Forms FAQ for Designers

Yes. Accessibility is essential so that all users can access, use, and understand the form.  

Click here to listen to JAWS read an accessible form.

All forms can be printed, used with Adobe Acrobat, or used with Adobe Sign. It is not possible to mix and match these methods because the form will not function properly.

Self-serve or “user-initiated” forms are hosted on a website for users to access and complete in Acrobat.

The same form must be emailed to users throughout the entire process. All users should collaborate on the same form.

Users sign Acrobat forms using Digital Signatures.  (“Send for Signatures” does not work and shouldn’t be used.)

This article from California State University Northridge explains in detail how to download, save, and complete PDF forms.

All forms can be printed, used with Adobe Acrobat, or used with Adobe Sign. It is not possible to mix and match these methods.

Not all forms work with Adobe Sign because of its limitations.

Preparer-initiated forms are hosted within Adobe Sign, and a preparer/sender in a department sets up the form for routing and sends it to users.

Users complete the form within Adobe Sign. These forms are stored inside of Adobe Sign.

Web browsers are not the right tools for forms.

Per Adobe, web browsers often do not display the form correctly, and while you can type into the form, you cannot actually do anything with the form until you download it.

The correct procedure for using forms is to download the form to your computer, open it in Adobe Acrobat, fill out the form, save it, and return it to the requester via email (or according to the instructions provided in the form.)

This article from California State University Northridge explains in detail how to download, save, and complete PDF forms.

PDF forms function properly as PDFs only.

They should never be converted to Excel, PowerPoint, Word, or some other file type as this ensures they will not work properly and breaks their accessibility.

Printing errors typically result from issues with the post-script print drivers, not with the form’s design. IT support can install the correct drivers to ensure the form prints properly.

Users should not add additional fields to forms as they may not work properly and are unlikely to be accessible.

Users should create and use a Digital Signature to sign Acrobat forms.

Users should follow the prompts to sign forms in Adobe Sign for Adobe Sign forms.

Adobe has not made Digital Signatures fully accessible. To the best of our knowledge, it still requires the use of a mouse to set up a Digital Signature, which may create barriers for some users.

Please see this article from Freedom Scientific for instructions on how to sign PDFs using a keyboard.

No. Not all field types work in both Acrobat and Adobe Sign, meaning some forms are not cross-compatible and must be used as intended.

Javascript is only supported in Acrobat.

Scrollbars on multiline entry fields are only supported in Acrobat.

Conditional fields are only supported in Adobe Sign.

Fields that automatically populate the signer’s information (email, date, et cetera) are only supported in Adobe Sign.

These fields work in both platforms:

• Text Field / Text Input
• Check Box
• Radio Button
• Drop Down
• Image
• Date Field
• Signature
• Initials

This comparison chart displays all fields and which platforms support them.

InDesign cannot support the following functions and field types for forms. These functions and field types have to be added in Acrobat must be remediated to be accessible.

• Default values (displays text inside a Text Input Field; for example, a field asking the user to provide their Department already shows “Accounting Services” in the field)
• Calculations (sum, product, average, maximum, or minimum – these are built-in to Acrobat)
• Javascript (custom code for complex calculations other than the simple Calculations Acrobat can do)
• Formats
  • Number (formats text a user types into a Text Input Field as a number)
  • Time (formats text a user types into a Text Input Field as a time)
  • Percentage (formats text a user types into a Text Input Field as a percentage)
  • Date (formats text a user types into a Text Input Field into a Calendar where users have to choose a date from the calendar instead of typing it in)
  • Special (formats text a user types into a Text Input Field as zip code, phone number, social security number, et cetera)
  • Custom (uses Javascript to format text a user types into a Text Input Field in some specific way)
• Validate (uses Javascript to “vet” whatever a user types into a Text Input Field in some way)
• Actions (a specific action that executes when a user interacts with a field; these are generally discouraged as many of them are not accessible and triggering an action without warning can create barriers for users; some are already possible within InDesign such as using a Text Anchor to go to a specific page or open a hyperlink)
• “OK” Button (similar to the “Actions” option on a field and similarly discouraged because triggering an action without warning can create barriers for users; also this button is not going to be printable and many users prefer to print forms and complete them with pen and paper)
• Barcode field (requires a separate license from Adobe)
• “Add an Image” field (allows users to “stick” an image onto the form – unusual and not recommended)

It is recommended to only use functions and field types that:

1. Don’t require remediation. Graphic designers are typically not PDF remediation experts and may or may not have a PDF remediator they can work with.
2. Don’t create accessibility barriers. Some of the field types described above can trigger unanticipated actions which create barriers for accessibility. If you need to use them, it is important to explain somewhere on the form what will happen when a user interacts with a field.
3. Can be printed. Many users prefer to print forms and fill them out by hand, so it is important to ensure the form is still functional on paper. Interactive elements that make no sense on paper (such as a drop-down field with a list of choices) are discouraged for this reason. A drop-down field will print as a line, so it will look like an open-ended question where they are prompted to write whatever they want instead of a list of choices.
4. Work in Acrobat. Sometimes designers are asked to use conditional logic triggers where one option greys out or a certain field activates when something else is selected. Conditional logic is not supported in Acrobat, only Adobe Sign. If you need conditional logic, you may want to state somewhere on the form that the form will not work properly in Acrobat, only Adobe Sign – or use a web-based tool such as MS Forms or QuestionPro, instead of PDF.
5. Work in Adobe Sign. You never know how users may prefer to use the form. If your form has Javascript or uses a List Box, for example, you may want to state somewhere on the form that the form will not work with Adobe Sign.

It is recommended to only use functions and field types that:

1. Don’t require remediation. Graphic designers are typically not PDF remediation experts and may or may not have a PDF remediator they can work with.
2. Don’t create accessibility barriers. Some of the field types described in the preceding FAQ trigger unanticipated actions which create barriers for accessibility. If you need to use them, it is important to explain somewhere on the form what will happen when a user interacts with a field.
3. Can be printed. Many users prefer to print forms and fill them out by hand, so it is important to ensure the form is still functional on paper. Interactive elements that make no sense on paper (such as a drop-down field with a list of choices) are discouraged for this reason. A drop-down field will print as a line, so it will look like an open-ended question where they are prompted to write whatever they want instead of a list of choices.
4. Work in Acrobat. Sometimes designers are asked to use conditional logic triggers where one option greys out or a certain field activates when something else is selected. Conditional logic is not supported in Acrobat, only Adobe Sign. If you need conditional logic, you may want to state somewhere on the form that the form will not work properly in Acrobat, only Adobe Sign – or use a web-based tool such as MS Forms or QuestionPro, instead of PDF.
5. Work in Adobe Sign. You never know how users may prefer to use the form. If your form has Javascript or uses a List Box, for example, you may want to state somewhere on the form that the form will not work with Adobe Sign.

No. Adobe discontinued that functionality in 2018.

Fields can only be a fixed size.

Options:

• Larger multiline entry fields (and longer page count) to support more text
• Multiline entry fields with scrollbars *if the form will only be used with Acrobat*

Form Magic Pro costs about $130/year per license. It adds the functions found in Acrobat to InDesign to eliminate the 2-step process for certain field types (calculations, Javascript, default values, et cetera.)

“I don’t know if this plugin affects the accessibility of forms, but when I tested with the free version, I didn’t find issues. It is ha helpful tool, but not necessary if you are comfortable with InDesign’s limitations and doing certain things in Acrobat only.” – Brenna