How to Use PlatoForms Text Field Initial Value

Question: Can I put an initial value on my online PDF forms text field?

Answer: Yes, you can add at least 6 types of initial value to your online PDF’s text fields. You can add Fixed Value, URL Value, Today’s Date, Current Time, Current Date/ Time, and Incremental Code.

What Is a Text Field Initial Value in Your PlatoForms PDF Form?

Text Field Initial Value is a default text field value that you want to add to your online PDF form automatically. Let’s suppose that you want to add today’s date on the online PDF form without the user filling it up; you can add that as an initial value to your online PDF Form’s text field.

You can choose whether to show or hide the said field values to other PDF users.

Text Field Initial Values that You can Add in Your PlatoForms Online PDF Form

You can add the following initial value to your PlatoForms online PDF form :

Fixed Value

Let’s suppose you want to add a text value that is not editable or changeable, such as specific labels for types of customers in your forms. In that case, you can use the Fixed Value as an Initial Value. You can choose and type the fixed value you want to add to your online PDF form.

URL Value

This initial value is useful for you if you want to automatically populate the text field’s answers from your online PDF forms URL. For example, if your online PDF form link is: https://form.platoforms.com/fr3uffwovsa/ and you added URL parameters such as name1=fox & name2=dog, the PDF link will look like this: https://form.platoforms.com/fr3uffwovsa/?name1=fox&name2=dog

You can take the URL parameters and the values that you added (which is name1=fox&name2=dog ) and set them as your fillable PDF form’s initial text field.

Today’s Date

This option is when you want to automatically add the date when the user fills up the form.

Current Time

Current Time initial value allows you to instantly add the time when the user access and filled up the form.

Current Date Time
You can use this option if you want to automatically add both time and date when the user filled up the form.

Incremental Code

Incremental Code refers to a set of unique numbers that you want to set on each submitted online PDF form. Using initial values on your PDF form’s text fields enables you to generate an incremental code for every submitted version of your online PDF.

You can only use numbers for the code but you are allowed to add a prefix where you can add words and labels. For example, if your PDF form’s code is 000001, you can add words to it and make it FORM000001.

Actual view on the online PDF form:

Tracking Code

A tracking code is a set of unique numbers generated after a form is submitted to help you track the information. You can view and monitor your PDF form’s tracking code on the submissions page.

If you want to include the online PDF form tracking code inside the form, you can also set it in the initial value. You also have to note that if you set the tracking code as an initial value, it will appear invisible when the user fills the form.

IP Address

You can also automatically collect the IP address of those who filled up your forms by enabling the IP address in the initial value of your PDF forms text field. You can view the IP address on the submitted forms and on the submissions page list.

Note: Before setting the IP address as an initial value, make sure you enabled “Collect IP address and browser’s and browser’s user User-Agent from submitter.

How to Add Text Field Initial Values in Your PlatoForms PDF Form

If you wish to add initial values on your PDF forms text fields, follow the steps below:

• Log in to your PlatoForms dashboard.
  
• If you are going to create a new PDF form online with initial values, click Start to build. If you already have an existing online PDF and you want to add an initial value, just click the edit button.

• After that, you will land on the PDF form editor tool.

• Once you land on the editor, click on the Add button and select Text Input.

• After that, a new section for Text Input will appear on the left side of your screen. Find it and edit the details by clicking the pencil icon located at the bottom of the section.

• To add initial value, go to the Initial Value section and choose the type of initial value that you want to add in your form.

• Once you finished setting up everything for your initial value and if you are already happy with your form, click on Publish.

We hope you find this tutorial helpful! If you have other questions, just email us here.