PDF Form Data Export

Read AcroForm field names, types and current values from a PDF and export them to JSON

Reads the AcroForm of a PDF and exports every field — name, type, current value, options — as a JSON string shown directly in the output area (no file download). This is the inverse of the PDF form filler: it only reads and never modifies the source PDF. Pure-JS via pdf-lib.

Example Results

2 examples

Export filled form values to JSON

Reads every AcroForm field (text, checkbox, radio, dropdown) and exports names + values as a JSON string.

{
  "sourceFile": "form-sample-acroform.pdf",
  "hasXfa": false,
  "count": 5,
  "totalFields": 5,
  "fields": [
    {
      "name": "full_name",
      "type": "text",
      "value": "Alex Doe",
      "required": true,
      "readOnly": false
    },
    {
      "name": "agree_terms",
      "type": "checkbox",
      "value": true,
      "required": false,
      "readOnly": false
    },
    {
      "name": "tier",
      "type": "radio",
      "value": "pro",
      "required": false,
      "readOnly": false,
      "options": [
        "basic",
        "pro"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "values": {
    "full_name": "Alex Doe",
    "agree_terms": true,
    "tier": "pro"
  }
}

View input parameters

{ "pdfFile": "/public/samples/pdf/form-sample-acroform.pdf", "includeEmptyFields": true, "includeFieldOptions": true }

Inspect an empty form template

Exports the field schema (names, types, options) of a blank template so you can prepare fill data.

{
  "sourceFile": "form-template-blank.pdf",
  "count": 3,
  "fields": [
    {
      "name": "applicant_name",
      "type": "text",
      "value": "",
      "required": true,
      "readOnly": false
    },
    {
      "name": "department",
      "type": "dropdown",
      "value": "",
      "required": false,
      "readOnly": false,
      "options": [
        "Engineering",
        "Design",
        "Sales"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "values": {
    "applicant_name": "",
    "department": ""
  }
}

View input parameters

{ "pdfFile": "/public/samples/pdf/form-template-blank.pdf", "includeEmptyFields": true, "includeFieldOptions": true }

PDF File *

Click to upload file or drag and drop file here

Maximum file size: 100MB Supported formats: application/pdf

Include Empty Fields

Include fields that have no value in the export

Include Field Options

Include available options for radio/dropdown/list fields

Key Facts

Category: Documents & PDF
Input Types: file, checkbox
Output Type: text
Sample Coverage: 4
API Ready: Yes

Overview

The PDF Form Data Export tool extracts AcroForm field names, types, current values, and options from any PDF document and displays them as a structured JSON string. Running entirely in your browser via pdf-lib, it reads form schemas and filled values without modifying your original file.

When to Use

•When you need to inspect the field names and structure of a blank PDF form template before writing automation scripts to fill it.
•When you want to extract user-submitted data from filled PDF forms and convert it into JSON for database insertion or API payloads.
•When you need to verify the available options in dropdowns, radio buttons, or checkboxes within a PDF form.

How It Works

•Upload your PDF file containing AcroForm fields into the tool.
•Configure extraction options, such as whether to include empty fields or field options like dropdown choices.
•The tool parses the PDF's AcroForm structure in the browser using pdf-lib and outputs the extracted field data as a JSON string.

Use Cases

Mapping PDF form field names to database columns for automated data entry pipelines.

Extracting customer responses from filled application forms to import into a CRM system.

Auditing PDF templates to verify field properties like read-only status and required flags.

Examples

1. Extracting Filled Application Form Data

Data Operations Analyst

Background: An analyst receives filled membership application PDFs and needs to import the applicant details into a database.
Problem: Manually copying text from PDF fields is slow and prone to transcription errors.
How to Use: Upload the filled PDF form, check both 'Include Empty Fields' and 'Include Field Options', and copy the generated JSON output.
Example Config: pdfFile: membership-form.pdf, includeEmptyFields: true, includeFieldOptions: true
Outcome: The analyst gets a clean JSON object containing the applicant's name, email, and selected membership tier.

2. Inspecting Blank PDF Form Schema

Software Developer

Background: A developer is writing a script to programmatically fill out a government tax form PDF but doesn't know the exact internal field names.
Problem: The developer needs to identify the exact AcroForm keys (like 'txt_first_name' vs 'FirstName') to target them in code.
How to Use: Upload the blank PDF template, enable 'Include Empty Fields', and inspect the keys in the output JSON.
Example Config: pdfFile: tax-template.pdf, includeEmptyFields: true, includeFieldOptions: false
Outcome: The developer obtains a complete list of field names and types, allowing them to map their data payload accurately.

Try with Samples

json, pdf, file

PDF Samples

Generated PDF samples from tools dated 2026-02-01 to 2026-02-10

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pdf

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FAQ

Does this tool modify my original PDF file?

No, this tool only reads the AcroForm data and does not alter or save changes to your source PDF.

Can I extract options from dropdowns and radio buttons?

Yes, by enabling the 'Include Field Options' setting, the tool will export all available choices for selection fields.

Does this tool support XFA forms?

The tool extracts standard AcroForm fields; XFA-specific layout data is not fully parsed or converted.

Are my PDF files uploaded to a server?

No, all processing is done locally in your web browser using JavaScript, ensuring your document data remains private.

Why are some fields missing from the JSON output?

If fields are empty, ensure the 'Include Empty Fields' option is checked to prevent them from being filtered out.

API Documentation

Request Endpoint

POST /en/api/tools/pdf-form-data-export

Request Parameters

Parameter Name	Type	Required	Description
pdfFile	file (Upload required)	Yes	-
includeEmptyFields	checkbox	No	Include fields that have no value in the export
includeFieldOptions	checkbox	No	Include available options for radio/dropdown/list fields

File type parameters need to be uploaded first via POST /upload/pdf-form-data-export to get filePath, then pass filePath to the corresponding file field.

Response Format

{
  "result": "Processed text content",
  "error": "Error message (optional)",
  "message": "Notification message (optional)",
  "metadata": {
    "key": "value"
  }
}

Text: Text

AI MCP Documentation

Add this tool to your MCP server configuration:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "elysiatools-pdf-form-data-export": {
      "name": "pdf-form-data-export",
      "description": "Read AcroForm field names, types and current values from a PDF and export them to JSON",
      "baseUrl": "https://elysiatools.com/mcp/sse?toolId=pdf-form-data-export",
      "command": "",
      "args": [],
      "env": {},
      "isActive": true,
      "type": "sse"
    }
  }
}

You can chain multiple tools, e.g.: `https://elysiatools.com/mcp/sse?toolId=png-to-webp,jpg-to-webp,gif-to-webp`, max 20 tools.

Supports URL file links or Base64 encoding for file parameters.

If you encounter any issues, please contact us at [email protected]