PDF forms for SharePoint

Question

What are you thoughts on PDF forms for SharePoint instead of InfoPath forms? Can PDF forms handle logics and rules like Infopath Forms? What are some good 3 party tools for PDF forms for SharePoint? PDF to capture Digital signatures (for example annual ethics form signature)?

Our legal department has bunch of forms (pdf, excel, word) and I would like these forms to be hosted in SharePoint 2010. and automate their form processes.

Thanks in advance.

BTW, I am down for commercial solution (aka paid 3rd party solutions).

Answer 1

PDF forms themselves would not offer you any integration with SharePoint functionality directly. You can, however, use the PDF forms and SharePoint workflows, etc., on top of them.

If you have PDF forms that open in your web browser, you'll be able to fill them out, print them, and save them to the desktop. However since there is no direct integration to SharePoint, the forms wouldn't submit back to SharePoint, etc.

Another option would be to use SharePoint to do the filling of the PDF forms. Meaning you could submit data to a list and than have an event receiver or workflow use that data to fill out a PDF form template. I blogged about this idea here: http://www.sharepointjohn.com/sharepoint-2010-fill-out-and-flatten-pdf-forms-with-itextsharp/

Answer 2

There is a tool that may or may not help, Muhimbi PDF Converter. I haven't used it, but I have heard good things about it. But like John says, there is no direct integration with PDFs, so you'll need a workflow/timer job/event receiver to do something after the forms are submitted.

Answer 3

Nintex has a Forms solution. I have no personal experience with it, but if it is only half as good as their workflow product then it is still excellent.

I personally wouldn't go for Adobe Livecycle as I understand they are flip flopping on their SharePoint support (it is not their primary business) and also very expensive.

I have heard good things about PDF Shareforms as well, but again no personal experience.

Finally there is the product I worked on myself (Disclaimer!) and that someone else also referred to. This is the PDF Converter for SharePoint and can, amongst many other things, be used to convert HTML pages and InfoPath forms (including attachments) to PDF, Word, Excel or HTML format.