How Fillable PDF Automation Works

Turn any PDF into a smart, fillable form. Automate everything after.

Create a form from scratch or import an existing PDF. Add smart fields, logic, e-signatures, payments, and AI translation, then send to one customer or thousands in minutes — and manage every submission in one pipeline.

Prefer a guided, multi-step form instead? See the interactive form builder →

Fillable PDF automationturns any PDF — or a form you build from scratch — into a smart, codeless web form that collects responses, payments, and e-signatures, then routes every submission into one pipeline.

1Step 1 · Create or import

Create a form from scratch, or import an existing PDF

No templates and no guided-flow wizard. Build a fillable form on a blank canvas, or import a PDF you already use — an intake form, application, waiver, or agreement — and DocOtto turns it into a smart, fillable document.

  • Build a fillable form from a blank canvas
  • Or import any existing PDF you already use
  • Your layout stays intact — fields drop right on top
  • Fills cleanly on desktop and mobile

Start your document

From scratch

Import a PDF

service-agreement.pdf

Imported
Drop a field here
2Next: Smart fields
2Step 2 · Smart fields

Drop in smart fields that do the work

Add the fields your document needs and make them intelligent. Show or hide fields with conditional logic, run live calculations, and collect payment without ever leaving the form.

  • Text, dropdown, date, and amount fields
  • Secure PII fields for sensitive data — SSNs, dates of birth, bank details — encrypted at rest and masked in your portal
  • Document-upload fields to collect files and photos
  • Conditional logic plus live calculations
  • Connect Stripe to collect a deposit or full payment

Add a field

Text input

Amount

Secure PII

E-signature

Doc upload

Calculation

Secure PII — encrypted at rest, masked in your portal

Logic — show the deposit field only when total > $500

Stripe payment$1,247.50
3Next: E-signatures
3Step 3 · E-signatures

Collect legally binding e-signatures

Drop a signature field anywhere on the form and capture a binding e-signature at submit. Every signature is backed by an ESIGN certificate — the same e-signature engine as our Contracts product, no add-on.

  • Signature fields placed anywhere on the document
  • ESIGN Act-compliant with a full audit trail
  • Certificate with IP, timestamp, and SHA-256 document hash
  • Tamper-resistant signed PDF generated automatically

Signature field

Signed

Sign here

Sarah Mitchell

Signed 11:42 AM

ESIGN certificate

IP 73.41.18.207 · Mar 26, 11:42 AM

SHA-256 document hash verified

Full audit trail attached

4Next: Translate
4Step 4 · Translate

Translate your form with one click

DocOtto uses AI to translate your entire form — labels, dropdown options, and help text — into 10 languages, so you can serve customers in the language they prefer.

  • One-click AI translation of the whole form
  • Spanish, French, German, Portuguese, and Italian
  • Plus Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, and Arabic
  • Labels, options, and help text all translated

Translate form

AI
ENPreferred service date
ESFecha de servicio preferida
SpanishFrenchGermanPortugueseItalianChineseJapaneseKoreanVietnameseArabic

10 languages supported

5Next: Distribute
5Step 5 · Distribute

Share one link, or send to thousands in minutes

Publish a free, distributable URL and post it anywhere — your website, social, email signature, or a printed QR code. Embed it on your site, or send the form by email to one customer or thousands in minutes.

  • Free public form URL — post it anywhere
  • QR code and website embed for in-person and online
  • Send to one customer or thousands in minutes
  • Send now or schedule for a future date and time

Your public form link

forms.docotto.com/f/acmepool/spring-intake

Copy

QR code

Embed

Send by email

To 1 customer or 4,120 — in minutes

Now or later
6Next: Capture
6Step 6 · Capture

New customers add themselves to your base

Anyone who submits your public form is added to your recipient list automatically. Every inquiry captures the customer’s data into a customer base you own — ready to filter, tag, and reuse for the next send.

  • Public submissions auto-added to your recipient list
  • Customer data captured into a directory you own
  • Instant team notification and a branded confirmation to the customer
  • Tag, segment, and reuse any list for your next send

New public submission

Added to your directory automatically

New
DT

Devon Tran

devon@example.com · Spring opening

New customer

Customer base updated

No manual entry — their data is captured for you

7Next: Manage
7Step 7 · Manage

Route every submission in your pipeline

Submissions land on a kanban pipeline as clean, structured data — no transcribing handwritten forms, no copy-paste from email. Move them through your stages with manual drag-and-drop, or with automated steps that fire as submissions arrive.

  • Every submission on a live kanban board
  • Manual drag-and-drop, with owners, tags, and notes
  • Automated steps route and advance submissions on arrival
  • Clean, structured data — no transcribing or copy-paste

New

142

Devon Tran

Spring opening

In Review

24

James Rivera

Renewal

Complete

88

Linda Chen

Waiver

Drag cards between stages manually

Automated steps route on arrival

Everything built in

One fillable PDF automation tool, no add-ons. Everything below ships in the document builder.

Secure PII fields

Sensitive data encrypted at rest and masked in your portal.

ESIGN e-signatures

Binding signatures with a certificate and audit trail.

Logic & calculations

Show or hide fields and compute totals in real time.

Stripe payments

Collect a deposit or full payment at submit.

AI translation

One click translates the form into 10 languages.

Multi-channel sharing

Free URL, QR code, website embed, and email.

Your customer base

Submitters captured into a directory you own.

Submission pipeline

Route with manual drag-and-drop and automated steps.

Frequently asked questions

What is fillable PDF automation?
Fillable PDF automation turns a static PDF — or a form you build from scratch — into a smart, fillable web form. It collects typed responses, files, payments, and e-signatures, then routes every submission into a pipeline automatically, with no code.
Can I make an existing PDF fillable?
Yes. Import any PDF and drop fields — text, dropdowns, dates, amounts, secure PII, document uploads, and signatures — right on top. Your original layout stays intact.
Can I collect payment on a form?
Yes. Connect Stripe and add an amount field to collect a deposit or full payment at submit, with live calculations for quotes and totals.
Do recipients need an account or app to fill out the form?
No. Share a free public link, embed the form on your website, post a QR code, or send it by email. Anyone can fill it out in the browser on desktop or mobile.
Are the e-signatures legally binding?
Yes. Signatures are ESIGN Act-compliant and produce a certificate with a full audit trail, including IP, timestamp, and a SHA-256 document hash.
Can I translate my form into other languages?
Yes. One-click AI translation converts the entire form — labels, options, and help text — into 10 languages including Spanish, French, German, Portuguese, Italian, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, and Arabic.

From PDF to done — automatically.

Build a smart, fillable PDF, share it anywhere, and manage every submission in one pipeline.