Heidi Forms lets you upload a PDF, detect its fields automatically, and auto-fill them from your session in seconds.
💡 Tip: Form templates are now available in the community library. Browse 120+ pre-built forms including Medicare claims, mental health care plans, and insurance forms ready to auto-fill.
This article covers:
Uploading a form into Heidi, saving it as a template.
Using Heidi Forms to auto-fill forms in your sessions.
Finding solutions to common form-related questions and issues.
Heidi Forms Video Overview
Before you start
Ensure your document is in PDF format before uploading. If your form is currently in .docx (Microsoft Word) format, use the ‘Save As’ option and select PDF as the file format.
Make sure your static PDF is within the 30-page limit before uploading it to Heidi. For anything larger, contact our Customer Success team.
Check that your PDF does not contain placeholder text in the fields that Heidi will populate. Remove any existing text such as "select date here" or "[Insert patient name]". This helps prevent Heidi's generated content from overlapping with existing text in the PDF.
Get Started with Heidi Forms
Click + Create Template and choose Fill a PDF form.
Click to browse files, or drag and drop your file.
Heidi opens the Field Recognition page, where you can see the fields it has detected in your form.
You can also customise the field labels and field types to match your form.
💡 Pre-fill is typically 80 to 90% accurate. Make sure to review every field before confirming the field type matches.
Once you are satisfied with the form layout and field placement, click Confirm Fields. Enter a name for your form template and select Save Template.
Return to your session and click Create, enter your form name, and Heidi will automatically complete the form for you. Once generated, you can download it directly to your computer.
Once downloaded, your form is ready to print. You can then share it with colleagues, upload it to your EMR system, and more.
💡 While reviewing the form in your session, you can edit the generated text, add additional information, and adjust the format - for example, converting a paragraph into a dash-point list - before downloading the completed PDF.
Field label editing
Field types
Heidi Forms can automatically detect field types and suggest these to you. Detectable field types include:
Text: Used for free-form written responses such as names, notes, descriptions, or comments. Best used when users need to enter words, sentences, or longer explanations.
Number: Used for numeric values only, such as age, weight, height, phone numbers, or scores. Best used when the field should contain numbers and calculations may be required.
Date: Used for capturing dates in a consistent format. Best used for appointments, birth dates, assessment dates, or any time-related information.
Checkbox: Allows users to select one or more options from a list. Best used when multiple answers can be chosen at the same time.
Radio Button: Allows users to select only one option from a group of choices. Best used for Yes/No questions or when only a single answer is permitted.
Dropdown: Presents a predefined list of options in a compact menu. Best used when there are many possible choices but only one selection is allowed.
Signature: Used to capture a name, signature placeholder, or signing acknowledgment. Best used for approval, consent, verification, or sign-off sections of a form.
Using PDF Editor Tools with Heidi Forms
Preparing Your PDF for Heidi Forms
💡 If you run into trouble creating documents in an external PDF editor, please contact the third-party provider directly for additional support.
This guide is for users who use a third-party PDF editor such as Adobe Acrobat, PDF filler etc., to prepare their forms before uploading a it to Heidi Forms. To ensure the best results, follow the steps below to prepare your document correctly.
Open your chosen PDF editor to add fillable fields
Open your PDF editor and upload the PDF you want Heidi to fill in.
Click Prepare a Form or Add Field tool to insert text fields, date fields, checkboxes, or other field types wherever information needs to be populated.
Resize each field so it aligns neatly with your form layout.
Repeat this process for all sections that Heidi will complete.
Label and structure your fields in the PDF editor
Click into each field to access its settings and follow the formatting tips in the table below.
Once complete, Save/Download your fillable PDF
Open Heidi, upload your PDF form, and let Heidi automatically fill it using your session.
Formatting Tip | What to do | Examples |
Label each field clearly | Use descriptive field names that reflect the content being filled. Avoid generic labels like “Text1” and “untitled text”. | ❌ Write name |
Match the field type to content | Choose the right field type for each field to ensure correct formatting. See the Field types section above for guidance | Date → |
Set character limits | Apply limits to prevent long responses and sentences from breaking form layouts. | Note: Samples below are for reference only and may need to be adjusted depending on the size of your table. |
Required fields | For any fields that must always be completed, enable the Required toggle. |
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Heidi Forms Plan and usage limits
Free plan: 10 uses per month, shared across forms, templates, and evidence
Clinician, Teams, and Enterprise plans: unlimited
Frequently asked questions
What file types and size limits are supported on Heidi Forms?
Currently, Heidi Forms supports PDF files only. Support for Microsoft Word (.docx) files is coming soon. The maximum supported file size is 10MB.
Fillable PDFs have no page limit. Static or flat PDFs can be detected automatically, but are limited to 30 pages.
Is Heidi Forms supported on mobile devices, or is it only available on web and desktop?
You can create and edit form templates on desktop only. Filling in forms and downloading completed PDFs is supported on any device.
What is the full list of field types Heidi can detect and convert?
Detectable field types include: Text, Number, Date, Checkbox, Radio Button, Dropdown, and Signature
What if an incorrect field type was detected - can I change it? How do I know when to select the right field type for my form?
Yes, you can change an incorrectly detected field type. On the Field Recognition page, click the field type label to open the field editor and select a different type.
What to do when a field doesn’t pre-fill correctly after seeing the result?
If a field wasn’t filled in correctly, you can improve future results by updating the field label on the Field Recognition page. The more specific the label is, the easier it is for Heidi to match the correct information.
Example:
❌ Write name
✅ Write the patient’s first name
Can I add a new text field if the field is missed during detection?
Yes. On the Field Recognition page, select the + icon to add a new field. You can drag, resize, and label the field to match your form requirements.
Can form templates be shared across team members, or across a practice?
Yes. Forms can be shared with your team, made available across your organisation or published to the community library (subject to review by Heidi). Forms can also be kept private if preferred.
To manage visibility, click the ⋯ icon on your form template and select Edit Visibility.
Note: Sharing forms with your team requires team admin permissions, as well as an eligible team plan.
Where can I find my forms?
All of your forms can be accessed from the Heidi sidebar. Head into Templates and select Forms to view and manage your forms.
How does the signature field type work in my form?
Heidi types text into signature fields (e.g. a name or placeholder). It does not draw, insert image-based signatures, or apply a real signature. The actual signing takes place after downloading the PDF.
After a form is filled in, does the completed PDF get sent or routed anywhere automatically, or is download always manual?
The form is not sent anywhere automatically. Once Heidi finishes filling in the form, the completed PDF will automatically download to your device, provided Heidi remains open and you stay in the current session. If you need the form again, you can download it at any time using the Download button on the form.
What are the retention and privacy rules for uploaded PDFs and completed forms? Where are they stored?
Uploaded forms and completed PDFs are stored securely in Heidi's cloud and accessed through temporary, expiring links. Completed forms are deleted when you delete the document or its session: a template's file is deleted when you delete the template.
Are there any limitations in Heidi Forms based on speciality, region, or language?
No, there is no specific behaviour based on speciality, region, or language. Forms are filled in your session's language and use your country's date format.
💡 The Form Editor is currently unavailable for self-hosted (on-premise) deployments. We’re working to expand support in future updates.
What should I do if an error shows up when uploading my document into Heidi?
You may encounter the following error messages:
"File size too large (10MB max)" - Your PDF is over the 10MB limit.
If your PDF is too large, try reducing the file size and re-uploading.
"Non-interactive PDFs are limited to 30 pages" - Your static/flat PDF has too many pages.
If your PDF has too many pages, you can use a third-party PDF editor to make a fillable version before uploading. See Preparing Your PDF for Heidi Forms section for guidance.
"This PDF format is not supported or the file may be corrupted" - Heidi couldn’t open or process your file because it is password-protected or encrypted.
Open your PDF in Preview (Mac) or Microsoft Edge (Windows) and re-export the PDF to generate a new file. Give the new file a different name from the original.
If you hit one of these, you can:
Try again - Re-upload a smaller and/or fillable version of your PDF form. If your PDF is password-protected or encrypted, remove the protection and then upload the file again.
Contact Support - our team can offer guidance with the form set-up.
What should I do if my generated data doesn’t fit in the field and shows a scroll bar instead?
There are two ways to resolve this:
Adjust the text field in Heidi Forms. Click the field then drag the edges to resize it so it can accommodate more content.
Increase the available space in your original PDF. Before uploading your file to Heidi, adjust the layout by expanding tables, rows, text boxes, or other sections using your preferred PDF editor.
Can Heidi Forms generate formatted content as bullet points or dot points?
No. Heidi generates content in paragraph format by default. However, you can edit the generated text during your session and format it using dashes or bullet points before downloading the completed PDF.
Bullet point keyboard shortcut for Mac users:
Option (⌥ ) + 8
Bullet point keyboard shortcut for Windows users:
Alt + 0149 (using the numeric keypad) or Alt + 7 (on some keyboards)
Can I insert images and graphs in Heidi Forms?
No. Heidi Forms does not currently support images or graphs. If your form requires images or graphs, you’ll need to add them using your own PDF editing software after downloading the completed PDF.
Does Heidi Forms support dynamic/conditional/logical forms?
No. Heidi Forms currently supports static PDF forms only. Dynamic, conditional, or logical PDF features are not supported. You can edit the generated text before downloading the completed PDF. For the best results, ensure your form layout is fully prepared before uploading it to Heidi Forms.
I have mathematical calculations in my form. How does it work in Heidi Forms?
Currently, Heidi Forms does not support automatic calculations. While Heidi can select the appropriate scoring options in your form, it does not automatically calculate or populate the total score. If a total score is required, you can use Ask Heidi to calculate it or verify the result manually before downloading the completed PDF.
Can I customise the appearance of checkboxes or highlight text in Heidi Forms?
No. Heidi Forms uses a standard checkmark style “✓” for checkboxes and radio buttons. If you’d like to highlight text or apply additional formatting, you can do so after downloading the completed PDF to your device.
Can I change the font size of the generated text?
This is not currently supported within Heidi Forms. This will be available in a future release.
Are there any other common issues I may encounter during testing or when first using Heidi Forms?
The completed form can display differently depending on the PDF reader used (Chrome, Adobe, Preview on Mac) and how the original template was built. For example, Preview on Mac auto-resizes text to fit the field box, and in some cases filled content may not show at all in certain readers. The data is the same; only the display differs, so try another reader (such as Adobe Acrobat) if it looks incorrect or blank.