Every time a form is completed in DataScope, you can generate a PDF document with the recorded information.
DataScope offers two options to configure these documents:
Standard PDF: lets you make basic adjustments to the default structure.
Custom PDF: lets you design the document from scratch using the PDF Editor.
📄 Standard PDF
The Standard PDF uses a default structure and lets you make some customizations, such as adding your organization's information, a logo, additional content, and a geolocation map.
What information does it include?
The Standard PDF can show:
Organization information, registered under Settings and Help > Account Settings.
Organization logo.
Form name.
Form code.
Submission date and time.
Location, if the form was answered from a previously configured place.
Answer status, if it was assigned from the Home tab.
Information recorded in the form.
You can also add custom content at the beginning or end of the document, using an image or HTML code.
How do I configure it?
Go to Forms.
Select the form.
Go to Configure > Configure PDF.
Make the modifications available under Standard PDF.
Save your changes.
What can I customize?
You can configure elements such as:
Organization information.
Form logo.
Additional content via image or HTML.
Geolocation map.
📌 Important: the Standard PDF has a predefined structure. It doesn't let you freely rearrange questions, hide specific elements, or design the document from scratch.
If you need this kind of adjustment or more advanced control over the design, you'll need to use the Custom PDF, which is built from scratch using the PDF Editor.
🎨 Custom PDF
(Feature available on paid plans)
If you need to completely change the document's design, you can use the Custom PDF.
With this option, you can build your PDF using the PDF Editor and select the elements you want to include and how you want to organize them.
The Custom PDF lets you use components such as:
Text: text or data.
Table: tables.
Container: groups of components.
Barcode: barcode.
QR Code: QR code.
Image: images.
Header: header.
Footer: footer.
Rectangle: rectangles.
V. Line: vertical line.
H. Line: horizontal line.
Page number: page number.
Symbol: symbols.
To add a component, select it and drag it to the position you want within the document.
How do I access the PDF Editor?
Go to Forms.
Select the form.
Go to Configure > Configure PDF > Custom PDF.
Select Open PDF Editor.
Within the editor, you can add components, modify their properties, and link them to the data recorded in the form.
💡 Tip: for a better experience when using the Custom PDF Editor, we recommend using the Google Chrome browser.
🔗 How do I link form information?
To show answer data within a component:
Select the component.
Double-click it.
Select Insert Data Field.
Look for the corresponding question.
Select the field you want to show.
For example, you can use:
name: the question's name.
value: the recorded answer.
📌 Important: for the form's fields to appear in the PDF Editor, you first need to have generated at least one complete answer for the form. The editor uses the data from the last submitted answer to show the available fields.
👀 How do I preview the PDF?
Within the PDF Editor:
Go to View > Preview.
Check how the document will look.
Verify that the information and components are correctly positioned.
The preview uses the data from the last submitted answer.
To save your changes, use File > Save.
🤖 DataScope Pro PDF Assistant (GPT)
If you need step-by-step help designing or adjusting your PDF, you can use the DataScope Pro PDF Assistant, a GPT specialized in using DataScope's Custom PDF Editor.
This assistant can help you:
Choose the right component for your need.
Answer questions about design, structure, and display.
Guide you through more advanced editor settings.
Recommended if you're creating your first custom PDF or need quick support without leaving your workflow.
🔄 How do I activate a Custom PDF?
After finishing the setup:
Go to Forms > Configure > Configure PDF.
Go to Custom PDF.
Select Activate template.
📌 Note: the Custom PDF is available on paid plans.
❓ Frequently asked questions
Can I have more than one active Custom PDF on the same form?
No. Per form, you can only have one Custom PDF template active at a time. If you need to use a different design, you can update the active template whenever you need from the PDF Editor.
If I change the active template, does it affect answers that have already been completed?
Yes. When you change the template, the change automatically applies to all forms, including answers that were already completed. That is, when you download or regenerate an earlier answer's PDF, it will be generated with whatever design is currently saved in the PDF Editor, not with the design that was active when it was originally completed.
🆚 Which one should I use?
Standard PDF | Custom PDF |
Uses a predefined structure | Lets you design the structure |
Quick setup | Requires setting up the design |
Allows basic customizations | Allows more control over the document |
Ideal for simple adjustments | Ideal for documents with a specific design |
If you only need to add your logo, organization information, or a map, the Standard PDF may be enough.
If you need to control the structure, position, and content of the document, use the Custom PDF.
📚 Need to go deeper?
If you need help with more advanced PDF Editor features, check out:
PDF Generator API Support Center (the engine our Custom PDF Editor runs on)