Document templates: Unable to fill PDF Document

[Marek Remi_]

Hello everyone,

I have a requirement to prepare the following scenario:

When an HR case is created and its state is changed to "Ready to Work," three document tasks should be created in the following order:

1. The assigned user has a document task to fill out a PDF document with data.
2. The subject person then fills out the PDF document with updated data.
3. Finally, the assigned user reviews the PDF.

For testing purposes, I used a Non-Disclosure Agreement, which is an out-of-the-box (OOTB) editable PDF, as my PDF document in the document template.
Part of PDF:

I followed this link: ServiceNow Documentation and created the document template in the correct scope, Document Templates application (sn_doc).

I then added participants, as mentioned, with actions: fill, fill, review.

Document template record in Document Templates app with participants set:

Next, I created an HR case template that references the document template:

I also created an HR service that references the HR case template and added Automatically Initiate Document Task option

Now everything looks fine. When the case is created and the state is changed to "Ready to Work," the document task for the assigned user to fill out the PDF is created.

There is a "Fill Document" UI action on the document task record that opens the viewer, but I cannot edit anything there. It should be possible, as indicated in the link I provided earlier.

The same problem occurs in the Employee Center. The assigned user can open the PDF task for themselves, but the fields are not editable; they cannot write anything into the PDF.

I have already spent a lot of time trying to figure this out. This is not an HR document template; it is a document template, and it should be possible to allow users to type directly into the PDF in ServiceNow.

Any ideas on what might be wrong here? Thanks in advance!

[Sandeep Rajput · Accepted solution]

@Marek Remi_ Could you please verify if the field mappings for the fillable PDF are configured correctly? For more information please refer to https://docs.servicenow.com/bundle/xanadu-employee-service-management/page/product/human-resources/t...

[Marek Remi_ · Accepted solution]

Hi Miro2,

Thanks for the attached screenshot. I noticed that there is a "Participant" field on the mapping record, which is not visible on the form. I just figured out that I need to set this field to "Participant" to allow them to edit the field.

This is not mentioned anywhere in the documentation, so for anyone facing a similar issue: when creating a mapping, you need to define the participant to enable them to write into the field.

I'm not sure why this field isn't present on the template mapping form by default or documented, but I will suggest this improvement to ServiceNow.

Here’s how it looks:

The document is then saved perfectly and passed on to the next participant's document task.

Once again, thank you, everyone!

[Marek Remi_ · Accepted solution]

Hi Miro2,

Thanks for the attached screenshot. I noticed that there is a "Participant" field on the mapping record, which is not visible on the form. I just figured out that I need to set this field to "Participant" to allow them to edit the field.

This is not mentioned anywhere in the documentation, so for anyone facing a similar issue: when creating a mapping, you need to define the participant to enable them to write into the field.

I'm not sure why this field isn't present on the template mapping form by default or documented, but I will suggest this improvement to ServiceNow.

Here’s how it looks:

The document is then saved perfectly and passed on to the next participant's document task.

Once again, thank you, everyone!

[miro2 · Accepted solution]

Yes,  participant was required to have a field editable in the PDF.
 

[Marek Remi_]

Hello everyone, thank you for your help.

Since there are 10 fields on the form, I want to automatically populate just one of them, while the rest should be filled out by users in the document task. I parsed the PDF and mapped only the email field. This field is pre-filled as I intended in the document task.

[KajaP]

hi Marek,

I am currently re-designing one of our HR processes and looking for similar set-up you describe above -

   1. once the HR case is created, a task for the HR Agent should be triggered to update the document,

   2. task for subject person to fill out & sign the document,

   3. task for HR Agent to review & approve the document. 

The problem is that when the HR Case is being created, we would like it to be assigned to an assignment group - not an individual "assigned to" Agent (I believe this is "Skip Auto Assign" case option in an HR Service). We have a queue manager who assigns case to individual HR Agents and only then we would like the document task to be triggered.

Is such set up possible? We were told by an internal SN colleague, that such cases always need to be assigned to an individual when created...

[michaelj_sherid]

@KajaP  This is correct, the group cannot be assigned a review or sign action within the Document Templates - Document Task. It would be great to create an Idea on this Community so others can vote on this enhancement. You can find the Idea portal under the Resources tab within the main Community page as seen below.

Regards,

Mike