Automatic field detection - New version

Alert:

This article contains prerelease information. Release dates, features, and other information are subject to change without notice.

Note:

The new version of this experience includes the most commonly used features, but it does not yet match the full functionality of the classic version. Refer to the Supported Elements page for a list of currently available features and those still in development. Additional features will be added in future releases.

Speed up setup with automatic field detection—Acrobat Sign instantly finds and places fields for you.

When you upload a new form to the form-building (Authoring) environment, Acrobat Sign automatically scans the document for visual cues that suggest where form fields may be needed.

Fields located near a signature field are further analyzed. If the field type can be reasonably predicted—such as Full Name, Date, Title, or Company—Acrobat Sign attempts to place the appropriate field type automatically.

As the form author, you can review these candidate fields and choose to accept, move, delete, or convert them to another field type as needed.

Field detection runs automatically whenever a document enters the authoring environment—whether you're creating a template, building a web form, or sending an agreement.

Acrobat Sign places light blue candidate fields on the document if likely fields are identified. These are suggestions only and will not become active fields unless they are assigned to a recipient (or to Anyone).

  • All pages are scanned, and candidate fields are placed across the entire document.
  • Assign fields to participants:
    • Use the Auto-place fields button at the top of the field list to assign all field candidates to the currently selected participant
      -Or-
    • Select an individual candidate field to convert it into an assigned field and assign it to the currently selected participant.
      • The fields are automatically assigned to the currently selected recipient.
      • Once assigned, the field changes color to match the recipient, and a label shows the field type. If prefilled text is added, it replaces the label.
      • To reassign a field, right-click it and select Change recipients.
The authoring environment highlighting the AutoFill button and several candidate fields.

  • Moving an assigned field doesn't remove the original candidate field—you can select the same candidate again to add another field of that type.

Any fields not automatically detected must be manually added. Select the desired field type from the left panel and drag it to the appropriate spot in the document.

Extra fields can be deleted by clicking the field and selecting Delete field.

You can remove all placed fields by right-clicking any field, selecting Reset Fields, and returning the form to the original candidate field layout.

The authoring environment highlighting candidate fields, assigned fields, and the two context menus

Note:

Automatic field detection won’t run in the following cases:

Form authors should review each detected field to confirm proper placement and configure key properties—especially the field name, assignment, and type. Field assignment is critical when the agreement includes multiple recipients.

Acrobat Sign does not automatically assign meaningful field names. Until renamed, each field is given a generic label, such as Custom Field 1.

Similarly, Acrobat Sign cannot determine which recipient a field belongs to. When a candidate field is selected, it's assigned to the recipient currently active in the recipient list. Make sure each field is assigned to the correct recipient before sending.

The authoring view with all fields assigned.

Note:

Automatically placed fields support all standard field options, including validation rules, conditional logic, and font appearance settings. You can customize these fields just like manually placed ones.

  1. Delete unnecessary fields

    If a field was accidentally assigned, you can remove it using one of the following methods:

    • Select the field and press the Delete key on your keyboard.
    • Double-click the field, then select Delete field from the Advanced Field Actions panel on the left.
    • Right-click (or left-click) the field and choose Delete field from the context menu.
    Note:

    Hold down the Shift key to select multiple fields and drag your pointer to draw a box around the area. Any fields that intersect with the box will be selected.

    Once selected, you can:

    • Delete the group by pressing the Delete key.
    • Move the group by dragging any of the selected fields—everything moves as one unit.
    The authoring environment with multiple fields selected and the right-click context menu open with the Delete icon highlighted.

  2. Resize and move individual fields that are poorly placed. To resize a field:

    1. Select the field. The border will appear bold when selected.
    2. Hover your pointer over a corner or edge until a two-pointed arrow appears.
    3. Drag the corner or edge to adjust the field’s size and shape.
    The authoring environment with a field being resized.

    To move a field, hover your pointer over the field until you see the four-pointed arrow. Then drag the field to the desired location.

    The authoring environment with a field being moved.

    Tip:

    For more accurate placement, try the following steps:

    1. Resize the field to a smaller size.
    2. Move the field so its upper-left corner aligns with the desired anchor point.
    3. Resize the field again to fit the intended space.
  3. Set the correct field type.

    Most candidate fields are added as Text fields by default, but they can be easily converted to other single-line field types.

    Review each field based on the type of information you expect it to capture. If the field isn’t meant for plain text, consider switching to a more appropriate field type.

    To review or change a field type:

    1. Double-click the field to open the Field Properties panel on the left.
      – Or left-click the field and choose Customize field from the context menu.
    2. Expand the Field Type dropdown and select a new type. The field updates immediately.

    The authoring environment with the Customize field panel open and the Field type dropdown expanded and  highlighted

  4. Manually place missed fields.

    If any fields were missed during automatic detection, you can manually add them by selecting a field from the left-hand panel and dragging it onto the document.

    While dragging, the cursor anchors the field by its upper-left corner, helping you align it precisely with your intended placement.

    Once placed, you can resize and reposition the field as needed.

    Teh authoring environment with a text field being dragged from the list of fields to the file content.

    Note:

    Automatically placed fields try to match the size and shape of the line or box they appear within.

    Manually placed fields use a default size, so you’ll likely need to resize them to fit the layout of your form.

  5. Assign fields to the right recipient

    If only the first recipient needs to fill out the form, the default Assigned To value is all you need.

    But if the sender needs to prefill fields—or if there are multiple recipients—make sure each field is assigned to the correct person.

    To update the field assignment:

    1. Double-click the field to open the Field Properties panel on the left.
      – Or click the field and select Customize field from the context menu.

    2. Open the Recipients dropdown and choose the correct recipient.

    3. The field updates instantly, and its color changes to match the recipient.

    Edit the field recipient

  6. Give fields meaningful names

    Clear, intuitive field names make reports easier to read and simplify data mapping. Taking a moment to name each field now will save time and reduce confusion later when reviewing form data or generating reports.

    To rename a field:

    1. Double-click the field to open the Field Properties panel on the left.
      – Or click the field and choose Customize field from the context menu.
    2. In the Field name input box, replace the default name (like Text Field 3) with something meaningful—something that would make sense in a spreadsheet of field values.

     

    The field properties menu highlighting the Field Name input box.

Complete and save your field setup

Work through the document, reviewing and updating each field as needed.

When all fields are in place, select Save or Send to complete the authoring process.

  • If you're creating a template, you can continue editing fields later from the Manage page.

  • If you exit the authoring environment before saving or sending, the document will appear in the Drafts section of your Manage page—but any field placement will be lost.

How to enable or disable

Administrators can enable or disable the Automatic Field Detection feature by configuring the Preview, position signatures or add form fields controls on the Send Settings menu.

Group-level settings are permitted and will override the Account level values. 

Things to Know

Agreements with a total page count over 25 pages will not trigger automatic field detection.

Note:

Automatic Field Detection is processed in one of three server clusters, which may differ from where your other Acrobat Sign data is processed. The server environment used to host the document's authoring determines which server cluster is used for Automatic Field Detection (see below). Please consult with your legal counsel to determine whether Automatic Field Detection is appropriate for your use case.

 Authoring environment   Automatic Field Detection server cluster 
 NA1, NA2, NA3, NA4  Cluster VA6 in Virginia, USA
 EU1, EU2  Cluster IRL1 in Dublin, Ireland
 AU1, IN1, JP1, SG1  Cluster JPN3 in Tokyo, Japan

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