Import Form Data, Load Data in PDF Forms, API Tool

Import Form Data is a REST API tool designed to support programmatic PDF form filling by importing data from external data files into Acroforms, static XFA, and dynamic XFA.

Key Benefits of Import Form Data API

Built upon the foundation of Adobe's PDF forms technology, ensuring robust and reliable form filling capabilities.
Offers unmatched support for dynamic XFA files, in addition to static XFA and Acroforms, providing unparalleled flexibility for complex forms.
Seamlessly imports data from external files to automatically populate PDF form fields, eliminating manual data entry.
Facilitates the programmatic filling of PDF forms, minimizing errors associated with manual input and ensuring data accuracy.
Easily integrates with existing applications and workflows to automate document generation and data management processes.

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Request

POST

Headers

Api-Key

Don't have a key? Create an account to get one.

Response-Type

Choose between a full response after processing completes or an immediate response containing only the requestId to poll for the processing status later.

Full Response

Request ID

Required Parameters

file

File to be uploaded and processed

Alphanumeric ID (UUID) of existing file on server to be processed

data_file

Data file to be uploaded in order to import its data to an input PDF file

data_file_id

Alphanumeric ID (UUID) of existing data file on server

Optional Parameters

output

Name of the generated output file, without extension

Code

curl -X POST "https://api.pdfrest.com/pdf-with-imported-form-data" \
  -H "Accept: application/json" \
  -H "Content-Type: multipart/form-data" \
  -H "Api-Key: xxxxxxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx" \

Response

The response for your API Call will display here.

Once you've sent your POST request and received a valid response, you can download your output file using the output URL.

Pro

What are Pro Tools?

Pro Tools are a suite of advanced and specialized API tools designed to tackle more complex document processing challenges. These powerful features, offering enhanced capabilities, are included with Pro and Enterprise plans. Premium plan users can also access Pro Tools on a per-call basis, allowing flexible access to premium functionalities when needed.

Build Your Solution

You have document processing problems, we have Solutions. Explore the many ways pdfRest can align your documents with your business objectives.

Browse all solutions

Integrate pdfRest with Microsoft Power Automate

Integrate PDF API Tools with Salesforce Apex Code

Control your Backend with pdfRest API Toolkit Self-Hosted

Why is pdfRest the best API to fill PDF forms with data?

pdfRest offers the best solution for importing data into PDF forms, because it supports automated form filling, XFA forms and Acroforms, and data protection.

Automated Form Filling

pdfRest Import Form Data loads values into any and all form fields specified in an external data file, regardless of form complexity and underlying form technology. Whether you're filling out government forms for your users, populating invoices, or populating values in your own custom forms on a repeated basis, you'll need technology you can trust to consistently get the job done right.

With fast, reliable results, Import Form Data allows you to easily configure an automated process for loading data from external sources into PDF form templates. This works just as well for small scale and large scale workflows, saving you valuable time and resources across a wide range of forms processing objectives.

Full XFA and Acroform Support

Not all PDF forms are built the same! There are different underlying technologies used in practice to add forms to PDF documents, and these require different technologies to import data or otherwise interact with forms through manual or programmatic processing. In particular, full support for XFA forms is rare, with some tools capable of handling static XFA documents and most tools unable to handle dynamic XFA documents.

Only pdfRest offers full support for importing data into static and dynamic XFA forms, as well as Acroforms, all with one streamlined API Tool.

Add and Protect Data

pdfRest offers two REST API Tools that pair perfectly together to offer a complete end-to-end data entry and data protection solution for PDF form documents.

Import Form Data kicks off the process by filling PDF forms with values from an external data source. Once the data is imported, Flatten Forms locks the data into the PDF, turns the document into a standard PDF for maximum compatibility, and makes forms no longer editable so that the data cannot be modified. Customize PDFs at scale with variable data added and protected in one, quick workflow.

Check out other videos

Start from Code Examples

See more code examples in our GitHub repository

Need more help?

Start with a Tutorial for step-by-step guidance

How to Import Data to PDF Forms in .NET with C#

How to Import Data to PDF Forms with cURL

How to Import Data to PDF Forms with JavaScript in NodeJS

How to Import Data to PDF Forms with PHP

How to Import Data to PDF Forms with Python

How to Programmatically Fill PDF Forms

6 items

Customize Your Solution

Learn about the parameters for this tool to create your custom solution.

File

The file parameter allows you to select a local file to be uploaded to pdfRest’s processing server.

See Documentation

The id parameter allows you to submit a resource ID generated by one of our API Tools. Each API Tool assigns a unique resource ID to your output files, allowing you to chain requests together without having to download intermediate files between requests.

For example, you could use the Query PDF tool to determine the kind of form contained within a PDF before sending its resource ID to the Import Form Data tool.

See Documentation

Output

The output parameter lets you set a filename (without extension) for your PDF with form data.

See Documentation

Data File

The data_file parameter lets you upload a file containing data to be imported into PDF form fields.

The format of your data file should match a valid file type based on the kind of PDF form in your document.

Acroform: .fdf, .xfdf, or .xml
XFA: .xdp, .xfd, or .xml

See Documentation