Review the properties available for form fields and identify which field types support the behavior you need.
In Adobe Acrobat Sign, the properties shown in Customize field depend on the selected field type. Use this reference to understand what each property controls and where it's available.
To choose the appropriate field first, see Form field types. To change properties on a placed field, see Add and configure form fields.
Common field properties
| Property | Available for | What it controls |
|---|---|---|
| Field name | All fields | Identifies the field in authoring and downstream uses such as exported field data and calculations. |
| Recipient assignment | Most fields | Determines which recipient completes or interacts with the field. Link, Participation stamp, and Transaction number don't have a recipient assignment. |
| Required | Most fields | Requires the recipient to complete the field before finishing their action. Participation stamp and Transaction number are system-generated and can't be made Required. |
| Prefilled text | Supported input fields | Provides a value before the recipient opens the agreement. It isn't available for system-populated fields or field types whose value is supplied through another interaction. |
| Lock field value | Fields that support Prefilled text | Displays the prefilled value without allowing the recipient to change it. |
| Tooltip | Selected field types | Provides additional guidance associated with the field. |
| Text to display | Image, Attachment, and Link |
Use meaningful field names
Every field has a field name. Use a name that identifies the information the field represents, especially when the data will be exported, reported on, or referenced in a calculation.
For example, Employee ID is more useful downstream than Text 4.
Field names must be unique. They can't:
- Begin or end with a period.
- Contain consecutive periods.
See Calculated field formulas and functions when field names are used in calculations.
Understand Prefilled text
Prefilled text provides an initial value while the agreement is being authored.
It isn't available for:
- Signature-related fields
- Recipient name
- Recipient email
- Date of signing
- Image
- Attachment
- Stamp
- Link
- Participation stamp
- Transaction number
For fields that support it, use Lock field value when recipients should see the value but not change it.
Don't confuse Prefilled text with the Prefill recipient role. Prefill lets the sender enter transaction-specific information after selecting Send and before the agreement reaches the first recipient.
See Use Prefill fields.
Add guidance to fields
Tooltip
A tooltip is available for:
- Text
- Number
- Company
- Title
- Attachment
- Checkbox
- Radio button
- Stamp
- Image
- Link
Use tooltips for concise guidance that helps recipients understand what a field expects.
Text to display
Text to display is available for fields such as Image, Attachment, and Link, where the field interaction isn't based on entering a standard text value.
For Image and Link fields, the display text appears within the field area.
Configure appearance
Text-based fields can provide controls for the appearance of displayed values.
Font, font size, font color, and justification are available for:
- Text
- Number
- Recipient name
- Recipient email
- Title
- Company
- Date
- Date of signing
Checkbox and Radio button fields provide an option to display the field border.
Form fields don't provide a configurable background fill color.
Control recipient input
Several properties affect the values recipients can enter.
| Property | Available for | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Validation | Text, Number, Date, Date of signing | Defines an acceptable value or format. |
| Maximum length | Text, Number | Limits how many characters can be entered. |
| Multiline | Text | Allows text to span multiple lines within the field. |
| Masking | Text, Number, Dropdown | Visually obscures the entered value. |
Validation
Validation controls the format or range of acceptable input. It doesn't determine whether the field must be completed.
See Configure form field validation for setup and supported validation rules.
Maximum length
Text and Number fields can limit the length of the entered value.
This setting is different from the physical size of the field on the document. Enlarging or reducing the field doesn't change the configured maximum length.
Multiline
Only Text fields support Multiline.
When Multiline is enabled, masking isn't available for that Text field.
Masking
Masking is available for Text, Number, and Dropdown fields.
Masked values are displayed using * characters and remain obscured in the visible and printed agreement.
Masking doesn't remove or encrypt the underlying field value. The complete value remains available in exported field data.
Use masking when the document shouldn't visibly expose the entered value, not when the value must be excluded from collected agreement data.
Add conditional behavior
Conditional behavior is available for form fields except Link.
Conditions can:
- Show a field.
- Hide a field.
- Enable a field.
- Disable a field.
A field configured as Required doesn't need to be completed while a condition keeps it hidden or disabled.
When conditions affect signature fields, each signer must still have at least one visible signature field.
See Set conditions on form fields for configuration.
Use calculated values
Text, Number, Checkbox, and Radio button fields provide a Value type that can be set to Calculated.
Selecting Calculated exposes a Formula property.
For Text and Number fields, calculated values are read-only results derived from the formula. Number fields also provide Display format options for formatting the result.
See:
- Create a calculated field for the authoring workflow.
- Calculated field formulas and functions for formula syntax and supported expressions.
Understand system-populated fields
Some fields obtain their values from Acrobat Sign or from the recipient's signing activity rather than through ordinary field input.
Examples include:
- Recipient name
- Recipient email
- Date of signing
- Participation stamp
- Transaction number
Participation stamp and Transaction number don't have a recipient assignment and their generated content can't be modified by the recipient.
Use Form field types for details about what each system-populated field displays.
Streamline your work with Acrobat Sign
Manage and sign documents online quickly and easily.
