If you have a PDF created for a specific client — like a customized budget, floor plan, or slide deck — you can upload it directly to their project or contact record as a read-only form. For reusable PDFs you plan to send to multiple clients, upload them as a PDF form template instead.
Upload a PDF to a project
To add a custom PDF to a client's project, you'll work through the project's Forms tab. The process takes just a few steps.
Go to Projects and select the client's project.
Click the Forms tab.
Click Add a Form. The "Apply Form Template to Project" modal opens, showing your existing form templates.
Click New form at the top of the template selector.
In the "New Form" modal, select the PDF option.
In the Upload PDF area, drag your file or click to browse and select it. Only
.pdffiles are accepted, up to 8 MB.After selecting your file, confirm the file name is correct. To swap the file, click the X button next to the file name and select a different one.
Click Create Form to upload the PDF.
After upload, the PDF appears in the project's Forms tab as a read-only form.
PDF forms are read-only documents that clients can view but cannot edit.
Upload a PDF to a contact
You can also upload a custom PDF directly to a contact record, outside of a specific project. The steps are the same as uploading to a project.
Go to Contacts and select the contact.
Click the Forms tab.
Click Add a Form and follow steps 4–8 above.
The PDF will appear in the contact's Forms tab as a read-only form.
Share and send the PDF
Once a PDF is uploaded to a project or contact, you can share it with your client. Click the PDF in the Forms tab to open its detail panel, then click Share to see your options.
Send is the primary option for most situations. It opens the email composer pre-filled with your Send Form email template, so you can review and send the email directly from Dubsado.
Two additional options are available:
Copy link — copies the PDF's direct URL to your clipboard, so you can share it outside of Dubsado's email composer.
Apply to portal — adds the PDF to the client's client portal. This option is only available for PDFs that have not yet been sent and are attached to a project (not a contact).
Use Copy link if you want to share the PDF in a text message or through a third-party email tool.
FAQ
Can I upload file types other than PDFs?
No. Dubsado only supports PDF uploads for forms. For other file types, upload them to a cloud storage service like Dropbox or Google Drive, then share the link with your client through a form, email, or the client portal.
Can I send a custom PDF through a flow?
No. Flows can only send PDFs that have been uploaded as form templates. To send a client-specific PDF, upload it to the project and send it manually. You can add a to-do action to your flow to remind yourself to upload and send the PDF at the right time.
Is there a file size limit?
Yes, 8 MB. If your PDF exceeds 8 MB, try compressing it before uploading. If it's still too large after compression, upload the file to a cloud storage service of your choice and share the link with your client instead.