The Ultimate Guide to Generate PDF Using Contact Form 7

Introduction

Contact Form 7, a popular WordPress plugin, revolutionises data collection by simplifying the creation and management of online forms. Beyond its user information-gathering capabilities, CF7 offers a powerful feature that sets it apart — the ability to Generate PDF Using Contact Form 7 directly from form submissions.

Integrating PDF generation within Contact Form 7 provides benefits across industries, enabling businesses to generate invoices, receipts, contracts, and other tailored documents. This article explores the setup, configuration, customisation options, and practical use cases of Contact Form 7 PDF generation.

Organisations can utilise this functionality to speed up data collecting, improve professionalism, and optimise documentation operations by working with trusted and innovative digital solutions providers like ZealousWeb. Unlock the potential of CF7 for PDF generation and transform your data management processes.

Generating PDF using Contact form 7

The Generate PDF using Contact Form 7 plugin is a powerful functionality that allows users to create PDF documents directly from form submissions. Contact Form 7, a widely-used WordPress plugin, simplifies collecting data through online forms.

With the PDF generation feature, businesses and organisations can automate their data collection processes and streamline document workflows. This functionality eliminates the need for manual data processing and document creation, saving valuable time and resources.

By integrating PDF generation within Contact Form 7, businesses can generate professional-looking documents, such as invoices, receipts, contracts, and more, based on the structured data collected through form submissions.

In addition, customisation options enable users to personalise the PDF outputs to match specific requirements and branding. Generating PDFs using Contact Form 7 is a game-changer for efficient data management and documentation, offering convenience, accuracy, and enhanced professionalism.

Plugin Description and Functionalities

Let’s explore the key description and functionalities of the Contact Form 7 PDF Generator:

• Contact Form 7: A widely-used WordPress plugin designed to simplify the creation and management of online forms.
• User Data Collection: Enables businesses and organisations to collect user information through customisable website forms.
• Seamless Integration: Integrates smoothly with WordPress websites, allowing easy implementation and customisation.
• PDF Generation: Offers a powerful feature that generates PDFs using Contact Form 7 documents directly from form submissions.
• Automation: Eliminates the need for manual data processing and document creation, saving time and resources.
• Versatility: Supports various documents such as invoices, receipts, and contracts.
• Customisation Options: Users can personalise PDF outputs, tailoring them to specific branding and layout preferences.
• Streamlined Workflows: Enhances efficiency by automating data collection processes and documentation workflows.
• Professional Output: Generates professional-looking PDF documents that reflect the business’s professionalism.
• Time and Resource Savings: Optimizes data management processes, freeing up valuable resources for other tasks.
• User-Friendly Interface: Provides an intuitive interface for easy setup, configuration, and management of forms and PDF generation.

How to Integrate the Plugin with Third-Party Apps

Integrating Contact Form 7 PDF with third-party apps enhances its functionality and allows for seamless data management and storage. Below are the step-by-step instructions on integrating the plugin with popular third-party applications such as Google Drive and Dropbox. Following these instructions, users can efficiently connect Contact Form 7 with these apps and streamline their data storage and retrieval processes.

Google Drive Integration Setup and Configuration

To integrate Contact Form 7 with Google Drive, follow these steps:

1. Install and activate the “Contact Form 7 — Google Sheets Integration” extension from the WordPress plugin repository.
2. Access the Google Cloud Platform (GCP) Console and create a new project.
3. Enable the Google Drive API and create API credentials for OAuth 2.0 authentication.
4. Configure the Google Sheets Integration extension by entering the generated API credentials.
5. Map form fields to the desired Google Sheets columns to ensure data is accurately transferred.
6. Test the integration by submitting a form and verifying that the data is successfully stored in Google Drive.

Dropbox API Integration Setup and Configuration

To integrate & Generate a PDF Using Contact Form 7 with Dropbox, follow these steps:

1. Download and enable the “Contact Form 7 — Dropbox Extension” WordPress extension from the plugin source. Then, register your application on the Dropbox Developer Console to obtain API credentials.
2. Configure the Dropbox Extension by entering the generated API credentials.
3. Specify the destination folder where your Dropbox account will save the form submissions.
4. To ensure proper data storage, Map the form fields to the appropriate Dropbox file attributes.
5. Test the integration by submitting a form and confirming the data is securely stored in the designated Dropbox folder.

How to Use

Using Contact Form 7 effectively requires a solid understanding of its various settings and configurations. Therefore, let us explore how to utilise the plugin’s general settings and CF7 to PDF page settings.

General Settings

1. Installation and Activation: Install & Generate a PDF using the Contact Form 7 plugin from the WordPress repository and activate it within your WordPress dashboard.
2. Basic Configuration Steps: Create a new form by navigating to the Contact > Add New section. Configure the form fields and settings according to your requirements, including recipient email addresses, subject lines, and confirmation messages. Then, embed the form into your website using the provided shortcode.

PDF Page Settings

1. Customising Page Layout, Orientation, and Size: Install and activate the “CF7 to PDF & Database Extension” plugin. Access the plugin’s settings page and configure the page layout, choosing from options such as landscape or portrait orientation and selecting the desired paper size.
2. Adding Headers, Footers, and Page Numbers: Within the “CF7 PDF & Database Extension” settings, locate the “PDF Templates” section. You can add custom headers and footers using the provided placeholders for form data. You can also enable page numbering and customise the appearance and positioning of the page numbers.

PDF Content Settings

Mapping Contact Form 7 Fields to PDF Placeholders: Install and activate the “ Contact Form 7 PDF & Database Extension” plugin. Within the plugin settings, create a PDF template and map the fields from your Contact Form 7 form to the appropriate placeholders in the template. This ensures that the form data is correctly populated in the generated PDF.

1. Styling and Formatting Options for PDF Content: Customise the appearance of the PDF by utilising the formatting options provided by the PDF extension plugin. Adjust the font styles, sizes, colours, and alignments to create a visually appealing and consistent PDF output.
2. Including Dynamic Data and Variables in the PDF: Incorporate dynamic data and variables in the PDF template to Generate a PDF Using Contact Form 7 using the available placeholders and shortcodes provided by the PDF extension plugin. This lets you include the PDF’s submission date, user IP address, or any other relevant dynamic data.

Third-Party Integration Settings

1. Configuring Google Drive Integration: Install and activate the “Contact Form 7 — Google Sheets Integration” extension. Next, access the plugin settings, provide the necessary API credentials from the Google Cloud Platform, and specify the destination folder where the form submissions will be saved in Google Drive. Finally, test the integration by submitting a form and verifying that the data is correctly stored in Google Drive.
2. Configuring Dropbox API Integration: Install and activate the “Contact Form 7 — Dropbox Extension” plugin. Register your application on the Dropbox Developer Console to obtain the API credentials. Next, configure the plugin settings by entering the generated credentials and specifying the destination folder in your Dropbox account where the form submissions will be stored. Finally, test the integration by submitting a form and confirming the secure data storage in Dropbox.

Features

Contact Form 7 is a feature-rich WordPress plugin enabling businesses and organisations to create and manage online forms easily. Let’s explore the key features that make Contact Form 7 popular for data collection and customer interaction.

• Easy Form Creation : Contact Form 7 provides a user-friendly interface for creating customisable forms effortlessly. Users can easily add and arrange form fields, define validation rules, and customise error messages.
• Form Field Types: The plugin offers various form field types, including text fields, dropdowns, checkboxes, radio buttons, file uploads, and more. This versatility allows users to create forms that accurately capture the desired information.
• Conditional Logic: Contact Form 7 includes conditional logic functionality, enabling users to show or hide form fields based on specific conditions. This feature enhances the user experience by presenting a dynamic form that adapts to the user’s input.
• Anti-spam Protection: Generate PDF Using Contact Form 7, as CF7 provides built-in support for reCAPTCHA and Akismet, helping to prevent spam submissions and ensuring the security of data collected through the forms.
• Multiple Forms Management: The plugin allows users to create and manage multiple forms simultaneously. Each form can be customised independently, enabling businesses to cater to different purposes and collect specific data from website visitors.
• Email Notifications: Contact Form 7 offers flexible email notification settings, allowing users to configure automatic email notifications to be sent to administrators or designated recipients upon form submission. This ensures that relevant parties are promptly notified of form submissions.
• Customisation Options: Generate PDF Using Contact Form 7, which provides extensive customisation options for form design and layout. Users can customise the appearance of forms by modifying CSS styles or using pre-designed themes and templates.
• Integration with Popular Plugins: Contact Form 7 integrates seamlessly with other popular WordPress plugins, allowing users to enhance their forms with additional functionalities such as file uploads, advanced form styling, CRM integration, and more.
• Translation Support: The plugin supports multiple languages and is translation-ready, making it accessible to users from different regions and facilitating global adoption.
• Extensibility: Contact Form 7’s functionality can be extended through numerous add-ons and extensions. These extensions provide additional features and integration options, allowing users to tailor the plugin to their needs.

Conclusion

Numerous companies are offering Contact Form 7 services. However, if you are looking for a trusted and experienced partner to maximise the potential of Contact Form 7 for your business, look at ZealousWeb. What sets them apart from the rest is our commitment to customisation. They go beyond the basic installation and configuration of Contact Form 7. Their experts meticulously customise the form’s appearance, seamlessly integrating it with your website’s design and ensuring a cohesive user experience.

Whether you need a simple contact form or a complex form with advanced functionalities, ZealousWeb can assist you in creating and implementing a Contact Form 7 solution that aligns with your business goals.

Originally published at https://www.zealousweb.com on June 5, 2023.