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Form Creation for Beginners

If you've never created a custom form to send with Sertifi, use this guide to get started These walk-throughs include setting up a basic signature form and a basic authorization form. It's important to note that both walk-throughs include details of how to prepare forms in a PDF editor. If you don't have access to a PDF editor, you must prepare your forms in Word.

Data Fields Best Practices

When you use Sertifi Data Fields, Sertifi recommends the following tips to quickly and easily create your forms:

  • Start with your form in a Word document. It's usually quicker and easier to format the document to your needs in Word.

  • When possible, start with the original document. If you have a scanned document, try to locate the original for easier formatting. You can also use the Enhance Scans functionality to try to align the document and remove any blurriness.

  • Use a PDF editor to create your fields and prepare the document, rather than using parameters with your data fields.

  • Enter data fields directly into textboxes in your documents. Don't enter data fields as the field name.

Creating a Signature Form

There are two options for creating a signature form with data fields. You can either create the form directly in Word, or you can place fillable fields in a PDF in a PDF editor.

Working in Word

If you create your signature form in Microsoft Word, you can add your data fields into your Word document. However, it's important to remember that you must convert the Word document to a PDF file before you can add this document to the Sertifi Document Library.

The following data fields are the most common fields added to signature documents:

  • Signature field - [[SertifiSStamp_1]]

  • Title field - [[SertifiTitle_1]]

  • Initial field - [[SertifiInitial_1]]

  • Initial field - [[SertifiInitial_1]]

To add a data field:

  1. Locate the place on the document where you want your signer to provide some information, like a signature.

  2. Copy and paste the relevant data field into your Word document.

  3. Change the text color to white so the field names don't appear on the final document.

  4. Save your document, convert it to a PDF, and then upload it to your Sertifi Document Library.

Working in a PDF Editor

If your signature form already exists as PDF and you want to add data fields directly to it, you can add them as fillable fields in your PDF editor.

The following data fields are the most common fields added to signature documents:

  • Signature field - [[SertifiSStamp_1]]

  • Title field - [[SertifiTitle_1]]

  • Initial field - [[SertifiInitial_1]]

  • Initial field - [[SertifiInitial_1]]

To add a data field:

  1. Open your signature form in your PDF editor and determine where your signer fields are located. You can also add a fillable field where you want the signer fields to appear.

  2. Rename the fillable field by copying and pasting the relevant data field names into the Name of the fillable fieeld you placed on your PDF.

  3. Save your PDF and then upload it to the Sertifi Document Library.

Creating an Authorization Form

Before you begin adding data fields to your authorization form, you should first open your authorization form in Word to edit the form and format any fields that currently exist on the form.

Tip

As a best practice, Sertifi recommends removing the following fields, since this information is usually collected with the authorization data field itself:

  • Credit card type (Visa, Discover, etc)

  • Credit card number

  • Credit card expiration date

  • Credit card security code

  • Reference to a fax number

  • Billing address, including street, city, state, and zip.

  • Any type of text or language asking for a scan of a credit card. This goes against PCI compliance regulations.

When you've completed setting up the form, convert it to a PDF.

To finalize form creation:

  1. Open your newly created PDF in your PDF editor.

  2. Add a text box and then enter [[SertifiPaymentAuthAddress_1]] into the textbox to add the payment data field.

  3. Find the location on the form where you want the signer to place their signature.

  4. Add a text box and then enter [[SertifiSStamp_1]].

  5. Change the color of the font to white for both of the data fields you just entered. This ensures the fields don't appear on the finalized document.

  6. Click Prepare Form to add any remaining data fields. When you click Prepare Form, the PDF editor places fields where it identifies fields should be. Make any adjustments here as necessary.

  7. Save your PDF, and then upload it to your Sertifi Document Library.