Adobe ACROBAT READER 7.0 Manual page 73

About Adobe PDF forms
An Adobe PDF form is an electronic-based document that can collect data from a user and
then send that data via email or the web. A PDF form can contain static or interactive
form fields; interactive form fields let the user fill in the form using their computer, while
static form fields must be printed and filled in by hand. Users who fill in a PDF form that
contains interactive form fields using Adobe Acrobat Professional or Adobe Acrobat
Standard can save their form data along with the PDF form; Adobe Reader users can save
only a blank copy of the PDF form, unless the form author added special usage rights.
It's easy to create electronic PDF forms using Adobe Designer or Adobe Acrobat
Professional. You can design and create an entirely new form, or you can quickly convert
your existing paper and electronic forms to PDF and then add PDF form fields.
There are three types of Adobe PDF forms:
Fill-and-print PDF forms are typically digital presentations of paper forms. Fill-and-print
forms may contain interactive form fields or static form fields; either way, the user must
manually deliver the form, such as via postal mail or fax machine.
Submit-by-email PDF forms contain a button that either extracts the form data from the
PDF form and attaches that data to an email message or attaches the complete PDF
document.
Submit on-line PDF forms contain a button that sends the form data to an on-line
repository, such as a database.
Related Subtopics:
Elements of an Adobe Acrobat PDF form
Setting Forms preferences