Use embedded text field tags in the PDF to create a fillable form

  1. Embedded PDF field text tags
  2. Send PDF to the API
1

Embedded PDF field text tags

Prerequisites: Visit DocuSeal API Console to obtain your API key.

The PDF embedded text tags can be defined in the PDF using {{ }} curly brackets. These tags act as placeholders in the document, which should be replaced with interactive and fillable document fields. Each tag contains a defined field name along with its associated attributes:

Text field tags can contain the following attributes:

name

Name of the field in the template.

type

Field type can be one of the following types: text, signature, initials, date, datenow, image, file, payment, stamp, select, checkbox, multiple, radio, phone, verification, kba.

role

Signer role name. Specify different names in case the document contains multiple signing parties with their own set of fields.

default

Default field value to be used in the template (optional).

required

Set false to make the field optional and skippable.

Default true

readonly

Set true to make it impossible for the signer to edit the pre-filled field value.

Default false

title

Field title shown instead of the field name in the signing interface.

description

The field description displayed after the field name or title in the signing interface.

options

Comma separated list of options for select and radio field types.

condition

FieldName:value to show the field only if the condition is met for the value in other field. Pass only FieldName to set a condition for a non-empty field.

width

Absolute width of the field in pixels. This attribute is optional, text tag width will be used for the field width by default.

height

Absolute height of the field in pixels. This attribute is optional, font size height will be used for the field height by default.

format

The data format for date and signature fields. Possible values depend on the field type:

  • date field can be, for example: DD/MM/YYYY (default MM/DD/YYYY)
  • signature field can accept only drawn, typed, drawn_or_typed, upload (default drawn_or_typed)
  • number field can accept usd, eur, gbp currency formats
min

Minimum allowed number value or date depending on field type.

max

Maximum allowed number value or date depending on field type.

font

Font name to be used in the field. Can accept Times, Helvetica or Courier PDF default fonts.

font_size

Font size of the text value. This attribute is optional, default font size is calculated based on the field height.

font_type

Font type to be used in the field. Can accept bold, italic or bold_italic font types to be used for the field value.

color

blue or red color of the text value or signature. This attribute is optional.

Default black

align

Horizontal alignment of the text value. This attribute is optional, with possible values being left, center, or right.

Default left

valign

Vertical alignment of the text value. This attribute is optional, with possible values being top, center, or bottom.

Default center

hidden

Set true to make field not visible on the document.

Default false

mask

Set true to make sensitive data masked on the document.

Default false

method

Set aes or qes identity verification field method.

Attributes should be separated with semicolon (;) with attribute value specified after the equal (=) sign: {{DOB;type=date;role=Customer;required=false}}

{{Field Name}} Text field
{{Sign;type=signature}} Signature field
{{DOB;type=date}} Date field
{{Date;type=datenow}} Read-only signing date
{{Photo;type=image}} Image upload field
{{Documents;type=file}} Files upload field
{{type=checkbox}} Checkbox
{{Radio name;type=radio;option=Opt1}} Radio field option
{{Select name;type=select;options=Opt1,Opt2}} Select field
{{type=stamp;readonly=true}} Stamp field (non-interactive)
{{type=phone;required=true}} Phone 2FA field
{{Name;condition=Checkbox1:true}} Field condition
2

Send PDF to the API

Use POST https://api.docuseal.com/submissions/pdf API to create a one-off submission request document from the given PDF with field text tags.

API request body should contain JSON payload with "file": '...' encoded as base64 string value. 

const docuseal = require('@docuseal/api');
const fs = require('fs')

const filePath = 'path/to/your/file.pdf';
const fileData = fs.readFileSync(filePath, { encoding: 'base64' });

docuseal.configure({ key: 'API_KEY', url: 'https://api.docuseal.com' });

const submission = await docuseal.createSubmissionFromPdf({
  name: 'Rental Agreement',
  documents: [
    {
      name: 'rental-agreement',
      file: fileData
    }
  ],
  submitters: [
    {
      role: 'First Party',
      email: 'john.doe@example.com'
    }
  ]
});
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