heighten your account security. Activate it in your Account Settings, follow the prompts to scan a code with your mobile device, and input the 6-digit number. Additionally, we provide 10 backup codes for emergencies, which you should securely store. If you’re ever without your phone, use these backup codes to access your account. Encourage your team to enable 2FA for added protection. For more details, check Two-factor authentication.

Enhanced Logics visualization

Enhancement Released on Mar 24, 2024

For each logic rule in the Logic panel, click the circle icon to color-code it. You can now easily differentiate between various logic paths within your forms. This feature helps organize logic structures effectively, streamlining your workflow and improving form designs.

Integrate with Make

New Released on Mar 08, 2024

Effortlessly link PlatoForms to tons of apps and APIs with Make Integration.

• No coding needed—just drag and drop.
• Connect for smooth multi-step processes.
• Easily move data from PlatoForms to automate cloud storage, support tickets, payments, CRMs, and beyond.

Picture Choice form field

New Released on Feb 01, 2024

Image Picture Choice showcases options with images, not text.

• Upload images in PNG, JPG, JPEG, WEBP, and GIF formats, individually or in batches.
• Easily organize with a simple drag-and-drop, witnessing instant changes.
• Customize image size and format as needed. Customers can effortlessly pick one or more options through the image preview on the form page.

“Required” and “Optional” Rules

Enhancement Released on Jan 22, 2024

Customize your forms with “Required” and “Optional” rules! Here’s the scoop:

• Precision in Form Completion: Ensure crucial details with the “Required” rule, eliminating missing data risks.

• Flexible User Experience: Enhance user-friendliness with the “Optional” rule, allowing users to skip sections without hindrance.

• Adaptable Forms: Create dynamic forms by setting fields as “Required” or “Optional” based on user inputs.

• Effortless Implementation: No coding needed! Navigate to settings, define conditions, and decide “Required” or “Optional.”

Upgrade your form-building with these enhanced rules. Craft smarter, adaptive forms with PlatoForms!

Insights for online PDF forms

Enhancement Released on Dec 10, 2023

View logical relationships between fields in the Logics Panel. Click on Insights to see intuitive annotations and dashed lines, simplifying navigation in complex structures.

Table field

New Released on Dec 09, 2023

Upgrade your forms with the Table field — perfect for adding and organizing information. Customize cells, adjust the table size, and enhance your forms effortlessly. For more details, check our user documentation here.

Static text with dynamic field answers

New Released on Nov 17, 2023

Upgrade your forms with Static Text or Description.

• These fields allow you to add static info and dynamic form-filler answers.
• Clear descriptions. Cut repetition. Connect info seamlessly. Reduce errors.

For more details, check here.

Human being verify

New Released on Nov 17, 2023

• Upgrade your forms with ReCaptcha, boosting security, trust, and user reliability.
• Add through the form builder for a seamless digital experience.

Automatic PDF compression

Enhancement Released on Nov 06, 2023

Consider compressing PDFs larger than 10MB during upload for a smoother experience, offering faster loading times and an improved user experience with the option of automatic compression for enhanced form performance.

Keep original form URL in cloning

Enhancement Released on Oct 13, 2023

Enable this feature when cloning, and the new form automatically adopts the original form’s URL. Respondents who previously accessed the form via the original URL will seamlessly transition to the new form. For more details, click here.

Unveil our new form builder

Enhancement Released on Sep 21, 2023

Get ready for a transformative update to our form builder. Enjoy an intuitive design, new field options, and enhanced functionality:

• Intuitive Design: Effortlessly navigate through form creation with clear toolbars and organized sections.

• More Field Options: Explore new features like sliders, ratings, and video integration for engaging forms.

• Visual Coordination: Easily match fields with their widgets using clear connections between left-side fields and right-side widgets.

• Field Search: Save time with our field search function for quick location.

To access the new form builder, click the toggle button in the bottom right corner of the existing interface. For more details, check the Explore the form builder section.

New ways to share your form

New Released on Aug 11, 2023

On top of the existing Public URL and Embed Script options, we’re introducing a new and exciting way to share: via QR Code!

Key Highlights:

• Swift QR Code Download: Get your QR Code instantly and share with ease.
• Effortless HTML Code Copy: A single click lets you copy the HTML code for seamless integration.

For more details, refer to the Publish and share section.

Enhanced form design properties

Enhancement Released on Aug 04, 2023

You can make more customizations in form design properties.

• Help Text Placement: Choose to display help text below the field or below the label, giving you more control over the form’s guidance.
• Label Layout Styles: Enjoy a variety of layout options for labels, allowing you to fine-tune the appearance of your form.

For more details, refer to the Form Design Properties section.

View version history and restore the previous version

New Released on Jul 15, 2023

You can now view version history of your form and effortlessly go back to previous versions whenever you need to.

How it works

• Your form is automatically saved at regular intervals, so you never have to worry about losing your work.
• To save a specific version manually, use the shortcut Control+S on Windows or ⌘Command+S on Mac.
• Every time you publish a form, a new version is automatically created.

For more details, refer to the Restore to history version section.

API Playground

New Released on July 2, 2023

API Playground integrates with each form, allowing you to test our API base on the form and its submission data. Access this feature by following this tutorial.
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To use this feature

• Ensure the form is published and has at least one submission.
• If you are the team owner, you can directly test our API using a non-expiry token automatically created for you.
• If you are a team member, request approval from the team owner. Once approved, you can use an OAuth2 token to access the APIs.

The API Playground includes PlatoForms’ major API endpoints, making it simple to test them with just a few clicks - no coding required!

You can even find code samples in various languages like Curl, Python, JavaScript, Java, or Golang. For more details about each API endpoint, refer to the PlatoForms API Documentation.

Online web forms with a more sleek and improved design

Enhancement Released on May 10, 2023

Online web form now comes with a user-friendly interface, offering ready-made design templates for quick selection and easy customization.

• With just a few clicks, you can switch between different themes to instantly transform the appearance of your form.
• Enjoy the flexibility to enable dark mode, customize fonts, add logos, and make other changes according to your preferences.

Add “Clear Value” action and “Add Else” function

New Released on May 8, 2023

You can now create more responsive forms using the Clear Value action and the Add Else function in your online form’s logic.

• Clear Value" action allows you to clear a field once a specific user action is completed. This ensures a clean slate for subsequent interactions.
• “Add Else” function enables you to include an “else” action within a single logic. For instance, if you have set a logic like “If field #1 is answered, fill ‘hello’ into field #2,” with the “else” function, you can now add control such as “If field #1 is NOT answered, then ‘Clear Value’ of field #2.”

You have greater flexibility and control in tailoring the form behavior based on user actions.

Filter logic by Field ID or Field Label

Enhancement Released on May 8, 2023

This feature helps managing multiple logics on your online PDF forms and web forms. Here’s what you need to know:

• Easily locate specific logics by typing the Field ID or Field Label in the search box.
• Access the Logic Filter by clicking the “Logics” link in the field properties dialogue.
• This convenient search functionality saves time and effort by quickly pinpointing desired logics.
• The Logic Filter enhances your form-building experience, streamlining the management of multiple logics.

Try out the Logic Filter and enjoy the convenience it brings to your form-building process.

Dropdown field

New Released on May 7, 2023

Introducing the searchable Dropdown form field! It revolutionizes the dropdown list experience, making it more intuitive and user-friendly.

Benefits

The Dropdown field offers a compact list of options, ideal for saving space while providing multiple choices.

• Quick and accurate selections.
• Eliminate endless scrolling with search and filter options.
• Real-time matching options appear as you type.

What you can do with Dropdown field?

Customize it with various options like making it required, enabling searchability, setting default selections, and placeholders to suit your specific form needs and enhance the user experience.

For more details, refer to Set Dropdown field properties.

Verify your email domain with SPF and DKIM

New Released on May 4, 2023

Now, you can authenticate your sending emails using SPF and DKIM DNS records. This ensures successful email delivery and effective receipt by your users.

Please note, you need your own domain for this feature. To learn how to verify your domain step-by-step, check out the FAQ page.

Image thumbnail

New Released on April 30, 2023

The image thumbnail functionality allows you to preview uploaded images before form submission. This prevents errors and saves valuable time.

To try it out

1. Add an Upload Image field to your form.
2. Preview the form and upload images.
3. The uploaded image will be displayed as a clickable thumbnail on your online PDF form.

You can now easily view and enlarge images for a detailed preview.

Email template for online PDF form notification or invitation

New Released on October 8, 2021

This feature simplifies email creation. Save time by typing an email once, creating a template, and reusing it later.

You can use the email template for:

• Form Invitation email
• Submissions notification email

Create templates in two ways:

1. Single form (for personal use)
2. Team form (accessible by team members)

Modifications in the form default settings are accessible to the team, while single form changes are for personal use.

Enjoy speed and efficiency with email templates, allowing you to focus on error-free emails. Read more details in the FAQ page.

e-signature certificate

New Released on August 9, 2021

Collect e-signatures from your clients using our updated signature pad feature. Now, along with the signature, you can generate a PlatoForms-issued signature certificate to ensure the signature’s authenticity. The certificate includes the sign timestamp, signer’s IP address, and email address.

To access the signature certificate, simply view and download it from PlatoForms’ submission page.

Please consult with your lawyer to ensure e-signatures are legally valid in your country.

For detailed instructions, refer to the Use signature certificate section.

Stripe Integration

New Released on June 15, 2021

• Accept payments on your forms with Stripe, no extra fees.
• Test Mode for safe payment testing with a test credit card.
• Easily switch to Live Mode for real transactions.
• Collect card payments, donations, and recurring payments—all for free!

Start accepting payments effortlessly on your forms with PlatoForms and Stripe!

For more details, refer to the Integrate with Stripe section.

Pre-filled invitation forms

New Released on May 1, 2021

• Easily send pre-filled forms for quicker filling.
• Perfect for customer orders, applications, enrollments, and more.
• Boost completion rates and save time for customers.
  = Simplify the form-filling process and improve user experience.

Try out Pre-filled Invitation Forms and streamline your transactions.

For more details, refer to the Pre-filled form section.

Email invitation feature: simplify form management

New Released on April 15, 2021

Our new email invitation feature streamlines form management, allowing you to build, send, and track forms in real time.

Key features:

• View invitation status, submissions, and form opens.
• Set variables like expiration date, password protection, and submission restrictions.
• Track email delivery and open status.
• Customize email subject and message for a personal touch.
• Send immediately or schedule for the future (within 30 days).
• Easily copy invitations for multiple groups, input up to five emails, or upload contacts as a group.

Enjoy the efficiency and control of our customizable email invitations for your form recipients.

For more details, refer to the Use form invitation.

Data retention policy

New Released on February 15, 2021

Your users may submit sensitive information in your forms, like names and addresses. While PlatoForms ensures data security (see data security policy), you might prefer not to store data for too long. That’s where our data retention policy comes in.

You have control over the retention period:

• Choose different durations, from 0-day to forever.
• Default retention period is 3 months, but you can change it.
• Advanced features like form editing, revision history, and PDF downloads available during retention.

Special data retention policy: 0-day:

To use this:

• Set up a Cloud Drive Integration.
• Data uploaded to the cloud drive gets deleted immediately.
• PlatoForms primarily acts as a PDF generator for increased data protection.
• Note: With 0-day retention, data management features and workflows won’t be available.

Ensure data stays as long as needed, and protect sensitive information with our flexible data retention policy.

For more details, refer to the Data retention policy section.

Instant submission notification via Slack integration

New Released on December 15, 2020

• Get instant notifications for form submissions via Slack.
• Customize the information you want to see.
• Access completed PDFs, uploaded files, and more.

Stay updated and organized with seamless Slack integration.

For detailed instructions, refer to the Integrate with Slack section.

Summary report

New Released on November 28, 2020

• Overview of the number of submissions for all forms.
• Use filters for a specific time range or keyword search.
• Export the report to CSV for easy sharing and custom reports.

Appcues integration

New Released on October 31, 2020

• AppCues empowers exceptional user experiences for happier customers and accelerated business growth.
• Create beautiful in-app guides effortlessly.
• Walkthrough guides available for complex forms, improving form completion rates.
• More 3rd-party integrations planned for the future.

Cascading dropdown list

New Released on September 28, 2020

With PlatoForms fillable PDF form builder, you can create cascading dropdown lists. These are dropdown lists where the options depend on the previous selection. For example, selecting a country will determine the options available in the next dropdown for states.

Here’s how to do it:

• Open the dropdown list properties and choose “Upload (Cascade) Dropdown List.”
• In the pop-up dialog box, select “Multiple level Cascading Dropdown” and use the CSV file format. You can download a sample file to learn the format.
• Upload the CSV file to create up to 5 levels of dropdown lists in your PDF form. Drag and drop the lists to place them where you want.

Enjoy the convenience of cascading dropdown lists to enhance user experience and streamline form filling.

Preview PDF before submitting

New Released on September 20, 2020

• Preview PDF before submitting.
• Make real-time edits to avoid resubmissions.
• Activate in Form Settings for a seamless submission process.

Customize your fillable PDF forms

New Released on July 31, 2020

After building your fillable PDF form, you can rebrand it to represent your organization before sharing it. Here are the options available to you:

• Custom domain: Customize the form’s URL to match your organization’s domain for a more personalized link.
• Sender email address: Set a custom email address for form notifications, ensuring your users’ replies are received and not ignored.
• Logo and theme: Personalize the form’s appearance by changing fonts, colors, and background. Upload your organization’s logo to the top of the form for seamless integration with your brand.
• API and webhook: Utilize advanced customization with API and Webhook integration, enabling you to implement nearly all features in PlatoForms according to your preferences.

With these powerful features, you can create a fully customized form that aligns with your organization’s branding, providing a professional outlook and ensuring effective communication with your customers.

Save for later

New Released on May 30, 2020

• Convenience: Enable the option in form settings to add a “Save for Later” button in the form submission bar.
• Progress saved: Users can save their form progress and receive a unique URL link.
• Seamless return: When users return using the link, all their data will be exactly as they left it.
• Perfect for complex forms: Ideal for large forms and creating simple workflows.
• Collaboration made easy: Simplify the process of sharing form input with team members.

This feature is available to all trial and paid users.

HIPAA-compliant PDF forms

New Released on February 15, 2020

This feature allows you to collect personal data without danger of non-compliance.

To learn more about the details, refer to the Ensure HIPAA compliance section.

Type or upload signature

New Released on December 1, 2019

In addition to drawing, the signature pad can also upload images or type to sign on a PDF.

Personalized email content

New Released on December 1, 2019

• Dynamic content: Customize emails with form field values using variables, such as adding the user’s name to create personalized messages.
• Professional sender sddress: Set your email address as the sender for a more recognizable and professional touch.
• Endless possibilities: Tailor your communication for a seamless user experience.
• Submission data in CSV: In addition to the PDF, emails can include submission data in CSV format.

For more details, refer to the Configure form notification section.

Custom file name

Enhancement Released on December 1, 2019

Now, you have the power to set your own file names for created fillable PDFs. Utilize variables to make it even more personalized. For instance, you can create file names like “joe-registration-form.pdf”, where “joe” is the customer’s name who filled out the form.

With this update, your fillable PDFs will carry unique and meaningful names, making it easier to identify and organize your files.

Download PDF or edit submission

New Released on December 1, 2019

We’ve introduced two new options in the form settings that give users more control over their form submissions. Now, when you fill out and submit the form, you can choose to either:

• Download the created fillable PDF directly.
• Re-edit the submission if they need to make any changes.

For more details, refer to the Manage form settings section.

Text field

Enhancement Released on December 1, 2019

• Smarter text handling: Easily manage text in your forms! Choose automatic font size adjustment, text wrapping, or truncation to keep your forms clean and organized.
• Incremental codes: Say goodbye to manual code creation! Our new “incremental code” feature generates codes like “INVOICE001,” “INVOICE002,” “INVOICE003,” and more, saving you time and effort.

Experience these powerful additions for more efficient and organized form-building.

For more details, refer to the Text field inital value section.

Online PDF form

Enhancement Released on December 1, 2019

A brand new PDF online form that looks neat and easy to fill out.

User guide

Enhancement Released on December 1, 2019

Welcome to our new user guide site.

Multiple-languages forms

New Released on June 26, 2019

Creating forms in multiple languages is now a breeze! Easily cater to users in their native language and enhance their experience.

Here’s how it works:

• Create forms in as many languages as you need.
• Set one language as the primary, which serves as the default when users open the form.
• Each language has its unique URL for easy access.
• Users can effortlessly switch between languages using the language switch drop-down list on the form page.

Translating content is a piece of cake:

• Edit the translated text directly in your browser.
• Use an Excel file to import/export translations, making it even simpler.

This feature is available for all our plans, including the free version for you to create multilingual forms to engage users worldwide.

For more details, refer to the Enable multi-languages section.

Reuse the submission content

New Released on May 20, 2019

Now, you can easily add signatures or other field types to multiple pages on your form without the need for a Master Form.

To get started, open the Field Properties dialogue box and click on the Reuse Content on PDF link. This will add a copy of the field to the PDF, and you can simply drag it to the desired location on any page.

This means your customers only need to sign or fill in the field once, and it will automatically appear on all relevant pages. You can reuse any type of field, not just signatures, such as text boxes or checkboxes.

Please note that the implementation for PDF online forms is slightly different. You’ll need to add logic to copy the value of the field to another field. For more details, refer to the Reuse field with form logic section.

Set initial value for text fields

New Released on May 12, 2019

In addition to setting default values for checkboxes and drop-down lists, you can also set initial values for text fields, gaining even more control over your form fields!

With this update, you can do more than just assigning fixed values. You can set the initial value to be the current date or time, or even extract it from the URL. For example, if you add parameters to the form URL like ?foo=bar, you can set the text field to get the value of foo from the URL, so when the form is first displayed, the text box will automatically show the value “bar”.

Conditional logic for smarter forms

New Released on April 16, 2019

Now, your PDF forms can be even more intelligent and efficient with our new conditional logic feature!

With conditional logic, you can create customized forms that adapt to your users’ responses. It’s simple to implement – just click the Logic button on the navigation bar and you can create as many logical operations as needed.

The possibilities are endless:

• Show, hide, enable, or disable specific questions based on user responses.
• Automatically set values for certain questions or copy values from other questions.
• Perform calculations and fill in fields accordingly.
• Guide users to different form pages based on their answers.

You have complete control over the conditions that trigger each logic operation. For example, if question A is answered and question B has a value of “Foo,” a specific logic will be activated. And in each logic, you can have multiple actions, such as hiding a question, pre-filling another, and more.

Flexible e-mail notifications

Enhancement Released on February 6, 2019

Now, you can add up to 10 different email addresses as notification recipients. This way, all team members can be informed when a form is submitted.

Moreover, you have the flexibility to choose specific fields in your form that contain valid email inputs. By doing so, the notifications can be sent directly to the addresses provided by your customers. For example, you can add an email field in the form and ask customers to provide their email address. Each email will then include the completed PDF as an attachment, eliminating the need for recipients to log in to PlatoForms manually to download the PDF.

This allows you to streamline your communication process and provide a seamless experience for your customers.

Keyboard shortcuts

Enhancement Released on December 20, 2018

Creating forms and fillable PDFs using our drag-and-drop editor is now easier than ever, thanks to our handy keyboard shortcuts. These shortcuts will help you work quicker and smarter:

• Copy: CTRL-C (Windows) / CMD-C (MacOS)
• Paste: CTRL-V (Windows) / CMD-V (MacOS)
• Undo: CTRL-Z (Windows) / CMD-Z (MacOS)
• Redo: CTRL-Y (Windows) / CMD-SHIFT-Z (MacOS)
• Select all widgets: CTRL-A (Windows) / CMD-A (MacOS)
• Delete: Press the “Delete” key
• Move widgets: Use arrow keys for precise pixel-by-pixel adjustments
• Select/Deselect widgets: Press SHIFT and mouse-click
• Snap-ignore: Press SHIFT and drag the mouse to avoid automatic snapping between widgets
• Select all options: Double-click on any desired widget in a choice or drop-down list

Zapier Integration

New Released on November 12, 2018

PlatoForms is now integrated with Zapier, making it easier than ever to connect your favorite applications. With just a few clicks, you can automate data flow between them. When a form submission is successful, PlatoForms generates a corresponding PDF and triggers a Zapier flow, or “zap,” opening up countless possibilities.

Here are some ideas for automating your work:

• Send Slack messages to your team
• Import data into Google Sheets
• Upload PDF files to Amazon S3

Creating zaps is simple and free! To uploade submission data to Google Sheets or PDF files to Amazon S3, refer to Integrate with Zapier

Additionally, we’ve updated our API to version 4, now fully compatible with Swagger.

Dashboard update

New Released on August 12, 2018

New Dashboard Update:

• Three new Tabs: PDF Forms, Master Forms, and PDF Files for better organization.
• Create folders: Easily organize your forms by creating folders for each category.
• Automatic saving: Forms and files will be saved in their respective folders upon creation.
• Move between folders: Use the context menu to move forms and files between folders.
• Sorting options: Sort covers by Name, Created Date, or Modified Date for improved efficiency.

Update your PDF attributes with more ease

New Released on July 15, 2018

• Easily change font size, style, or color for all PDF widgets at once.
• Access the Style button on the top navigation bar in the PDF form builder or PDF file builder.
• Make quick font attribute changes within one panel.
• Advanced option to choose whether changes should apply to existing widgets or not.

Cloud Drive integration

New Released on July 1, 2018

When your form gets a submission, PlatoForms sends you an email with the PDF attachment. But now, you can sync our system with your preferred cloud drive. This means the PDFs will be automatically uploaded to your chosen cloud folder when you receive a form submission. We support Dropbox, Box, OneDrive, and Google Drive. For more details, check the user documentation.

API Version 3

New released on June 2, 2018

Key benefits

• Form submission: Submit forms through the API for seamless integration with your systems.
• Field Definitions: Retrieve form field definitions programmatically for easy data handling.
• Advanced authentication: Supports Non-Expiry Token, Session Authentication, and OAuth2 (in version 2).

Why it’s Better: Enhance your workflow by integrating PlatoForms with your in-house system. Easily generate PDFs based on field mapping, saving time and resources compared to building a system from scratch.

For more details about our latest API version, refer to the API documentation.

Form builder enhancement

New Released on June 2, 2018

Our form builder has been upgraded to cater to your professional needs more effectively.

• Copy and paste: Now you can easily copy and paste form widgets across pages within the same PDF (Windows: CTRL-C, CTRL-V; MacOS: CMD-C, CMD-V).
• Undo and redo: Enjoy the flexibility to undo and redo widget additions, deletions, resizing, or movements on individual pages (Windows: CTRL-Z, CTRL-Y; MacOS: CMD-Z, CMD-SHIFT-Z).
• Alignment guidance: A new feature that provides alignment lines to help you quickly align widgets with other elements on the form.
• Snap between widgets: Widgets automatically snap to the nearest position when dragged close to another widget. Hold the SHIFT key to disable this feature.
• Pixel-by-pixel movement: You can now use the keyboard arrow keys to move widgets by small increments.

These enhancements are available across all our form builders, including Web form, PDF form, Master Form, and PDF maker.

Master Form

New Released on April 5, 2018

Features:

• Create a Master Form with our easy drag-and-drop builder.
• Upload linked PDFs to fill with the same information.
• Share the Master Form with clients via URL or embedded script.
• Clients fill out the Master Form, and data auto-generates linked PDFs.

Benefits:

• Save time by avoiding repetitive data entry in multiple PDFs.
• Download linked PDFs easily from the Submission page.
• Correct all linked PDFs at once by resubmitting the Master Form.
• Keep track of modifications with built-in revision history for auditing.

For more information, refer to the Manage Master Form section.

PlatoForms workflows

New Released on February 12, 2018

Features:

• Create multi-step workflows with multiple forms.
• Users fill out one step at a time, progressing with email notifications.
• Data overlaps between steps for comprehensive information capture.
• Flexible settings for customization and mixing web and PDF forms.
• Final step provides an easy review of all information in a PDF form.

Benefits:

• Streamlined process for stakeholders.
• Mix web and PDF forms for simplicity and review.
• Easy tracking and notifications for workflow progress.
• Simplify complex forms and enhance collaboration.

For more details, refer to the Worflow introduction.

Letter spacing

New Released on January 30, 2018

Now you can create neat and tidy PDFs with text fields designed for letter-by-letter input.

• Type all characters at once.
• Adjust spacing for tidy, professional PDFs.
• Perfect for driver license numbers, passport numbers, etc.

Share forms with your custom domain

New Released on January 23, 2018

• Use your domain name URL, not PlatoForms’ default URL.
• Premium plan required.
• Update CNAME in DNS registrar.
• PlatoForms installs free SSL certificate for HTTPS security.

For more details, refer to the Use custom domain section.

New PDF form builder

New Released on December 12, 2017

We’ve made form creation easier than ever with our new PDF Form Builder. No more manual work - simply drag and drop input elements onto your PDF to make it fillable. Even if your PDF already has a form, our system automates the process. Once built, you can publish the form as a web page, embed it, or share its URL for easy client access.

Comparison of Form Creation Methods:

1. Online Web Form:

• Converts PDF into an easy-to-fill web form.
• Compatible with all web browsers, mobile-friendly, and fast loading.
• Requires effort to cover web form and PDF mapping.

2. Online PDF Form:

• Easy to build, retains all PDF details.
• Suitable for complex PDF forms.
• Compatible with modern web browsers (Chrome, Firefox, etc.).

New Feature: Build PDFs from Scratch!

Now you can create PDFs from scratch with our support for various elements - text input, checkboxes, signatures, and more. Once designed, convert your PDF to our online web form or online PDF form with just one click. Your customers can easily complete it online!

For more details, refer to the Create a PDF form section.

PDF maker

New Released on September 1, 2017

• Create fillable PDFs from scratch with our drag-and-drop tool.
• Add input boxes, choices, dropdowns, and signatures with custom properties.
• Convert your PDF into a fillable online form with a single click.
• Map PDF fields to online form fields easily with auto-completed context text.
• Bind labels, help text, and placeholders for input fields effortlessly.
• Enjoy unlimited PDF creations with this FREE feature!

Tips for improve form usability

New Released on August 15, 2017

By following these tips, you can create user-friendly forms that improve completion rates and data accuracy. Happy form-building!

• Choose sub-types: Use different sub-types (number, email, date, etc.) for single line text fields to ensure users input the correct data format.
• Single vs. multiple choice: Use Single Choice for exclusive options and Multiple Choice for multiple selections.
• Use dropdown: For limited options like Gender, City, or Language, use dropdowns to maintain consistency and accurate data.
• Required or Optional: Decide if each field is required or optional for form completion.
• Add validations: Apply validations like maximum or minimum length to control user input and meet your requirements.

For more details, refer to the Access field properties section.

Submission export

New Released on August 10, 2017

• Receive submitted forms as PDFs through email instantly.
• Export submissions effortlessly as CSV files, including detailed raw data and PDF URLs.
• Simplify data import processes without the need to rely on the API.

For more information, please see the Export form submissions section.

Transform your forms with customizable designs

New Released on July 31, 2017

PlatoForms presents a range of pre-designed themes and customizable form design features that empower you to craft captivating and visually striking forms.

Key benefits

• User-friendly: Tailor your form’s appearance without needing coding skills.
• Instant preview: Witness immediate changes in colors, fonts, and layout in the live preview.
• Secure changes: Your published forms remain unaffected until you choose to republish them.
• Advanced personalization: For those familiar with CSS, utilize the CSS tab for more intricate styling.
• Perfect look and feel: Achieve a harmonious form design that seamlessly aligns with your brand or theme.

For more details, refer to the Design your form section.

Enhance respondent selections with Choice fields

New Released on July 28, 2017

Incorporating selection options into your PDF forms is made easy with the Choice field.

Key features

• Configurable selections: This versatile feature caters to both single and multiple selections, providing a seamless user experience.
• Customizable properties: Enjoy the flexibility of defining default choices, limiting the number of selections for multiple-choice scenarios, and selecting preferred checkmark styles.

For more information, refer to the Set choice properties section.

Clone a form

New Released on July 23, 2017

This powerful feature empowers you to make changes to your forms with unprecedented ease and efficiency.

Key benefits:

• Effortlessly make changes: No more starting over from scratch. Use form cloning to easily update your forms by reusing existing widgets and patching revised parts.
• Reuse and repurpose: Seamlessly integrate previous form elements into your new version. Keep things consistent and minimizes repetitive work.
• Add elements easily: Our drag-and-drop feature lets you smoothly add new elements to your form.
• Quick publishing: Once you’ve made your changes, rapidly update and publish the new PDF form version.

For detailed insights and instructions on leveraging the feature, refer to the Clone forms section.

Preview your form with sample data

New Released on July 16, 2017

Enhance your form preview with the sample data feature. Input sample data into specific fields to instantly auto-fill them during preview, providing a quick and complete view of the final result.

Key features:

• Input sample data for fields to improve the accuracy of your form preview.
• Witness automatic population of fields with sample data during the preview process.
• Gain valuable insights into how your generated PDFs will look after form submissions.
• This feature is compatible with SingleText, MultiText, Choice, Dropdown, and Signature fields.

To learn more about utilizing the feature, explore the Preview sample data section.

API Version 1 Release

New Released on June 1, 2017

• API access and retrieval:

  • Utilize our API to programmatically fetch forms and submission information.
  • Create an OAuth2 application in your dashboard to access the API.
  • Secure a Client ID and Client Secret for OAuth2 authorization.

• Real-Time notifications:

  • Set up a Webhook via the API Access page by specifying a name and URL.
  • Receive instant notifications whenever new submissions are made.

• Availability and limits:

  • Both API and Webhook functionalities are accessible across all plans, each with defined usage limits.
  • Enjoy complimentary access to these features during your trial period.

For in-depth technical insights and practical examples, refer to the API Documentation.