Custom PDF Generator in iFormBuilder
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Is there a need to have an updated PDF Generator in iFormBuilder? As it stands now, you can create a PDF template in Company Info which can customized to include a logo, specified colors and size of images. But that is about it. Based off of comments from customers, I believe there is a need to be able to do more with a PDF. I've heard customers ask to be able to: define what elements are displayed, the order they are displayed, different image sizes based on forms, include a table to display subform data, have the PDF sent in email or sent to a document storage website or Salesforce and more.
In 2022, we are looking to build a PDF generator but need your insight. What are your MUST HAVES? Please give as much detail as possible!
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The ability to bulk download PDFs! Probably my biggest frustration with iFormbuilder is the need to download PDFs one at a time unless you go through a third party PHP work around. Even then that PHP workaround fails when you have a large PDF and there is no way to skip or restart those large PDFs that need to be download via the print work around on an iPad only. We often have to PDF hundreds of forms at a time for monthly and annual reports. This is an hours long process currently.
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Seconded. This functionality is at least as critical as multi-photos. Use Case: Commercial Lender project inspections are equal parts physical/financial risk.
Ability to capture project deficiencies, for example, mandates pix (say for down units) as well as rent rolls/operating statements correlating images with any attendant loss of rents/potential life safety issues/even movement of tenants.
And it’s not just banking - Due Diligence in many sectors necessitates global risk analysis.
Happy to continue offline w/engineering.
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@chris and @robert. Thank you for your feedback and insight.
Chris, I agree, with the new generator, we definitely would not want you to be spending hours downloading! One thought we had is that we would allow you to connect to a Media Storage location so that once the PDF is generated, it would be posted there. Media Storage Location like SharePoint, Dropbox, Box, Google, Etc. Would that meet your need or would you still need to download in Bulk? Would you prefer to the PDF's be sent somewhere else? Any additional insight would be appreciated.
Rob, we all see if being very valuable and are doing our research now on how to get it done. I appreciate your feedback
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Hi Berit,
Yes that would work since you can select multiples files in Dropbox/similar tools and it will download as a .zip file. They can then be moved/or sent to clients as needed or inserted in reports. We usually combine them into one large PDF so if they were all in one location that can then be pulled out that would work.
Now it is the one at a time process that is time consuming and the PHP bulk download fails often on forms with lots of pictures.
The only benefit the one by one has now is being able to filter on a form to get a subset of records and then just downloading now. For example we have a form now that is used for many projects and has over 8000 items submitted to it. So often we get requests to download the forms from x project for y time frame.
But I could work around that with a bulk download to Dropbox by just pulling a list of the needed ID numbers and then ticking the box next to each of those in Dropbox go get the needed subset of files. So it would still be faster than the current manual process.
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