Output Format Export
Download every filled form in the format the next step of your workflow actually requires — editable PDF, flat PDF, merged batch PDF, or Word
Overview
A filled form that can't be delivered in the right format isn't actually done. A government agency that rejects fillable PDFs, a client who needs to add a signature field you didn't anticipate, a legal team that requires a Word copy for redlining, a compliance department combining 80 individual submissions into one file — each scenario has a different output requirement, and none of them are edge cases.
Instafill.ai gives you explicit control over how filled documents leave the platform. After a form filling session completes, you choose whether to download an editable PDF (AcroForm fields intact, recipient can still modify), a flat PDF (field values stamped into the page layer, no interactive elements), or a Word (.docx) file for organizations that need to continue editing in Microsoft Word. For batch jobs, all filled forms can be merged into a single flat PDF for consolidated delivery.
The format choice doesn't change the content — field values, checkbox states, and signatures are preserved identically across formats. The choice determines what the downstream recipient can do with the file.
Output Formats
Editable PDF (Default)
The default output of every filled session is an editable PDF — the filled form with its AcroForm interactive fields preserved. Field values are populated, but the PDF remains a live form: the recipient can open it in Adobe Acrobat, Preview, or any standard PDF viewer, click into a field, and change a value.
Before downloading, you can also edit field values directly inside Instafill.ai. After autofill completes, the filled form is displayed with all field values visible — you can click into any field, correct a value, adjust a checkbox, or update text, and those changes are saved to the session. Whatever values are in the form at download time are what appear in the downloaded file.
Use editable PDF when:
- You are delivering a pre-filled form to a client or applicant who will review and optionally modify it before submitting
- Your downstream process includes a signature step that injects fields dynamically
- The form requires review and approval with potential corrections from multiple parties
- You want to allow recipients to export the data from the PDF's field structure programmatically
Flat PDF (Print-Ready, Tamper-Proof)
A flat PDF has no interactive fields. Field values are rasterized — rendered as image content inside the page layer — so the document looks exactly like the filled form but cannot be edited in any PDF editor. There are no field overlays, no AcroForm dictionary, and no widget annotations.
Flat PDF is produced through one of two paths depending on context:
- Rasterization path: Each page is rendered to JPEG at 3× zoom and reinserted into a new PDF document. High zoom factor ensures printed output is sharp and field values are pixel-crisp.
- Vector stamping path: Field values are stamped directly into the PDF content stream, preserving vector content rather than rasterizing. This produces smaller file sizes while maintaining print quality.
- API access:
POST /api/tools/flatten-pdfaccepts any filled PDF and returns the flattened version with filenameflattened_{original_name}.
Use flat PDF when:
- Submitting to government agencies or portals that reject fillable PDFs (USCIS, CMS, state agencies, court systems)
- Archiving completed documents — flat PDFs cannot be accidentally modified
- Printing and physical filing — no field borders or highlighting artifacts in printed output
- Sending to parties who should not be able to alter values after the fact
- Any workflow where a "final" document needs to be locked at the point of delivery
Word (.docx) Export
Filled forms can be exported as Microsoft Word documents for organizations that need to continue working with the content in Word format — adding commentary, redlining, adjusting layout, or feeding into a downstream Word-based workflow.
Use Word export when:
- The filled document needs further editing that is easier in Word than in a PDF editor
- Downstream systems consume Word files (contract management platforms, document assembly tools, HRIS)
- Legal or compliance teams require a Word copy alongside the PDF for review and annotation
- The organization's standard for completed documents is Word, not PDF
Merged Batch PDF
When a batch job fills the same form for many records — 100 insurance renewals, 50 onboarding packets, 200 compliance certifications — the individual filled PDFs can be merged into a single flat PDF for consolidated delivery.
Each individual filled form is processed through the flattening pipeline, then all pages are concatenated into one PDF. The AcroForm structure is removed from the merged output — the result is always a flat, non-interactive file. The merged PDF is stored in Azure Blob Storage and accessible via:
POST /api/batches/{batch_id}/merge-into-flat-pdf— triggers merge for specified row IDsGET /api/batches/{batch_id}/merged-pdf-url— retrieves the URL of a previously generated merge
Use merged batch PDF when:
- Submitting a batch of completed forms to an agency or client in one file
- Creating a consolidated archive of all records processed in a batch run
- Printing a full batch — one print job rather than 100 separate files
- Generating a combined report where all filled forms appear as sequential pages
How PDF Flattening Works
Understanding the difference between an editable and flat PDF matters for workflows where document integrity is required.
An editable PDF stores field values in a layer above the base page content. AcroForm widget annotations sit on top of the PDF page, and any PDF editor can access, read, or overwrite these values. When you open an editable PDF in Acrobat, click a text field, and type, you are modifying a widget annotation — the base page content is untouched.
When Instafill.ai flattens a filled PDF, it merges the field layer into the base page:
- Each page of the filled PDF is rendered with all field values visible
- The rendered output (either JPEG rasterization at 3× zoom, or iText7 vector stamping) becomes the new page content
- All AcroForm structures — widget annotations, field dictionaries, the AcroForm entry — are removed from the PDF
- The result is a standard PDF page with no form layer: values are embedded in the page content itself
This is the same outcome as printing a fillable PDF to a new PDF file — except that Instafill.ai applies it programmatically on demand, without requiring the user to open, print, and save each file individually.
Use Cases
Government and regulatory submissions: Many federal and state agencies — USCIS, CMS, state licensing boards, court systems — require flat PDF submissions. Fillable PDFs are rejected by portal upload validators or flagged by automated compliance checks. After AI-filling USCIS immigration forms, I-9 packets, or CMS enrollment forms, exporting as flat PDF ensures the submission passes portal requirements without manual flattening.
Client delivery with editing latitude: Mortgage brokers, insurance agents, and benefits administrators frequently pre-fill forms on behalf of clients, then deliver a partially or fully completed form for client review. Editable PDF is the correct format here — the client receives a form with their information already in the fields, can verify each value, correct anything wrong, and sign. No retyping from scratch.
Legal document finalization: Law firms that use Instafill.ai to fill court filings, discovery forms, and regulatory submissions need flat PDF output for anything going to opposing counsel, courts, or agencies. Word export serves the internal workflow — partners reviewing a pre-filled agreement draft can redline in Word before the final version is produced and flattened for delivery.
Batch insurance processing: An insurance back-office running nightly batch jobs to fill 500 renewal forms needs one merged flat PDF per carrier, not 500 individual downloads. The batch merge feature — triggered at job completion or on demand — produces a single consolidated PDF with all renewals sequenced by policy number, ready for bulk submission.
HR onboarding packet delivery: HR teams using batch processing to fill onboarding packets for new hire classes need different output for different parties: editable PDFs go to new hires who sign digitally, flat PDFs go to the HRIS for archival, and Word exports go to the HR business partner who tracks amendments. Multiple format exports from the same filled session serve all three simultaneously.
Archival and compliance documentation: Regulated industries — healthcare, financial services, government contracting — require that completed forms be stored in their final, non-modifiable state. Flat PDF output serves as the archival record. The download event is tracked (GET /api/forms/{formId}/session/{sessionId}/track/download), creating an audit trail of when the completed form was accessed and by whom.
Benefits
- Eliminate manual flattening: No more opening each filled PDF in Acrobat, printing to PDF, and saving — the flat output is generated automatically, on demand, at 3× zoom quality.
- One filled form, multiple delivery formats: The same completed session produces an editable PDF for the applicant, a flat PDF for submission, and a Word copy for internal review — without refilling anything.
- Batch consolidation removes 100-file downloads: A 200-row batch produces one merged PDF rather than 200 individual downloads, each requiring separate handling.
- Correct format on first delivery: Submitting the wrong PDF type to a government portal (fillable when flat is required) means rejection and resubmission delay. Format selection removes this failure mode.
- Audit trail for every download: Download events are tracked per session and per form, supporting compliance requirements for documenting when completed documents were accessed.
- No quality loss in flat output: The 3× zoom rasterization path produces flat PDFs that are visually indistinguishable from the filled original at print resolution — no blurry field values, no formatting artifacts.
Security & Privacy
Export and download operations follow the same access control and audit infrastructure as the rest of the platform:
- Workspace-scoped access: Only users with permissions for the originating session can download output files. Authentication middleware enforces this across all service layers.
- Encrypted storage: Output files are stored in Azure Blob Storage with workspace-scoped encryption keys managed in Azure Key Vault. Batch merged PDFs follow the same encryption policy as individual session outputs.
- Download event tracking: Every download event is recorded, creating a tamper-evident log of who accessed completed documents and when. This supports HIPAA audit requirements, SOX documentation trails, and internal compliance reviews.
- Configurable retention: Downloaded files remain accessible for the workspace retention period. Automatic deletion after a configured window prevents indefinite retention of sensitive completed documents.
- No downstream data exposure: Flat PDF export removes AcroForm field metadata — the merged output contains no extractable field structure that could expose field names, field IDs, or form schema to downstream recipients.
Common Questions
Can I edit field values inside Instafill.ai before downloading?
Yes. After autofill completes, the filled form is shown with all field values populated. You can click into any field directly in Instafill.ai to correct a value, update text, or change a checkbox state. Changes are saved to the session automatically. When you download — in any format — the downloaded file reflects the current field values, including any edits you made after autofill.
This is the recommended step before flattening or sharing: review the AI-filled values, make any corrections needed, and then export in your chosen format.
Can I choose the output format after filling, or do I set it before?
Format selection happens at download time, after filling completes. You fill the form once — the output format is determined when you export, not when you run autofill. This means you can download the same session as editable PDF for the applicant and flat PDF for archival without re-running the fill.
For batch jobs, the merged flat PDF is generated on demand by triggering the merge endpoint — individual filled forms are always available as editable PDFs at the row level, and the merged flat is produced when you request it.
Does flattening change the visual appearance of the form?
The filled values, checkbox states, and layout remain visually identical. The difference is structural, not visual.
What changes in a flat PDF: no clickable fields, no tab navigation between fields, no field highlights when hovered, no field metadata visible to PDF editors. What stays the same: all text values appear exactly as filled, checkboxes render as marked or unmarked, the page layout is preserved.
The 3× zoom rasterization path produces flat output that prints at the same quality as the original. If anything, flat PDFs tend to render more consistently across PDF viewers because they don't depend on the viewer's form-rendering engine.
Which government agencies require flat PDF submissions?
Requirements vary by agency and portal, but flat PDF is commonly required by:
- USCIS e-filing portals: Many immigration forms must be submitted as flat PDFs, not fillable
- CMS enrollment portals: Medicare/Medicaid enrollment submissions often require non-interactive PDFs
- State licensing boards: Medical, legal, and professional licensing boards frequently specify flat PDF
- Federal court systems (CM/ECF): Court filing systems may reject PDFs with interactive elements
- State DMVs and motor carrier authorities: Vehicle and carrier registration forms
When in doubt, flatten before submitting to any government portal — flat PDFs are universally accepted, while fillable PDFs are sometimes rejected.
Can I flatten a PDF that was uploaded and filled outside of Instafill.ai?
Yes. The POST /api/tools/flatten-pdf endpoint accepts any PDF file upload and returns the flattened version. You do not need to have filled the form through Instafill.ai — you can upload a pre-filled PDF from any source and flatten it. The endpoint returns the flattened file as an attachment with filename flattened_{original_name}.
This is useful for standardizing a collection of forms from multiple sources before archival or submission.
What is the page limit for batch merges?
There is no hard page limit on batch merges — the merge operation processes all rows in the batch. Very large merges (thousands of pages) may take longer to generate and may result in large file sizes. For extremely high-volume batches, consider merging in segments (by date range, region, or record type) and downloading multiple consolidated files rather than one monolithic PDF.
The merged PDF URL is available via GET /api/batches/{batch_id}/merged-pdf-url once generation completes. For large batches, generation runs asynchronously — you can poll this endpoint to check availability.
Does the Word export preserve form field structure?
Word export converts the filled document content into Word format for further editing. The export is intended for workflows where the filled content needs to continue as an editable document — not as a representation of the PDF's AcroForm field structure.
If your downstream need is programmatic access to field names and values (not the formatted document), use the session's field data API rather than the Word export. The field data API returns a structured JSON with field IDs, labels, and values for each filled field.