Which PDF copy should you send?
October 31, 2026
Identify the three versions
The original PDF is the file you opened. The working document is the state in your current browser tab while you fill fields and place marks. The finished download is a new PDF prepared from that work. They can look almost identical when filenames are similar, especially if you saved more than once. The version to send is usually the finished download you have opened and checked, subject to the recipient’s instructions.
Document Forge does not upload your PDF or keep a server draft. Closing or refreshing the tab can discard the working state. A review dialog is not itself a saved file, and a saved copy on your device is not erased by clearing the editor.
Use the original for future changes
The downloaded PDF has its form fields flattened. That makes the filled answers part of the page appearance, but it does not preserve the original interactive fields for another round of entry. Keep the untouched original if you might need to make a corrected or differently addressed copy. Reopen the original and repeat the relevant entries for a new version. If you only have the finished copy, ask the sender for another blank form when interactive fields are needed.
A signature added in Document Forge is visible on the finished page. It is not a certificate signature or proof of identity. If the recipient asks for a certified signing workflow, use the one it specifies instead of sending a visible mark and hoping it qualifies.
Check the exact attachment
After Review & download, locate the newest completed file in your browser’s Downloads list. Open it and compare it with the editor: check the recipient name, page count, dates, boxes and signatures. If you made a correction after an earlier download, the earlier file did not update itself. Save a new copy and choose that exact file as the attachment.
Before sending, read any submission instructions for naming, file size and signature method. Document Forge prepares a PDF; it does not submit the document for you. Keep a local copy of what you sent and the original blank source. If an answer is missing, fix it in the still-open editor or restart from the original, then verify the newly downloaded file.
If the recipient supplies a portal, follow its instructions and preview the selected attachment there when possible. Document Forge does not confirm delivery or receipt.