"PDF Forms as Templates"

By Rowan Hanna
PDF Store Support Team
Issue 2 for 2006

If you store order information in databases or local stores such as Access or even Excel files, it's possible to use PDF forms as document templates. One way to accomplish this without the purchase of further software is by connecting your PDF forms to a relational database using Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP).

SOAP is essentially a way for computer programs to talk to one another. These programs can be on the same network or across the planet using different hardware, software and operating systems. Anyway, you can find out more about SOAP here and here.

SOAP offers some powerful options, but JavaScript neophytes might find the task of creating SOAP-based systems beyond them. Luckily, there are a number of useful third party tools that make life easier: for instance, both PDF/Mergician and ARTS PDF Variform Plus allow users to set up PDF forms that can directly import information from databases, spreadsheets or delimited text files, resulting in a filled form. This would be a great time-saver if, say, you were to enter an invoice number into your PDF template and have the relevant order and customer information automatically entered into the form. You'd then be able to print the document and send the client their completed invoice.