What this action does
The Generate PDF action creates a PDF document from a template each time a form is submitted. You can save the generated PDF to an Airtable attachment field, email it to the respondent, or send it to an external system via webhook.Template sources
You choose how the PDF content is created:| Source | How it works |
|---|---|
| Document template | Use a rich text document template with field variables. Reference a document template you have already created in Filla by its template ID. |
| Fillable PDF | Upload an existing PDF form and map your Airtable fields to positions on the PDF. Filla fills in the mapped fields and generates the output. |
Configuring a Generate PDF action
Add an action
Create a new automation (or open an existing one) and click Add action. Select Generate PDF.
Configure the template
For document templates, enter the Template ID that references your document template extension. For fillable PDFs, upload a PDF file via the Template URL field.
Map fields
Filla detects fields in your template and shows them in a visual field mapper. Map each detected field to the corresponding form field. You can also add freeform text boxes to place custom text at specific positions on the PDF.
Set the filename
Use the Filename template to create dynamic filenames with variable text. For example:
@{Name}-application-@{Date} generates filenames like Jane-Smith-application-2026-03-24.Output destinations
The generated PDF can be delivered to one or more destinations:| Destination | Description |
|---|---|
| Save to Airtable | Attach the PDF to a field on the submitted record |
| Send the PDF as an attachment to an email address | |
| Webhook | Send the PDF to an external URL |
Freeform text boxes
In fillable PDF mode, you can draw text boxes directly on the PDF canvas. Each box can contain static text or variable text referencing form field values. Use these for adding content to areas of the PDF that do not have pre-defined form fields.Conditional execution
Like all automation actions, Generate PDF supports an optional “Only run if…” condition. Set a filter to control when the PDF is generated. For example, only generate a PDF when the “Application type” field is “Full application”.Related pages
On-submit automations
Learn how automations work and how actions are structured.
Variable text
Use @ references in filenames and text content.