Creating PDF templates

Owned by Lauren Ipsum (Unlicensed)
Last updated: Sept 22, 2021
8 min read

Not all template types support PDF templates

The following template types do not support PDF templates:

  • Fax cover page
  • Loaner agreement
  • Marketing letter
  • Invoice
  • Quote
  • Credit memo

For those template types, see instead: Creating templates using Microsoft Word.

Overview

PDF files can be uploaded directly into Blueprint OMS as templates for forms and correspondence.

PDF templates support fillable fields, checkboxes, radio buttons, and drop-down menus. Additionally, you can add merge fields that will automatically populate patient information into form fields when instances of the form are generated in Blueprint OMS: find the list of merge fields at the template tool on the Blueprint Solutions website.

 Steps may differ between PDF editing programs. Instructions are listed for Adobe Acrobat Standard DC.

Adding form features to your document

  1. Open the document in your PDF editor.

  2. Click Tools and then select Prepare Form.

  3. Use the toolbar across the top or to select the type of form feature you would like to place on your document. Then click somewhere on your document to place a feature of that type there. Click and drag to position and resize. Optionally, change the properties of the field. 

    All form fields added to a PDF will automatically be editable when used in Blueprint. To learn about the exceptions for online forms, see: Creating online form templates: PDF.

  4. Repeat until all the desired form fields are on your document.

Tip for editing the placement of elements: Guides

Guides are visual helpers that will help you line up elements on a page. They are not part of the document—they are just visualized on the document. To set up guides, tap Ctrl+R to show rulers, and drag guides out from the rulers. Guides will help you visually line up elements on a page.

Tip for editing the placement of elements: Align, Match Size, Center, and Distribute

In Prepare Form mode, you can select multiple form fields and use the Align, Match Size, Center, and Distribute options to help position and size the form fields. Align and Match Size will be with respect to the key object, outlined in dark blue; Center will be with respect to the page; and Distribute will be with respect to the selection.

It is best to use unique names for form fields

Form fields with identical names will display identical information at all times. If one of these fields is edited in Blueprint OMS, then any other fields with the same name anywhere else on the same form, will change to match what was typed in the one field. This especially causes problems when a form has multiple, identically-named checkboxes. To allow fields to have different contents from each other, ensure that the fields have unique names.

Tooltips

Optionally, add tooltip text for the field, which can provide more information about the required information when the user hovers over the field while viewing the document in Blueprint OMS. If no tooltip is entered, the field's name will be used as the tooltip.

Font sizing and other Appearance options

In the Appearance tab of the Text Field Properties dialog, you can set the appearance of the text field as well as the text. If you set Auto as the font size, the text will stay small enough to remain completely visible in the field. One strategy for setting font sizes is to always use the Auto size and keep the vertical height of the text fields short and uniform; this way, there is no need to test whether the font size is too large to be completely visible in the field.

Text alignment, the multi-line setting, and text snippet capability

In the Options tab of the Text Field Properties dialog, you can set the alignment of the text in the field. In this tab, you can also set the text field to be a multi-line field. For PDF template, text snippets can be used in multi-line fields but not single-line fields.

See also: Adobe Acrobat User Guide: Form field properties.


Adding merge fields to the template

Merge fields for text data

  1. Open the list of merge field names for PDF templates, found in the template tool on the Blueprint Solutions website.
  2. With the document open in your PDF editor, in Prepare Form mode, rename the fields to their corresponding merge field names, as given by the template tool.

Notes about merge fields instantiated by text

  • It is not possible to insert a merge field in the middle of a text field that also has other text in it.
  • Some merge fields will only work in multi-line text fields. Text fields are single-line by default, but they can be changed to multi-line in the Options tab of the Text Field Properties dialog.
    • Some examples of such merge fields are clinicAddressBlock, clinicAddressMultipleLines, clinicNameAndAddressMultipleLines, patientAddressMultipleLines, contactAddressMultipleLines, insurer1AddressMultipleLines, etc.
  • For merge fields that populate dates, you can set the desired date format in the Format tab of the Text Field Properties dialog. For a caveat about date formats in online forms, see: Creating online form templates: PDF.

Merge fields that can be used with checkboxes, radio buttons, and drop-down menus

Some merge fields that can populate text in text fields also work as checkboxes or radio button groups or drop-down menus. 

Checkboxes

Checkboxes can be used for true/false information such as communication preferences. When the merge field name is used in a text field, the field will populate "Yes" or "No."

When merge field name is is used in a checkbox, the field will populate checked or not checked.

Radio buttons

Radio buttons are best used for fields that force one of a few definite options. One example is the gender of the patient. When the merge field name is used in a text field, the field will populate the value of the field.

To use the merge field for a group of radio buttons, set the group name to the merge field name, and set the radio button choice names to the different values. The form will select the radio option associated with the group's value for the patient.

Drop-down menus

Drop-down menus are best used for fields that only offer a few definite options. One example is the patient's provider. When the merge field name is used in a text field, the field will populate the value of the field.

When a merge field is used on a drop-down menu, the correct value will populate on the form, but the user will be able to change the field's value to one of the given options. This option is most useful for online forms. For more information, see: Creating online form templates: PDF.


Merge fields that populate pictures

Templates can populate clinic logos, default user signatures, audiograms, and tympanograms, using merge fields.

  1. Create a text field at the spot on the form where image should go.
  2. Set the merge field as the text field's name

Numbering logos and user signatures

If multiple fields are named identically, and the field name contains the name of a picture merge field, then only the first field will display the picture in Blueprint OMS. To get around this, make the field names unique while keeping the merge field name in the fields' names. For example, "logo 1" and "logo 2" will both populate the logo. 

Proportions

Pictures that populate in merge fields will retain their own proportions, and will not stretch to fit the proportions of the field.

Electronic signatures

  1. Create a text field at the spot on the form where the electronic signature should populate.

  2. Set the text field's name to include "eSignature" and any other information to ensure that the field name is unique and that the eSignature prompt is helpful.

Proportions

If a form is signed using a signature pad, then the signature will stretch to fit the shape of the field. If a form is signed using a tablet, the signature will not stretch. Here is an example with two eSignature fields of different shapes, with one instance signed with a signature pad and another instance signed with a tablet.

Signing using a signature pad:

Signing using a tablet:

Multiple eSignature fields on one form

If a form that has multiple, identically named eSignature fields is being signed using a signature pad, there will be only one signing prompt for each unique eSignature field name, and the signature will only populate in the same eSignature field. 

To avoid this problem, make sure all the eSignature fields are named differently, but remember to include "eSignature" in the field name.

Then, there will be only one signing prompt for each unique eSignature field name, and the images collected will merge into the corresponding form fields.


Uploading your template

  1. At Setup > Templates > Forms or Setup > Templates > Correspondence, click the UPLOAD button.

    Note: PDF templates cannot be used with the marketing module, or as fax cover pages, or as loaner agreements.

  2. The Open dialog will appear. In it, select the file you wish to upload as a template, and then click OPEN.
  3. The Add document dialog will appear. In it, set a template type, a title, and optionally a description. For more information about the different template types, see Setting up templates.

  4. Click SAVE.





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