Checkboxes

Checkboxes make forms more straightforward by allowing users to select multiple options with a single action. They are ideal for collecting preferences, permissions, and confirmations, such as subscribing to updates or agreeing to terms and conditions.

They also improve accessibility and usability. Checkboxes are easy to navigate with a keyboard or screen reader, making them an inclusive choice for all users. Since they provide explicit, visual confirmation of selections, they help reduce errors and ensure user intent is accurately captured.

By simplifying decision-making and streamlining form completion, checkboxes create a faster, more efficient experience. They eliminate unnecessary typing and make it easy for users to interact with a form, leading to higher completion rates and better data accuracy.

Availability:

Acrobat Standard and Acrobat Pro: Supported
Acrobat Sign Solutions: Supported
Acrobat Sign for Government: Supported

Left-click field menu

Left-clicking (or CMD-clicking) a checkbox field opens a submenu that provides quick access to common customization options. This submenu offers a streamlined alternative to the entire field customization menu, making it especially attractive to experienced form builders.

Of note is the option to convert the field into a Radio Button.

View of the field with the left click field menu exposed.

Customizing the field properties:

Double-clicking the field opens the full customization menu in the context panel.

The field's left-click menu also has an option to open the Customize field panel:

The Checkbox field with the left-click menu exposed and Customise field highlighted.

Checkbox fields have five sections that can be configured:

When added to an agreement, each field must be assigned to a specific participant (Prefill, participant1, participant2) or condition (Any recipient, All recipients). Field assignment determines who can interact with the field, ensuring that only the designated recipient(s) can complete it.

Field Assignment Options

Explicitly Assigned to a Recipient – Only the designated recipient can fill in explicitly assigned. If the field is required, they must complete it before proceeding. If the field is optional and left empty, it remains locked for others.
Prefill – Prefill fields are available only to the sender before the agreement is sent. Recipients cannot edit or interact with prefilled fields.
Any recipient – The field is available to each recipient in turn until one of them enters content. Once completed, it becomes locked (read-only) for all subsequent recipients.

Proper field assignment ensures clarity in document workflows, prevents unauthorized edits, and maintains structured, organized agreements.

The Field Assigned To section of the field properties with three recipients and three example fields

Tip:

Note that the colored dot next to a recipient’s name or email in the recipient list corresponds to the colored border of the fields assigned to that recipient. This visual cue helps quickly identify which fields belong to each signer, making it easier to manage and verify field assignments within the agreement.

The Checkbox field includes four configurable elements:

Required field – When selected, the field becomes mandatory. The assigned recipient must interact with it, which is uncommon with checkboxes.
- If you have a use case that requires a checkbox, consider if using an Initials field would provide a more effective result.
Value type – Allows the form author to change the field value between Entered and Calculated.
- An Entered value expects the recipient to interact with the field to either check or uncheck it.
- A Calculated value expects the field value (checked or unchecked) to be automatically adjusted based on the values of other fields. Selecting the Calculated option will:
  - Require the form author to enter a formula to alter the checkbox value.
  - Lock the field value such that the recipient can't edit it. The field is calculated, so manually editing it is not permitted.
  - Remove the option to set the field as Required. The field value is set outside the action of the recipient.
  - Remove the option to set the Checkbox default value.
Checkbox default - Define if the checkbox should be Checked or Unchecked when the agreement is first displayed to the recipient.
Field name - The name of the field. Naming your field intuitively will significantly improve the experience when running reports and data exports. The default values will reflect the field type and an incrementing value. Consider changing the name to reflect the use of the field. e.g., Customer Initials, Countersignature Initials, Manager Initials.

View of the field customization menu with the Customizable Field Type section highlighted.

Custom Field Content controls how the field appears in the form:

Tooltip – A tooltip is a message that appears in a text bubble when the recipient hovers over a field in the e-signing experience. Use this value to display the field name or provide simple instructions.
Lock field value - When enabled, the field is read-only. The recipient will not be allowed to alter the value.

The "Customize field" panel highlighting the "Customize Field Content" section

The advanced field actions are the same as those available when you right-click a field to open the quick menu.

Copy field – Copies the field and its current values to your clipboard. The only difference between the original and copied field is the field name.
- To paste, right-click where you want the field and select Paste from the menu.
- You can also use the keyboard shortcuts Ctrl/Cmd + C to copy and Ctrl/Cmd + V to paste.
Delete field – Removes the field.
- You can recover a deleted field using the Undo shortcut: Ctrl/Cmd + Z if needed.
Clone and link fields – Creates an identical clone of the field with the same name and properties next to the original field. Because the fields share the same name, they remain linked—editing one updates all linked copies. Likewise, when a recipient enters content into one field, it's replicated to all its clones. This is useful when multiple forms in an agreement require the same information. For example, if a form requests a signer's Name and Address more than once, cloning the fields allows the signer to enter their information once, automatically updating all linked fields.
- You can create multiple linked clones of the same field.
- You can delete an individual clone of a field without impacting the other clones.
Repeat Field on All Pages – Adds a copy of the field to every page of the agreement in the same position as the original (using the same x and y coordinates).

The Advanced Field Actions section of the field properties.

You can set conditions to control how fields interact with each other, allowing fields to appear or be hidden based on user input.

A condition determines whether a field is shown or hidden when specific values are met. This can be triggered by a single event (such as checking a box) or a series of events where any or all conditions must be met (such as checking a box, applying a signature, and selecting a radio button).

Setting Field Conditions in Acrobat Sign

When configuring conditional logic for a field, you define how it behaves when specific conditions are met.

Field state: How does the field change?

The Field state setting determines whether the field is shown or hidden when triggered by a condition:

Show this field – The field is hidden by default and appears when the condition is met.
Hide this field – The field is visible by default and disappears when the condition is met.

When: What is the scope of conditions for changing the field state?

The condition scope defines if one or all conditions must be met to effect a change in the field state.

Any – If any defined conditions are met, the action is triggered.
All – Every condition in the set must be met before the action is triggered.

Conditions: What has to happen for the field state to change?

Conditions define which criteria must be satisfied before the action occurs. The condition must identify a specific field and evaluate that field's state or contents based on the operator.
Define a condition by:

Select a field – Choose the field that will act as the trigger. All fields currently on the form are listed.
Choose an operator – Define how the trigger evaluates the field's state. The available options vary based on the field type (e.g., for checkboxes: is/isn't selected; for text fields: comparisons such as equals, greater than, or contains)
Set the trigger value – Define the value that activates the condition. For checkboxes, this is checked or unchecked. For text fields, this can be a specific value or a Contains/Doesn't contain type of expression.

Multiple conditions can be set by selecting the plus icon under the existing condition. This adds a new condition that can be configured, expanding the scope of the existing condition.

By setting up conditions, you can create dynamic, interactive forms that adjust based on user input, improving efficiency and usability.

The Add or Edit Conditions section of the field properties.

Text tag examples

Unassigned Checked Checkbox Text Tag

Checkbox1_es_:checkbox(checked)

Breakdown of the Tag:

Checkbox1 → Unique field name (you can modify as needed).
_es_ → The text tag signifier. Do not edit or omit.
checkbox → Defines the field as a checkbox field.
checked→ Makes the checkbox checked by default.

Required Unchecked Checkbox Text Tag

Required_Checkbox_es_:signer1:checkbox:required

Breakdown of the Tag:

Required_Checkbox → Unique field name (you can modify as needed).
_es_ → The text tag signifier. Do not edit or omit.
signer1 → Assigns the field to the first signer.
checkbox → Defines the field as a checkbox field.
required → Makes the field required.

Checkbox with a Label Text Tag

Agreement_Checkbox_es_:signer1:checkbox:label("I agree.")

Breakdown of the Tag:

Agreement_Checkbox → Unique field name (you can modify as needed).
_es_ → The text tag signifier. Do not edit or omit.
signer1 → Assigns the field to the first signer.
checkbox→ Defines the field as a checkbox field.
label → Adds a text label to the right side of the checkbox.

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