Configure a PDF document template

  • Release version: Australia
  • Updated March 12, 2026
  • 3 minutes to read

    • Upload an editable, fillable PDF template and customize the template as per your business needs.

    Before you begin

    Role required: sn_hr_core.admin and Delegated developer

    Note:
    • For legally binding e-signatures and digital signatures use the following signing types: DocuSign, AdobeSign, Digital Signature - Smart Cards.
    • Update sets do not support large attachments. If your template includes large documents, manually export the PDF template record XML from the source instance and import it into the target instance.

    About this task

    Procedure

    1. Navigate to All > Document Templates > All Document Templates.
    2. Click New.
    3. Select PDF Document Template.
    4. On the form, fill in the fields:
      Table 1. PDF Template form
      Field Description
      Name Name of the PDF document template.
      Table Tables appear based on the application scope selected.
      Category Document category in which the template is added.
      Application Scope of the application in which the document template is created.
      State Current state of the document template.
      • Draft: Indicates that the document template is not yet published.
      • Editing: Indicates that the document template is being edited after it has been published.
      • Published: Indicates that the document template can be consumed by services and cases.
      Active Option for enabling the PDF document template for use.
      User criteria Audience criteria for this document. For example, you can create a letter intended for only Canadian employees.
      Note:
      When defining conditions like case sensitivity or null values, see API GlideFilter - Scoped, Global.
      Signing type Option to specify the application that is used for signing the document.

      For example, ServiceNow Sign, DocuSign, AdobeSign, Digital Signature - Smart Cards.

      Note:
      Signing Types are available only when respective integration plugins are installed.
      Document storage destination Option to specify the location where the signed document is stored.
      Note:
      This option appears only when Digital Signature - Smart Cards is selected as Signing Type.
      Owner Option to specify the owner of the document storage destination.
      Note:
      This option appears only when Digital Signature - Smart Cards is selected as Signing Type.
      Attachment type Option to upload a new document or select a document from ServiceNow Managed Documents.
      Document revision Option to select a document from ServiceNow Managed Documents.
      Note:
      This field appears when Select from document revision is selected in Attachment type.
      Document Option to upload the attachment of a fillable PDF for further customization.
      Note:
      This field appears when Upload new document is selected in Attachment type.
      Start date Date starting which the PDF document template is valid. Start date helps in maintaining multiple versions of same template.
      Note:
      Start date must be before the end date.
      End date Date until which the PDF document template is valid. End date helps in maintaining multiple versions of same template.

      By default, if values in Start date and End date are blank it will imply that the template will always be valid.

      If you specify an end date, you must also specify a start date.
      Template date format Format in which you want the date to appear when an agent previews the document, or generates the attachment, or initiates document tasks for participants.
      Note:
      • When signing using a ServiceNow application or the AdobeSign application: If no value is selected in Template date format, the value specified in the template_date_format system property is considered. If both Template date format and template_date_format system property are empty, the value in the Date format field from agent's user profile is considered.
      • When signing using the DocuSign application: The date format selected in Signing settings in the DocuSign application is considered over Template date format in the configured PDF template in a ServiceNow instance.
      Template language Language in which dynamic tokens are translated when an agent previews the document, or generates the attachment, or initiates document tasks for participants.
      Note:
      • Template language is a mandatory field. The default language is none.
      • Translation feature is available only when the language plugins are installed on the instance.
      Acknowledgment text Text that prompts the user to select a check box when submitting a filled document.
      Source template Source template from which you created a copy of current template.
    5. Click Submit or Save.

    What to do next

    • Click the Parse PDF related link to automatically parse information on the PDF and store that information in the PDF Mapping table for reuse.
    • In the Participants related list, create participants.
    • In the PDF Template Mappings related list, define field mappings.
    • Click Mark a signature block.
    • Publish the template. Flows using the template might get effected in case you want to edit a published template.