propform can create PDFs itself from your form submissions — with no onOffice PDF Designer and no template maintenance. With one click you get a ready-made draft built from your form content, and you adjust design and structure directly in propform.
💡 The PDF generator is the simple alternative to PDF generation via onOffice templates. Both approaches can be used in parallel — per form, even at the same time.
When a form is submitted, propform renders the content into a DIN A4 PDF — with your logo, your fonts and colours. The PDF is processed via the familiar “Create & store file” pipeline: storage on the address and/or property record in onOffice, optional link field, email attachment, password protection and digital signature.
The template consists of blocks (headings, texts, field-value lists, images, signature areas …) that you arrange in a simple editor. The PDF preview button shows you the exact look at any time — what you see there is the real PDF.
⚠️ Without the “Create & store file” setting activated and a storage location selected, no propform PDF is generated.
Under Settings → PDF design, you define your default design:
Every form adopts this design as a starting point for its own PDF template. Changes to the account design do not retroactively affect existing form templates — so your forms remain stable.
Instead of the propform layout with logo and header, you can store your own letterhead — as a PDF or image (PNG/JPG). When creating the PDF, propform places it as a background under every page; the propform logo and header are then omitted automatically, because your letterhead brings its own header and design. Footer text and page numbers remain available as configured.
How to set it up:
First and continuation sheet: The first page applies to page 1 of the document. Optionally, upload a second sheet for page 2 and onwards (e.g. without the large letterhead header) — without a continuation sheet, the first page applies to all pages. Both files must be of the same type (both PDF or both image).
Page margins: You store default margins in millimetres on the letterhead — they determine where the PDF content starts and ends, e.g. below your letterhead header. Per form, you can additionally override the margins in the editor without changing the letterhead itself.
Good to know:
Via “Design template” (or directly …/forms/{id}/pdf-template) you open the editor:
| Block | Description |
|---|---|
| Heading | H1–H3, with an accent line for H2 |
| Text | free-text paragraph, onOffice macros allowed |
| Field-value list | table of fields (label + value): form fields with the submitted values and additional onOffice fields of the linked address/property record (even if they do not appear in the form) |
| Single field | one field, optionally with its own label |
| Two columns | two columns with their own sub-blocks |
| Image | via URL, adjustable width/alignment/caption |
| Divider | dividing line or spacing — skipped automatically when nothing is printed before or after it (e.g. when all fields of an optional group are empty and hidden) |
| Page break | forces a new PDF page |
| Signature | signature line; shows the signature from a form signature field or from the document view |
The editor is deliberately a sketch (not a pixel-perfect view): it shows structure and content. The truth about the appearance comes from the PDF preview button — it renders the current draft as a real PDF, even before saving.
The file name comes from “Create & store file” → File name (macros allowed). PDF protection and signature (step 3 of the section) also apply to the propform PDF.
The highlight of the PDF generator: after submitting, the visitor can be shown the finished document and sign directly inside it — just like a real contract.
How it works:
As long as it is not signed, nothing happens — nothing is processed and nothing is written to onOffice. This ensures that e.g. no onOffice auto-processes (triggered by activities) can start before the signature has actually been given. If the visitor does not sign within 72 hours, the submission is discarded — like an abandoned form.
Multiple signatures: The template can contain any number of signature blocks (e.g. “Tenant 1” and “Tenant 2”) — each becomes its own signature field in the document view. For each block you configure in the editor whether it is a required signature: the submit button only becomes active once all required fields (marked with *) have been signed; optional fields may stay empty. Without any required fields, the view acts as a pure review and confirmation page. The first automatically appended signature block defaults to required — unless your form already contains a signature field.
⚠️ Important rule: What the visitor sees is the final PDF. Values from the form are included immediately — they fill field-value lists and also replace simple field macros (e.g.
_Vorname) in text blocks. All other macros (e.g. calculated fields or loops) are resolved against the current onOffice data: property data is available, but the new contact is only created after the signature. Values assigned by onOffice only at creation time (e.g. a new customer number) can therefore not yet appear in the document.
💡 The confirmation email, activity, webhooks and the submission notification to you also wait for the signature — the submission only appears in your submission list afterwards.
Can I use the onOffice PDF and the propform PDF at the same time? Yes. Both sources use the same storage configuration and run in parallel.
Why is my propform PDF empty or missing fields? Empty fields are hidden by default. The preview uses sample data — the real PDF contains the submitted values.
Are macros resolved in the preview? No, in the preview macros remain visible as placeholders (there is no real submission there). In the real PDF and in the document view they are resolved.
Which fields do not appear in the PDF? Videos, link buttons and iFrames cannot be displayed in the PDF and are skipped. Link fields appear with the fields of their mini form — if a link field has no mini form fields configured, there is nothing to display. You can deliberately add hidden fields in the field picker (they are marked there).
What happens with very long forms? The PDF gets automatic page breaks; with the page break block you control them manually. Header, footer and page numbers appear on every page.