Moving form data in and out of PDF forms with PDF by Zaweba

A filled form holds two things: the look of the page, and the answers in its fields. Quite often it is only the answers you need. PDF by Zaweba can take those answers out of a form as a small data file, put them back into a form in one step, and gather the answers from many data files into a single spreadsheet.

None of this needs another program or an internet connection. The data goes in and out of the files on your own PC.

Exporting the values

Export saves the values of the form's fields in one of several formats: XFDF, FDF, XML, CSV or tab-separated text. Which you choose depends on where the data is going.

XFDF and FDF are the formats made for PDF forms, so they are the natural choice when the data will be loaded into another copy of the same form later. XML suits other software that reads structured data. CSV and tab-separated text open straight into a spreadsheet, which is handy when you want to look at the answers, sort them or pass them to someone who never opens PDFs.

Export is a good way to keep a record of what you submitted without keeping a large PDF for every version. It is also a tidy way to move answers from an old copy of a form into a new one.

Importing values into a form

Import reads any of those formats, and plain XML as well, and fills the form in one step. Open the blank form, import the data file, and every field the file names is filled.

When the file mentions names the form does not have, PDF by Zaweba tells you which ones. That message is worth reading. It usually means the form has been revised and some fields renamed, or that the data came from a different form altogether. Knowing which names did not match lets you fill those few fields by hand instead of finding out later that something quietly went missing.

After an import, open the form fields panel and turn on the filter for required fields still empty. Anything the data file did not cover shows up straight away.

Merging many data files into one spreadsheet

The third tool is the one that saves the most time. Merge data files into a spreadsheet gathers several data files into one CSV, with a row per file. If twenty people each returned their answers as a data file, merging them gives you one spreadsheet where every person is a row.

That turns a pile of separate replies into something you can count, sort and compare. Sign-up sheets, surveys, order forms and registration forms all work well this way.

A workflow that fits together

A common pattern looks like this. Make or receive a form. Send it out. When the replies come back, export each one's data, or collect the data files people send. Merge them into one spreadsheet to work with. If you ever need to rebuild a filled copy for one person, import their data file into the blank form.

You can also go the other way. Keep a data file of your own details for forms you fill often, and import it into each new copy so you only type the parts that change. Reset form between uses gets the blank back.

Field names and other catches

Field names are what link data to a form, not the labels you see on the page. Two forms that look the same may use different names, so an import into the wrong version can leave fields empty. The message about unmatched names is your guide.

Keep the data file with the right form. A data file is small and easy to lose track of, so a clear file name that says which form it belongs to helps a great deal.

And remember that data files hold only values. They do not carry signatures or the look of the page, so for a record of exactly what was signed, keep the PDF itself.

With these tools, PDF by Zaweba treats form answers as data you can move about freely, rather than something locked inside each file.