PDF receipts let you generate a formatted document from any individual form submission. Instead of sharing raw data or screenshots, you get a professional-looking document that includes the form title, submission date, every field label and its submitted value, all laid out in a readable format suitable for printing, filing, or sharing.
This feature is invaluable for record-keeping, compliance, and sharing submission details with people who do not have WordPress access. A PDF receipt turns a database entry into a tangible document.
When to Use PDF Receipts
| Use case | Why a PDF is helpful |
|---|---|
| Order confirmations | Provide a printable receipt summarizing the order |
| Registration records | Create a confirmation document for event or course registrations |
| Application records | Produce a formatted copy of a job or scholarship application |
| Support tickets | Save a PDF copy of a support request for your filing system |
| Legal compliance | Maintain formatted records of form submissions for audit purposes |
| Client handoffs | Share a professional document with colleagues or clients without giving them WordPress access |
How to Generate a PDF Receipt
- Go to Fillin Forge > Submissions in your WordPress dashboard.
- Select the form from the dropdown.
- Find the submission you want.
- Click the PDF button next to the submission.
- A real PDF file downloads or opens in your browser’s PDF viewer. The document includes:
– Submission date and ID
– Each field label and its submitted value in a structured list
– File upload fields show the file name
– A Fillin Forge footer, so exported receipts are recognizable outside WordPress
- Save the file from the viewer if your browser opens it inline.
Tips for Professional-Looking Receipts
| Tip | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Use clear, professional field labels in your form | Labels appear exactly as-is on the PDF |
| Fill in all relevant fields | Empty fields still show on the PDF, which looks incomplete |
| Keep file upload names descriptive | “resume_jane_smith.pdf” looks better than “upload_12345.pdf” |
| Review the PDF before sharing | Make sure it reads well and contains the right information |
Batch Considerations
If you need PDFs for many submissions at once, use the Print / PDF button on the Submissions toolbar (next to Export CSV). It generates a single PDF document containing the form’s submissions (abandoned and test submissions are left out) — it covers the selected form, exactly like Export CSV does, and puts each submission on its own page with a Fillin Forge header. The export is capped at 500 submissions per run; if the form has more than that, use CSV.
For a single record, the per-row PDF button in the actions column downloads just that one submission. Rule of thumb: per-row PDF for one record, toolbar Print / PDF for a whole form, Export CSV when you need the raw data for analysis rather than formatted documents.
> Tip: The PDF receipt is generated from the same data you see in the submission popup. If a submission looks complete in the View popup, it will look complete in the PDF.
> Good to know: PDF receipts and the Print / PDF button are free and need no PRO license. Only administrators (users who can manage options) can download them. On a site with Fillin Forge Pro, the PDF of a single submission is built by our API: the fields of that submission are sent to api.avakode.com and the file comes back; if our API cannot be reached, it is built on your site. The Print / PDF button builds its file on your site.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Generating PDFs on a printer-unfriendly browser. Chrome and Firefox handle “Save as PDF” well. Some older browsers may not produce clean results.
- Sharing PDFs containing sensitive information without reviewing them first. Check what data is included before sending to external parties.
- Reaching for one-by-one per-row PDF downloads when you need a batch. The toolbar Print / PDF button exports the selected form’s submissions into a single PDF — and Export CSV is still the right tool when you want raw data for analysis rather than formatted documents.
[Screenshot: A PDF receipt in a browser tab showing the form title, submission date, and a list of field labels with their submitted values in a professional layout]
—