PDF receipts let you generate a clean, 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 Form 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 Form 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 every submission currently in view — it respects the selected form and your current filters, exactly like Export CSV does, and puts each submission on its own page with a Form Forge header. The export is capped at 500 submissions per run; if your filter matches more than that, narrow it down or 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 filtered batch, 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: Without PRO, the PDF button is not available on individual submissions. You can still view submission data in the dashboard and export all submissions to CSV on any plan.
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 all filtered submissions into a single PDF in one click — 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 clean list of field labels with their submitted values in a professional layout]
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