How to export Gravity Forms entries to PDF (4 easy methods without code)

Want to export your Gravity Forms submissions to PDF without writing a single line of code? Whether you’re creating professional invoices, storing user submissions, or sending reports to Dropbox, we’ve got you covered.

In this guide, you’ll learn four easy and reliable ways to convert Gravity Forms entries into PDF documents using trusted third-party plugins. Let’s get started!

Why PDF files still rule

PDF (Portable Document Format) is one of the most reliable ways to preserve and share information. Here’s why many WordPress users export their Gravity Forms entries to PDF.

Professional-grade documents  

Use PDF exports to generate polished order confirmations, invoices, or applications that reflect your brand. PDF files protect content integrity. Once exported, your data can’t be altered.

Accurate record-keeping  

PDFs maintain formatting across devices and are ideal for archiving form data. They ensure your data remains consistent, legible, and secure.

Common use cases

PDF is the leading file format used for:

• Financial reports  
• Job applications  
• Contracts and agreements  
• Customer submissions  
• Order confirmations

Method 1: Export to PDF using GravityExport

GravityExport is a powerful tool in the GravityKit suite that lets you export Gravity Forms entries to PDF or Excel using a secure, shareable link. You can also send these files to remote storage like Dropbox or SFTP. Here’s how to set up a PDF export using GravityExport:

1. Install GravityExport

While GravityExport Lite (the free version) includes several powerful features, PDF export is only available in the full (paid) version.

2. Go to your form settings

Edit your form and then click the Settings link. Click the “GravityExport” tab

3. Enable the Download URL

GravityExport will generate a secure URL that you can use to download your PDF or share it with others.

4. In the “File Extension” dropdown, select .pdf

With GravityExport, you can export data to CSV, Excel, or PDF format.

5. Configure the remaining options to customize your PDF report

You have full control over your report—exclusde fields, add a custom filename, adjust dimensions, and more. GravityExport also allows you to style the PDF output, giving you control over things like colors, paper size, page numbers, header logos, fonts, and page orientation. While most options are customizable per report, some options can be set globally, applying to all PDF exports.

Pro tipAdd the download link to your form’s confirmation or notification to make it easy for users or admins to access.

Send PDFs to Dropbox or SFTP

GravityExport enables you to automatically send files to your Dropbox or a server using SFTP. To configure an automatic export:

1. Go to your form settings and click on the GravityExport Save tab
2. Click “Add New” to create a new export feed
3. Choose your storage method (Dropbox, FTP, or local storage)
4. If you selected Dropbox, connect GravityExport to your Dropbox account by following the on-screen instructions
5. Set the File Type to PDF
6. Choose whether to export all entries or only single entries

If you choose Dropbox as your storage location, you’ll need to connect your account. You can do this by going to the GravityKit settings, selecting “GravityExport” and then clicking “Connect to Dropbox”.

If you choose SFTP, you’ll need to enter the host URL, username, and password.

That’s it! Now every time you receive a new form submission, the information will be saved to PDF and sent to your storage location of choice.

Pro tipLearn more about custom reporting and analysis in Gravity Forms using GravityExport.

Method 2: Export PDF files using Gravity PDF

Gravity PDF is a free, feature-rich plugin that allows you to generate custom-branded PDFs from Gravity Forms submissions.

After installing Gravity PDF, navigate to your form settings. Here you’ll see a new feed called “PDF” which allows you to configure new PDF exports.

After adding a new PDF feed, you’ll see customization options for:

• Layout templates
• Page size + orientation
• Header and footer content
• Font options
• And more

After configuring and saving the feed, each user submission will automatically generate a PDF that you can download from your site or send automatically via email.

Method 3: Enable PDF export with GravityView DataTables

GravityView’s DataTables layout is ideal for displaying Gravity Forms entries in a sortable, searchable table on your site. What’s more? With the click of a button, you can export entries in PDF, Excel, or CSV format.

Here’s how to Enable PDF Export in GravityView DataTables:

1. Create a new View in GravityView
2. Select “DataTables” as your layout
3. Scroll to the Settings box, click the DataTables tab
4. Check the box for Enable Buttons
5. Enable the PDF button

To get started with DataTables, create a new View and select “DataTables” as your View layout. After adding fields and widgets to your View, scroll down to the Settings box, click on the DataTables tab and check the box that says “Enable Buttons”. 

Next, under buttons, make sure you check the box labeled “PDF”. 

Now check out your View on the front end. You’ll see a PDF download button at the top!

Check out the live demo here.

Pro tipLearn more about GravityView and how it enables you to create powerful web apps from Gravity Forms data.

Method 4: Map form entries to existing PDF templates with Fillable PDFs

The three methods above all generate new PDF documents from your form data. But what if you need to fill in an existing PDF, like a government form, legal contract, or insurance document?

That’s where Fillable PDFs by CosmicGiant comes in. This plugin lets you upload an existing PDF template and visually map your Gravity Forms fields to specific locations in the document. When someone submits your form, the plugin automatically generates a completed PDF using their data.

This plugin is ideal for organizations in government, financial services, insurance, or education that need to populate standardized documents with form submission data.

Key features

• Visual template mapper — drag and drop form fields onto your PDF template to define where each value should appear
• Digital signatures — embed signature images from your form directly into the PDF
• Conditional logic — generate different PDF versions based on form field values
• Secure storage — PDFs are stored locally on your server with optional password protection
• Email attachments — automatically attach the generated PDF to Gravity Forms notifications

Pricing

Fillable PDFs starts at $180/year (Personal plan, 3 sites, up to 10 templates).

Which PDF export method is best for you?

Plugin	Primary use case	PDF type	Gravity Forms certified add-on	Cost
GravityExport	Automated bulk exports to cloud storage	Data table PDF	Yes	Paid (free version available)
Gravity PDF	Customizable single-entry PDFs	Generated from template	Yes	Free (premium add-ons from $29 AUD)
GravityView DataTables	Front-end table with export buttons	Data table PDF	Yes	From $119/year
Fillable PDFs	Fill in existing PDF documents	Mapped to existing PDF	Yes	From $180/year

Which method should you choose?

• Need to fill in an existing PDF template (like a contract or government form)? Use Fillable PDFs.
• Want a custom-branded PDF for each submission (like an invoice or certificate)? Use Gravity PDF.
• Need to export multiple entries at once to PDF, Excel, or cloud storage? Use GravityExport.
• Want users to export data themselves from a front-end table? Use GravityView with DataTables.