---
title: "PDF Export Block: Automatically Save Form PDFs to Project or Global Folders"
url: "https://help.ontraccr.com/en/article/pdf-export-block-automatically-save-form-pdfs-to-project-or-global-folders"
language: "en"
last_updated: "2025-05-26T21:51:41.421Z"
---

# PDF Export Block: Automatically Save Form PDFs to Project or Global Folders

## 📄 PDF Export Block: Automatically Save Submitted Forms to Ontraccr File Storage  
 

The **PDF Export Block** allows you to automatically save submitted form PDFs into **project folders** or a **global folder** in Ontraccr’s file storage. This is perfect for archiving, document retrieval, audits, and centralized file management.

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## 📦 What Is the PDF Export Block?

This block saves the PDF version of a submitted form to:

-   A **specific global folder**
-   A **project’s folder** (based on selected project in the form)
-   A **subfolder within that project** (e.g., Safety, Reports)

It triggers **automatically**, with no user action required.

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## 🛠 How to Add and Configure It

1.  Go to **Step 3: Workflow**
2.  Drag the **PDF Export** Block into your workflow canvas
3.  Connect it to a preceding block (e.g., Submit, Approve, Trigger)
4.  Click **Set Export Location**

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## 📁 Export Location Options

### 🔹 Option 1: Global Folder

Save the PDF to any static folder in your Ontraccr file storage.

> ✅ Example: Save all inspection forms to a “Master Safety Logs” folder.

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### 🔹 Option 2: Project Folder (Dynamic)

Check the box: **Use Form Project Folder(s)?:**

-   Automatically saves to the **project selected in the form**
-   You can specify a **subfolder** within the project (e.g., “Safety”, “Invoices”)
-   To select a specific subfolder, navigate to **Documents → Files**
    -   **Locate the specific subfolder → Copy Subfolder’s path → Paste it beside ‘Project Subfolder:’** in PDF Export customization block

[Embedded content](https://www.loom.com/embed/6fe49aa1d4664eff900416c18baea143)

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## 📥 How This Helps

| Need | Solution |
| --- | --- |
| Centralized backups | Save all completed forms to a dedicated folder |
| Easy access for office staff | Store forms in project folders for quick lookup |
| Compliance record-keeping | Save to labeled folders by type (Safety, QA/QC) |
| Trigger-based archiving | Pair with approval or final edit step to archive only finished forms |

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## ⚠️ Notes & Limitations

-   The block **does not create folders**—the subfolder name must already exist
-   The form must have a **project selected** to use project-folder saving
-   PDFs are saved **after** the form reaches this block in the workflow

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## 🧠 Use Case Examples

| Scenario | Folder Setup |
| --- | --- |
| Safety forms go to global Safety folder | Use static export location: “Safety” |
| Daily reports saved per project | Use project folders → subfolder: “Reports” |
| Invoices filed in job-specific folders | Use form project folder + subfolder: “Invoices” |
| Archive final approved forms only | Add PDF export block after Approval block |

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## 📌 Best Practices

-   🔒 Use project-folder export when forms vary by job
-   📁 Use consistent subfolder naming (e.g., “Safety”, “Admin”, “Billing”)
-   ✅ Add this block **at the end of the workflow** to ensure final version is saved