How to Customize PDF Submit Button Email Subject and Body
Question details
The user needs to change the default subject line and message body of the email that is generated when clicking a Submit button in a PDF form.
- Product
- PDF Editor
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Creating or editing an interactive, fillable PDF form that requires an automated and pre-formatted email submission.
- Observed behavior
- The user wants to configure the PDF form's Submit button to automatically pre-fill the recipient's email subject and body fields upon click.
Ensure you have a PDF editing tool that allows configuring interactive button actions and basic knowledge of URL encoding for handling spaces and special characters.
Configure the Submit Button Action with a Mailto URL
Use specific mailto parameters in the button's submit action to pre-fill the email's subject and body text automatically.
When a user clicks the Submit button, the PDF reader triggers the device's default email client. By adding specific parameters to the mailto link, you can dictate exactly what the email subject and body will contain.
It is crucial to use URL encoding for spaces (represented as %20) and special characters to ensure compatibility across different email clients and operating systems.
Open your PDF form in a PDF editor that supports form field editing. Right-click the Submit button and select Properties.
In the Properties window, click on the Actions tab. Choose 'Submit a form' or 'Open a web link' from the 'Select Action' dropdown, depending on your PDF editor's specific configuration options, and click Add.
In the URL field, enter your configured mailto link using this format: mailto:user@domain.com?subject=This%20is%20your%20subject&body=The%20body%20of%20the%20message.
Click OK to save the action, close the Properties window, and save your PDF document. Click the button in preview mode to verify that your default email client opens with the correct subject and body.
Create and Customize Interactive PDF Forms with WPS Office
WPS Office provides a comprehensive PDF editor that lets you quickly build interactive forms, add customizable push buttons, and configure advanced submit actions effortlessly.
- 1. Open your PDF: Download and install WPS Office, then open your PDF document using WPS PDF.
- 2. Access Form tools: Navigate to the 'Form' tab on the top ribbon to access the interactive form editing tools.
- 3. Insert a Push Button: Click the 'Push Button' icon and drag on the document to insert a submit button.
- 4. Configure the Mailto Action: Double-click the newly created button to open its Properties. Go to the Actions tab, choose 'Open a web link', and paste your formatted 'mailto:' link.
- 5. Save the document: Exit form editing mode and save your interactive PDF to share it with your users.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are there weird characters or broken links in my email subject when testing the PDF?
This usually happens if spaces or special characters aren't properly URL-encoded. Always use '%20' for spaces instead of pressing the spacebar in the mailto link, and encode characters like '&' as '%26'.
Can I add multiple email recipients to the PDF submit button?
Yes, you can add multiple email addresses by separating them with a comma in the mailto link, for example: mailto:user1@domain.com,user2@domain.com?subject=Test.
Does the custom submit button work on mobile PDF readers?
Support varies depending on the app. While standard desktop PDF readers like WPS Office and Adobe Acrobat fully support mailto button actions, some basic mobile PDF viewers or web browsers may ignore interactive button actions entirely.
