How to Handle Manually Returned Forms in Adobe Acrobat Tracker
Question details
The user needs to associate manually emailed PDF form responses with specific recipients in Acrobat Tracker.
- Product
- Adobe Acrobat
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Collecting distributed PDF form responses where users bypassed the built-in submission workflow.
- Observed behavior
- Responses returned manually via email appear as anonymous users in Acrobat Tracker, breaking the automatic tracking workflow.
Ensure you have downloaded and saved all the manually returned PDF forms from your email client into a dedicated folder on your computer before attempting to process them.
Manually Record the Recipient Information
Since Acrobat Tracker cannot automatically link manually emailed forms to the original recipient, you must manually track and associate these responses.
Acrobat Tracker relies on the metadata sent when a user clicks the 'Submit Form' button. When a file is manually saved and emailed, this tracking link is broken, causing the system to label the sender as anonymous.
Open your email client and locate the message containing the manually returned PDF form to identify the recipient's email address.
Open Adobe Acrobat, go to 'View' > 'Tracker', and navigate to the status page of your distributed form.
Match the submitted data from the anonymous entry in Acrobat Tracker with the PDF file attached to the sender's email.
Use an external spreadsheet or tracking system to manually mark that specific recipient as having completed the form.
Request Resubmission via the Tracked Workflow
Ask the recipient to use the proper submission method to keep your Acrobat Tracker organized automatically.
Edit and Manage PDF Forms Easily with WPS Office
If complex PDF tracking workflows are causing frustration, try WPS Office. It offers a lightweight, highly compatible PDF editor that makes creating, filling, editing, and managing PDF forms straightforward without complicated tracking setups.
- 1. Download and install: Get WPS Office from the official website and install it on your device.
- 2. Open your PDF: Launch WPS Office and open your interactive PDF form directly within the application.
- 3. Fill and share: Easily fill out the form fields, save the document, and share it directly via email using the built-in sharing tools.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do emailed PDF forms show up as anonymous in Acrobat Tracker?
When a user manually saves and emails a form instead of clicking the 'Submit Form' button, the specific tracking metadata required by Acrobat Tracker is not transmitted to the server, resulting in an anonymous entry.
Can I merge anonymous responses into a known recipient profile in Acrobat?
No, Acrobat Tracker does not currently offer a built-in feature to merge or manually assign an anonymous response to a specific tracked recipient. You must keep track of these manually outside the software.
How can I prevent users from emailing forms manually in the future?
You can add clear instructions at the top of your PDF form emphasizing that users must use the 'Submit Form' button. Additionally, ensure the submit button is large, prominently placed, and clearly labeled within the document design.
