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Pius Richter for combit Software

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How to Build Fillable PDF Forms in .NET — Without Fighting the PDF Beast

#csharp #pdf #softwaredevelopment #dotnet

Create fully fillable PDF forms in .NET with the List & Label software component — fast, simple, and without extra tools.

⚡TL;DR

Edit existing PDF files or forms and add form elements. Or build a form from scratch.

  • Design forms visually in the report designer
  • Use form elements (text boxes, checkboxes etc.) in the form
  • Export directly to interactive PDF with just a few lines of C# code
  • No Acrobat Pro, no external PDF SDKs, List & Label uses its onw export engine
  • Supports compliance standards like PDF/A and ZUGFeRD e-invoices out of the box

👉 See how it works.

📝 Impractical and Poor PDF Files

🤦‍♂️Problem
You export a report or form to PDF. It looks nice… but your users can’t actually use it. No fields. No checkboxes. Just a flat file.

That’s frustrating for you and for your users.

😊Solution
List & Label fixes that. It lets you design your form visually with real, editable form elements and export it to PDF with just a few lines of code.

🚦 Getting Started Without the Complexity

If you're new to .NET or just dipping your toes into working with PDF exports, List & Label won’t overwhelm you.

You don’t need to learn PDF internals, wrestle with Acrobat, or deal with brittle third-party tools.

With List & Label, you can design, export, and test fillable PDF forms directly from your app visually and with just a few lines of code.

🛠️ First Steps: Try It in Your Own Project

Here’s how to get up and running:

1. Download & Install

2. Open a sample project from GitHub

  • Browse the GitHub samples for WinForms, WPF, ASP.NET, or Blazor
  • Pick the one that matches your stack

3. Run & Explore

  • Run the sample to see how it connects to a data source
  • Open the Report Designer from the project

4. Use the Report Designer

  • Open a project file
  • Drag in a text field or checkbox
  • Save and export as PDF

Now your form has fillable fields.

5. Export from C#
Export is just a few lines of code — no Acrobat needed:

var LL = new ListLabel();
LL.DataSource = yourData;

// Export the project with editable fields
LL.Export("PDF", "MyForm.pdf");
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6. Open your PDF and test the fields

You’ll now have a PDF your users can interact with — no printing or scanning required.

And it just works.
No third-party Acrobat software. No hand-coded layout logic.

👉 You're Not Alone:

✅ Stay Compliant with Zero Extra Effort

Working on invoices or anything long-term? List & Label supports:

  • PDF/A for archival-safe documents
  • ZUGFeRD for smart e-invoices (with structured XML baked into the PDF)

That’s compliance handled — no standards manual required.

💬What's next?

  • Get started with the free trial now
  • Or browse the PDF section in the Reporting Blog to discover more feature developments around the PDF format
  • Or leave a comment if you have any questions

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