AEM Adaptive Form PDF Form

Hi ​@Rama_KrishnaNy ,

You cannot make an Adaptive Form that visually is the exact same PDF while authoring and filling it in AEM. Adaptive Forms are HTML, your PDF is a separate artifact.

What you can do (and what Adobe recommends) is:

1. Keep the PDF for final output (Document of Record) – including logo, images, styling.
2. Use XSD/XDP only as the data model for the Adaptive Form.
3. Bind Adaptive Form fields to that model, so submitted data merges back into your PDF layout.

1. Create XSD from your existing PDF/XDP
If you have an XFA/XDP form:

• Open the XDP in AEM Forms Designer.
• Go to: File > Form Properties > Preview.
• Click Generate Preview Data > Generate, save as form-data.xml.
• Use any free online “XML to XSD” tool to generate form.xsd from form-data.xml.

https://experienceleague.adobe.com/en/docs/experience-manager-learn/forms/import-data-from-pdf-form/create-adaptive-form

https://experienceleague.adobe.com/en/docs/experience-manager-learn/forms/document-services/generate-interactive-dor

For a tiny learning example (2 fields), your XSD might look like:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<xs:schema xmlns:xs="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema"
           targetNamespace="http://example.com/sample"
           xmlns="http://example.com/sample"
           elementFormDefault="qualified">

  <xs:element name="sample" type="SampleType"/>

  <xs:complexType name="SampleType">
    <xs:sequence>
      <xs:element name="firstName" type="xs:string"/>
      <xs:element name="age" type="xs:int"/>
    </xs:sequence>
  </xs:complexType>
</xs:schema>

This is the same pattern shown in the sample loan-application XSD in Recommended data source-based prefill and submit workflows for adaptive forms.

2. Create an Adaptive Form using that XSD

1. In AEM Author: Forms > Forms & Documents > Create > Adaptive Form.
2. In the wizard, go to Form Model tab:
   • Choose Schema.
   • Upload/select your form.xsd.
   • Pick the root element.
3. In the editor, open Data Model Objects panel and drag:
   • firstName => Text Box
   • age => Numeric Box
4. For your two images and logo, add Image components and style via theme or panel CSS.

3. Keep exact PDF look as Document of Record (DoR)

To have the final PDF look exactly like your original form, you configure the Document of Record to use your XDP or PDF as template:

• For on‑prem / AEM 6.5: Use Associate Form Template as Document of Record Template and pick your XDP (which has the exact design). https://experienceleague.adobe.com/en/docs/experience-manager-65/content/forms/adaptive-forms-advanced-authoring/generate-document-of-record-for-non-xfa-based-adaptive-forms
• For Cloud Service (Core Components): Use the DoR configuration: Associate Form Template as Document of Record Template or AcroForm-based DoR if using an Acrobat PDF.https://experienceleague.adobe.com/en/docs/experience-manager-cloud-service/content/forms/adaptive-forms-authoring/authoring-adaptive-forms-core-components/create-an-adaptive-form-on-forms-cs/generate-document-of-record-core-components

4. For your 2 fields + 2 images

1. In Designer, build a tiny XDP/PDF:
   • Logo image at top.
   • Two small images in the body.
   • Two fields: firstName, age.
2. Generate form-data.xml and then form.xsd.
3. Create Adaptive Form with form.xsd as model.
4. Bind the two Adaptive Form fields to firstName and age.
5. Configure DoR to use that XDP as template.
6. Preview, fill, and download PDF – it should look exactly like your original design.

Thanks,
Amit