Do you have online PDF forms accessible on your website? PDF forms are a significant first step for making a paperless self-serve process online, but that is where things typically stop. So often is the case that people end up downloading those PDFs to their computer, printing them, signing them, and scanning them back in (or faxing). Once a form is submitted, teams often need to review the form, ensure no required information is missing, and manually key the data into the organization’s database and then finally follow up with the person who sent in the completed form.

This process can be much easier and more streamlined. With Adobe Sign and Microsoft 365, there is a much easier way to take your online PDF forms and streamline your forms processes.

In this article, we’ll learn how to use Adobe Sign web forms with Microsoft 365 to kick your online form process up a notch, eliminating the manual headache of paper in the experience.

What we’ll cover

• Creating and embedding an Adobe Sign web form online
• Merge mapping form field values to a SharePoint list
• Automatically sending a follow-up email to the web form participant after the web form is completed

What you’ll need:

• Adobe Sign for Enterprise
• Microsoft SharePoint
• Microsoft Power Automate

Create your web form

Let’s start by creating a webform.

1. Log into your Adobe Sign account.
2. Select ‘Publish a web form’ on the ‘Home’ page.
3. On the ‘Create a web form’ page, enter a name for your web form, select the role of your form participant, add additional participants (if necessary) and then finally upload your form(s) to Adobe Sign.
4. Check the box Preview & Add Signature Fields.

Apply form fields

Use the Adobe Sign authoring environment to place all the necessary form fields on your form.

Don’t forget to go through and give each field a name. This will be especially important when you go through and apply the merge mapping to your SharePoint List. On this authoring page, you can also identify which fields are required versus optional and apply any necessary formatting and formula rules.

When done, select ‘Save’, and you’ll then be taken to a page that will allow you to copy the web form URL or embed code; which you can now take and embed on your website

Visit the following link if you’d like to see a video walk-through on how to Add Form Fields to Documents.

Create a SharePoint List

Now that you’ve created your web form. You’re now ready to create your SharePoint list. The SharePoint list will capture the form field information entered into the form. However, Adobe Sign APIs can be used in any situation where you need to merge form field data from the document to your preferred database.

Visit the following link if you require additional instruction to Create a SharePoint List.

Create web form mappings

If you haven’t already, be sure to Install Adobe Sign for SharePoint before proceeding. The Adobe Sign for SharePoint package will include out-of-the-box functionality to define the relationship between your web form fields and SharePoint columns.

When successfully installed, follow the below steps to configure your mapping rules.

1. Log into your SharePoint site
2. Select ‘Settings’ from the Adobe Sign dropdown
3. Select the ‘Web Form Mappings’ Tab
4. Choose the web form you wish to use
5. Select ‘+’ for ‘# of Fields Mapped.’
6. Choose your SharePoint list from the dropdown menu.
7. Select ‘Add Rule’ and begin to associate your web form field with the respective SharePoint columns of your list

Repeat step 7 until you’ve defined each needed merge mapping rule

Please visit the following link for a complete SharePoint Web Form Mapping Guide.

Create your Email Template

This next section is optional. However, it will cover creating a PowerAutomate flow that will send your web form participant a custom and automated follow-up email when their web form has been completed and received. If you’d like to skip this step, jump ahead to the last step, putting your web form and SharePoint list mapping to the test.

While Adobe Sign will automatically deliver the completed agreement to the web form participant via email, you may want to send a more “personalized” email that lets the participant know that the form has been received and that you’ll be in touch shortly.

The steps below will walk you through how to use PowerAutomate to automatically send the personalized message to the participant once the web form has been completed.

1. Log into Microsoft Power Automate.
2. Select ‘Create.’

3. Select your site and list name from the trigger.

4. Add the ‘Send an email’ action from the ‘Office 365 Outlook’ connector.

5. Apply the necessary dynamic content collected in your SharePoint list to define your variables

In my example, I use the email address, first name, and phone number of the participant that was collected on the web form and mapped to my SharePoint list.

Tip: If you want to get extra fancy, you can edit the HTML of the email for a more branded experience.

Test your workflow

You’re now ready to put the workflow of your completed web form to the test.

1. Go to your webform and play the part of the participant, complete all of the necessary fields, and then select ‘Click to Sign’

2. Confirm the form field data from the web form has been captured in your SharePoint list

3. Check the inbox of the email address you used for the web form signer to confirm the automated follow-up email has been received and personalized with the form field data captured on the webform

Final Thoughts

This is just one example of an online form workflow that you can automate. You can also have completed web forms automatically send out additional agreements required after the application process, such as NDAs and Release Forms. The opportunities with Adobe Sign and Microsoft 365 are truly endless, and I’m excited to see what new and innovative ways the solutions are leveraged to help you achieve your digital transformation objectives.