### [How to Convert WordPress Form Entries to PDF and Email Them Automatically](https://wpforms.com/how-to-print-your-wordpress-form-submissions-to-pdf/)

**Published:** September 21, 2020
**Author:** Kacie Cooper

**Excerpt:** If you want to save or share form entries, PDF is a great way to do that.

PDF files are easy to archive and retain their formatting on most devices.

By the end of this tutorial, you'll have a fully functional automation to convert each WPForms entry into a neatly formatted PDF document. 

It's easy to set up and most of the steps require no coding. You will need an HTML template to make the fillable PDF, but that part is easy since I've already created it for you.

**Content:**

When I need to save or share form entries, I like using PDFs. They’re easy to store, look consistent across devices, and make record-keeping simple.

And with WPForms, I don’t have to rely on third-party tools anymore. With just a few clicks, I can turn any form entry into a professional PDF — and even have it automatically emailed to myself or my users.

In this guide, I’ll show you exactly how I set up the PDF Addon, customize the look of my documents, and start sending form entries as PDFs. By the end, you’ll be able to do the same, all from inside WPForms.

Using WPForms for invoices, contracts, application receipts, event confirmations, or certificates? This is the setup you want.

## How to Convert Form Entries to PDF and Email Them Automatically 

- [1. Create a Form and Enable the PDF Addon](#1-create-a-form)
- [2. Choose and Customize a Template](#2-choose-and-customize-a-template)
- [3. Customize Fields and Content](#5-customize-your-content)
- [4: Style the PDF Appearance](#4-style-the-pdf-appearance)
- [5: Adjust Advanced Settings](#5-adjust-advanced-settings)
- [6: Test Your Setup](#6-test-your-setup)
- [FAQs on Creating Form Entries from a PDF](#faqs-on-creating-form-entries-from-a-pdf)

### 1. Create a Form and Enable the PDF Addon

First, make sure you’re running **WPForms Pro** (or Elite, Agency) and that your plugin is updated to version 1.9.7.3 or later — that’s required for the PDF Addon.

Next, open the form you want to use, or create a new one. For example, I started with a simple contact form.

![Choose the Simple Contact Form](https://wpforms.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Add-Contact-Form-1024x470.png)Inside the form builder, go to **Settings **»** PDF** and click **Add New PDF**. A popup will appear asking you to name your PDF.

You can keep it simple (like “Contact Form Entry” or “Default PDF”) or choose something more descriptive.

![](https://wpforms.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/pdf-addon-enter-pdf-name-1024x541.png)Once you’ve added a name, click **OK** to move forward.

Then, you’ll see a few important options right away:

- **File name**: By default, the file name uses the form name, but you can change it or use a smart tag like the Entry ID.
- **Email notifications**: Decide which email notifications this PDF should be attached to. This is how the PDF gets sent automatically — no extra steps needed after setup.
- **Conditional logic**: If you only want a PDF generated under certain conditions, you can enable this option.

![](https://wpforms.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/pdf-addon-basic-settings-1024x535.png)[Build Your WordPress Form Now](https://wpforms.com/pricing/)

### 2. Choose and Customize a Template

After enabling the PDF, the next step is to choose a template. WPForms includes a wide variety of pre-designed layouts grouped into categories:

- **Notifications** (Classic, Compact, Modern, Elegant, Tech)
- **Documents** (Legal, Application, Table, Sidebar, etc.)
- **Financial** (Invoices and related documents)
- **Certificates** (Awards and recognitions)

![](https://wpforms.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/select-a-category-and-style-pdf-addon-1024x314.png)Once you pick a style, you’ll see a live preview on the left side of the screen. This makes it easy to adjust the look before saving.

To take a closer look at your design, click the **Zoom** button located below the preview.

![](https://wpforms.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/pdf-addon-zoom-button-1024x689.png)### 3. Customize Fields and Content

Every template comes with editable fields.

You can click into any section to replace placeholder text, insert **smart tags** (like Name, Email, or Entry ID), or adjust colors to match your branding.

![](https://wpforms.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/smart-tag-pdf-addon-1024x551.png)For larger content areas — like terms, conditions, or instructions — you can use the built-in text editor. This lets you:

- Apply headings, bold, and italic
- Add links or bullet lists
- Insert smart tags wherever needed
- Even add custom HTML if you want more control

![](https://wpforms.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/change-text-color-pdf-addon-1024x540.png)### 4: Style the PDF Appearance

Next, you can refine the design. WPForms offers over **40 themes**, plus full control over fonts, colors, and backgrounds.

![](https://wpforms.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/select-theme-1024x452.png)Some things I like to customize are:

- **Theme colors**: Adjust the palette to fit my brand.
- **Logo**: Upload a logo and position it left, center, or right.
- **Backgrounds**: Choose from solid colors, gradients, or patterns like ribbons and waves.
- **Borders**: Add a frame around the content with rounded corners or a styled border.

This is where your PDFs really start to look polished!

### 5: Adjust Advanced Settings

Finally, you can set technical details like:

- **Paper size** (A4, Letter, Legal, etc.)
- **Orientation** (Portrait or Landscape)
- **Access restrictions**: Limit PDF access to logged-in users, certain roles, or require a password for extra security.

![](https://wpforms.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/08/advanced-settings-pdf-addon-1024x271.png)### 6: Test Your Setup

Submit a test entry to your form. Then check two things:

- **Check 1** — The **Entries** page: Go to **WPForms » Entries**, open the test submission, and look for the PDF download link. Click it and confirm the PDF opens correctly with your data filled in.

![](https://wpforms.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/click-to-view-individual-entry-1024x512.png)- **Check 2** — The **email**: Open the inbox for the notification email address you configured in Step 1. You should have received an email with the PDF attached. Open the attachment and confirm it looks right.

If both work, your setup is complete. Every future submission will automatically generate and send a PDF — no manual work required.

[Build Your WordPress Form Now](https://wpforms.com/pricing/)

### FAQs on Creating Form Entries from a PDF

We get so many ideas and use cases for converting entries to PDFs, I’ve tried to cover a few of the most common questions here.

#### ****Can I use the PDF Addon with WPForms Lite?****

No. The PDF Addon requires WPForms Pro or higher.

#### **Can I customize the look of my PDFs?**

Yes! You can change colors, fonts, logos, and backgrounds. There are over 40 themes to choose from, plus full field and text editing.

#### **Does WPForms automatically email the PDF when a form is submitted?**

Yes — that’s the whole point of attaching the PDF to a notification in Step 1. Once it’s configured, every submission triggers the PDF generation and sends it as an email attachment automatically. No manual work required after setup.

#### ****What can I use WPForms PDFs for?****

Common use cases include invoices, order confirmations, event tickets, application receipts, legal documents, contracts, and certificates. Any form that generates a document someone needs to save or reference is a good candidate.

#### ******Does the PDF Addon support conditional logic?******

Yes. You can configure the PDF to only generate when specific form conditions are met — useful if you only want a PDF for certain submission types.

### Next, Export Form Entries to CSV or Excel

WPForms gives you several ways to work with your entry data. If you need entries in a spreadsheet format, check out how to export form entries to CSV or export form entries to Excel. You can also automatically send entries to Google Sheets as they come in.

- Check out our tutorials on [how to export form entries to CSV](https://wpforms.com/how-to-export-wordpress-form-entries-to-csv/) or [how to export form entries to Excel](https://wpforms.com/how-to-export-wordpress-form-entries-to-excel/).
- Learn how to [automatically export form entries to Google Sheets](https://wpforms.com/save-contacts-from-wordpress-form-to-google-sheet/).

Want to go deeper on PDF design? Check out [How to Generate Branded PDFs with WPForms](https://wpforms.com/how-to-generate-branded-pdfs-with-wpforms/) for advanced template customization tips.

Ready to do more with your forms? Get started today with the easiest WordPress form builder plugin. [WPForms Pro](https://wpforms.com/pricing) includes powerful entry export options and offers a 14-day money-back guarantee.

If this article helped you out, please follow us on [Facebook](https://facebook.com/wpforms) and [Twitter](https://twitter.com/easywpforms) for more free WordPress tutorials and guides.

**Categories:** WordPress Tutorials

**Tags:** export to pdf, form entry printing, wordpress form to pdf

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