The PDF Utilities Package is one of the most popular packages in Automation Anywhere’s Bot Store. This package provides a bot the ability to read and complete Adobe PDF and XFA forms. Additionally, this package provides for the capability of merging 2 PDF files or merging all PDF files found within a directory.

The form fields actions support setting a checkbox, selecting a radio button, and selecting an item from a dropdown in a form.

To follow along with the video tutorial above, use the attached AnywhereClubForm.

Video Recap:

Getting the Package

Go to Bot Store to download packages from Bot Store. Once you click on “Get Package” use “Add to Control Room” if you are on the Enterprise Edition, or “Download as zip file", for Community Edition. If downloaded as a zip, you can click on the "Import Bots" button in the top right corner of the “Automation” tab.

If you selected "Add to Control Room" on Enterprise Edition, click the "Automation" tab from the left-hand menu. You should see 3 tabs along the top...Public, Private, and Bot Store. Select the Bot Store tab and provide the login credentials for the Bot Store account used to "purchase" the bot, and you should be able to import it to your Control Room directly from the Bot Store.

Read Form Fields

Using Read Form Fields action enables you to see the name of each form field in your PDF file. Use Dictionary variables to store both the key and value of each field. Then you can use this data that you just extracted, either by writing it in a CSV, Excel file, or inputting it into another application dependent on your use case.

Merge PDF Files

There are two ways to merge PDF files in this package. The first one is by merging all PDF files inside a folder, and the second one is by pointing to 2 specific files that you want to merge. Both of those options will output one PDF file containing all the files that you referenced in either action.

Set Form Fields

To set form fields in a PDF you need to input the empty PDF file and map the values that you want to set on each field from the form, using the key values that you discovered earlier with the Read Form Fields action.

Conclusion

This package enables you to easily identify field names, read their values, set values in form fields, and provides two options for merging PDF files.

For more details about different actions in this package, refer to the Bot Store listing page, which also includes the link to a ReadMe file that details how all the actions in the package can be used.