Auto PDF is a data visualization tool in Reader that generates PDFs from applicant’s form response data, including applications, reader evaluation forms, registration forms, and other sources.
Auto PDF updates automatically when changes are made to a related form or application. It's also dynamic meaning, if an application page has ten questions but an applicant answers three, only those three appear in the generated PDF.
💡 Tip
Need to display a captured signature? Select Auto PDF v2 as the material type.
Setup/Access
To set up or access an Auto PDF:
Select Database from the main navigation.
Under Reader and Decisions, select Workflows.
Select an existing workflow from the list, or click New Workflow to create a new one.
Select Tabs from the menu on the right.
Create a Materials type tab and save it.
Reopen that same tab and click on the Edit Materials icon.
Select or drag any of the following icons from the palette. These four selections allow for the Auto PDF template.
Record Data
Reader Form
Form/Event
Messages
Some of the options, like Record Data, allow you to add granularity for what application pages to show.
Set Type to Application/Dashboard
Set Template to Auto PDF
Leave the Auto PDF Parts Selector blank to automatically include all application pages that contain form response data.
If you'd like to control the page order or exclude certain pages, use the Auto PDF Parts drop-down menu to select the pages you want. The menu includes both Standard Pages and Custom Pages.
Note: Custom widgets (such as Reference, Address, and School) do not store form response data, so they won't appear automatically in Auto PDF templates. To display information from these widgets, create a Data Container on your custom application forms.
Adding Letterhead to Application Auto PDF
You can use Auto PDF to add custom letterhead to your application.
Create your letterhead outside of Slate and save as a PDF.
Click Database in the top navigation bar and select File Editor.
Click Upload File.
Path: Upload the letterhead PDF as: /apply/application_auto.pdf
File: Upload the PDF.
Click Upload.
Click the uploaded file '/apply/application_auto.pdf'.
Click PDF Editor.
Add a text box merge field.
Name - Give the text box a field name of "application" and make it large (the size of page content).
Click Save.
Auto PDF v2 (Forms/Events Only)
To render a signature captured by the Signature Form Field Widget:
Select Database from the main navigation.
Under Reader and Decisions, select Workflows.
Select an existing workflow from the list, or click New Workflow to create a new one.
Select the Tabs view.
From the palette, select Materials to add a Materials Reader Tab. Add a name and Save.
Reopen the Materials tab you just created and click on the Edit Materials icon.
In the Edit Materials screen, select Form/Event from the palette. Choose the following options:
Type: Form/Event/Scheduler
Form/Event/Scheduler: Select the form that contains the signature widget.
Template: Auto PDF v2 (Forms/Events Only)
Select Save.
Select or drag any of the following icons from the palette at right as these will allow for the Auto PDF template.
❓ Don’t see the form you’re looking for?
Person Page, Application Page, and Slate-Hosted Application Page forms will not be listed as a form option for Auto PDF v2.
