---
title: Configure a PDF document template
description: Upload an editable, interactive PDF template and customize the template according to your business needs.
locale: en-US
canonical_url: https://www.servicenow.com/docs/r/australia/employee-service-management/hr-service-delivery/configure-editable-pdf.html
release: australia
product: HR Service Delivery
classification: hr-service-delivery
topic_type: task
last_updated: "2026-03-12"
reading_time_minutes: 4
breadcrumb: [Document Templates of type PDF \(Advanced forms\), Configuring Document Templates, Document Templates, HR Documents, HR Service Delivery, Employee Service Management]
---

# Configure a PDF document template

Upload an editable, interactive PDF template and customize the template according to your business needs.

## Before you begin

Role required: sn\_doc.admin and Delegated developer

**Note:**

-   For legally binding e-signatures and digital signatures use the following signing types: [DocuSign](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/australia/employee-service-management/hr-service-delivery/docusign-doc.md), [AdobeSign](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/australia/employee-service-management/hr-service-delivery/adobe-sign-doc.md), [Digital Signature - Smart Cards](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/servicenow-platform/digital-signature.md).
-   Update sets don't 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

\[Omitted video\] Description: How to configure a PDF document template

## Procedure

1.  Navigate to **All** > **Document Templates** > **All Document Templates**.

2.  Select **New**.

3.  Select **PDF Document Template**.

4.  On the form, fill in the fields:

<table id="table_xm3_tm3_zhb"><thead><tr><th>

Field

</th><th>

Description

</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>

Name

</td><td>

Name of the PDF document template.

</td></tr><tr><td>

Table

</td><td>

Tables appear based on the application scope selected.

</td></tr><tr><td>

Category

</td><td>

Document category in which the template is added.

</td></tr><tr><td>

Application

</td><td>

Scope of the application in which the document template is created.

</td></tr><tr><td>

State

</td><td>

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.


</td></tr><tr><td>

Active

</td><td>

Option for enabling the PDF document template for use.

</td></tr><tr><td>

User criteria

</td><td>

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](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/api-reference/server-api-reference/c_GlideFilterScopedAPI.md).

</td></tr><tr><td>

Signing type

</td><td>

Option to specify the application that is used for signing the document. For example, ServiceNow Sign, [DocuSign](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/australia/employee-service-management/hr-service-delivery/docusign-doc.md), [AdobeSign](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/australia/employee-service-management/hr-service-delivery/adobe-sign-doc.md), [Digital Signature - Smart Cards](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/servicenow-platform/digital-signature.md).

**Note:** Signing Types are available only when respective integration plugins are installed.

</td></tr><tr><td>

Document storage destination

</td><td>

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.

</td></tr><tr><td>

Owner

</td><td>

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.

</td></tr><tr><td>

Attachment type

</td><td>

Option to upload a new document or select a document from ServiceNow Managed Documents.

</td></tr><tr><td>

Document revision

</td><td>

Option to select a document from ServiceNow Managed Documents.**Note:** This field appears when **Select from document revision** is selected in **Attachment type**.

</td></tr><tr><td>

Document

</td><td>

Option to upload the attachment of a interactive PDF for further customization.**Note:** This field appears when **Upload new document** is selected in **Attachment type**.

</td></tr><tr><td>

Start date

</td><td>

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.

</td></tr><tr><td>

End date

</td><td>

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 empty it will imply that the template is valid.

If you specify an end date, you must also specify a start date.

</td></tr><tr><td>

Template date format

</td><td>

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.


</td></tr><tr><td>

Template language

</td><td>

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.


</td></tr><tr><td>

Acknowledgment text

</td><td>

Text that prompts the user to select a check box when submitting a filled document.

</td></tr><tr><td>

Source template

</td><td>

Source template from which you created a copy of current template.

</td></tr></tbody>
</table>5.  Select **Submit** or **Save**.


## What to do next

-   Select 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](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/australia/employee-service-management/hr-service-delivery/create-participant.md).
-   In the **PDF Template Mappings** related list, [define field mappings](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/australia/employee-service-management/hr-service-delivery/edit-pdf-mappings.md).
-   Select [Mark a signature block](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/ServiceNow/ServiceNowDocs/australia/markdown/australia/employee-service-management/hr-service-delivery/mark-signature-doctemp.md).
-   Publish the template. Flows using the template might get effected in case you want to edit a published template.