--- title: "Get and Set PDF Form Fields" slug: "get-set-pdf-form-fields" tags: ["pdf", "Forms", "fields"] updated: 2025-07-09T17:52:30Z published: 2025-07-09T17:52:30Z canonical: "documentation.decisions.com/get-set-pdf-form-fields" --- > ## Documentation Index > Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://documentation.decisions.com/llms.txt > Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further. # Get and Set PDF Form Fields | ## Step Details | | --- | | **Introduced in Version** | --- | | **Last Modified in Version** | 7.12.0 | | **Location** | Data > PDF | PDF Files can have Form Fields populated or retrieved in a Flow using the **Set and** **Get** **PDF Form Fields** steps. **Set PDF Form Fields** steps can populate a PDF file with data, while the **Get PDF Form Field** steps read an input PDF file and can return the input or the names of the Form fields. **Set and** **Get** **PDF Form Fields** is meant for PDF files with no more than 15 fields. After that point the Step will show performance degradation. For PDF files with a large number of fields, it is recommended to use the [Set PDF Form Fields Dynamic step](/step-library/docs/set-pdf-form-fields-dynamic). --- ## Properties #### Configuration | Property | Description | Data Type | | --- | --- | --- | | PDF File Example | Add a Template of the PDF file to identify the Form Fields. | FileData | | PDF Fields Definitions | Field names are identified after uploading the PDF File Example. | --- | #### Inputs | Property | Description | Data Type | | --- | --- | --- | | PDF File | File to get or set PDF fields for. | FileData | | Sorting Method *Only for Get PDF Form Field Names step | Sort how the Form Fields are displayed. Sort by None, Alphabetical, Tab Order, or Position on Page. | --- | #### Outputs *Only on the Set PDF Form Fields step | Property | Description | Data Type | | --- | --- | --- | | PDF File | File using the newly set PDF fields. | FileData | #### ![](https://cdn.document360.io/6ef8bcc1-6489-4486-9ad1-83acff7e5df0/Images/Documentation/image-1652116454245.png) --- ## Set PDF Form Fields The following example will populate the highlighted fields within the below sample PDF. Below is an example project that can be [imported](/v9/docs/importing-and-exporting-projects) which contains the PDF used in the steps. [[ArticleExample]FillinginPDFForms.zip](https://cdn.document360.io/6ef8bcc1-6489-4486-9ad1-83acff7e5df0/Images/Documentation/%5BArticleExample%5DFillinginPDFForms.zip) 1. To begin, [create a new Flow](https://documentation.decisions.com/v9/docs/create-flows). 2. Within the Flow Designer, from the **Toolbox** **> DATA > PDF**, drag a **Set PDF Form Fields** step into the workspace. 3. Connect the **Start** step to the **Set PDF Form Fields** step. 4. With the **Set PDF Form Fields** step selected, click CHOOSE FILE to upload a PDF file into the **Properties > CONFIGURATION >** **PDF File Example** box. A separate step must be created for each field.Using the **Set PDF Form Fields Dynami****c** step, **Build Array** must be selected for the **Field Data** and then **Build Data** for each item they add. The item name will be a Constant value, and the output value should use Select From Flow. ![](https://cdn.document360.io/6ef8bcc1-6489-4486-9ad1-83acff7e5df0/Images/Documentation/2025-06-16_16h42_34.png) 5. After adding the PDF, notice under **Properties** **> PDF Fields Definitions** that the field names are identified. 6. Next, configure the **Properties** **> INPUTS** for the **Set PDF Form Fields** step. Form Fields must have a compatible input. 7. Connect the **Set PDF Form Fields** step to the **End** step and **Save.** ![](https://cdn.document360.io/6ef8bcc1-6489-4486-9ad1-83acff7e5df0/Images/Documentation/2025-06-16_16h43_30.png) ## Debug 1. Select **Debug** from the Top Action Bar. Click START DEBUGGING. 2. Notice the Flow runs successfully. 3. Right-click on the **Set PDF Form Fields** step and select **View Input/Output Data,** and observe the INPUTS mapped earlier. ![](https://cdn.document360.io/6ef8bcc1-6489-4486-9ad1-83acff7e5df0/Images/Documentation/2025-06-16_16h44_31.png) --- ## Get PDF Form Fields This example will use the **Get PDF Form Fields Names** step to retrieve the list of field names from a PDF File. 1. [Create a new Flow](/v9/docs/create-flows) 2. Within the Flow Designer, from the **Toolbox** **> DATA > PDF**, drag a **Get PDF Form Fields Names** step into the workspace. 3. Input a PDF file and set the Sorting Method for the step. For the Sorting Method, below is a table that defines the sorting setting. | Setting | Description | | --- | --- | | None | The default sort. Sorts the fields name based on what order the PDF authoring software has set. | | Alphabetical | Sorts the field names in Alphabetical order. | | Tab Order | Sorts the field names based on the Tab order the author assigned to each field. | | Position on Page | Sorts the field names based on their x and y coordinates on a page. Pages are sorted in order, From top to bottom, left to right. | ![](https://cdn.document360.io/6ef8bcc1-6489-4486-9ad1-83acff7e5df0/Images/Documentation/2025-06-16_16h45_02.png) ## Debug 1. Select **Debug** from the Top Action Bar. Click START DEBUGGING. 2. Right-click on the **Get** **PDF Form Fields Names** step and select **View Input/Output Data** to view the retrieved field names.![](https://cdn.document360.io/6ef8bcc1-6489-4486-9ad1-83acff7e5df0/Images/Documentation/2025-06-16_16h45_38.png) --- Related Information Forum Posts: [Set PDF Form Fields](https://community.decisions.com/discussion/3289/set-pdf-form-fields) ## Related - [Set PDF Form Fields Dynamic](/set-pdf-form-fields-dynamic.md) - [Set PDF Password](/set-password-pdf.md) - [Make PDF Document Read Only](/make-pdf-document-read-only.md) - [Add PDF Header and Footer](/add-pdf-header-footer.md) - [Add Watermark Text to PDF](/add-watermark-text-to-pdf.md) - [HTML to PDF](/html-to-pdf.md) - [Add Image to PDF](/add-image-to-pdf.md) - [Convert TIFF Image to PDF](/convert-tiff-image-pdf.md)