Types of PDF forms

The way in which you fill in and submit information on a PDF form is determined by the person who created it.

Fill-and-print PDF forms

Contain interactive form fields or static form fields; either way, the person filling in the form must manually deliver a printed copy of the form, such as by mail or fax.

Submit-by-email PDF forms

Contain a button that either extracts all interactive-field data from the PDF form and attaches it to an email message or attaches the entire filled-in PDF form to the message.

Submit-online PDF forms

Contain a button that sends all interactive-field data to an online repository, such as a database. Available only when Acrobat is open inside a web browser.

When you fill in a PDF form, you can press Tab to jump from one form field to the next. After you Tab to a check box or button that you want to select, press Enter or spacebar to select it (or to deselect it, if it’s already selected).

Another important distinction is between XML forms and other PDF forms. You can create and edit XML forms in Adobe LiveCycle Designer but not in Acrobat.