The Acrobat Forms Calculation Won't Work
Adobe Acrobat allows users to add a wide variety of interactive features, such as video, audio and shareable edits to PDF files. One of the most widely used Acrobat features is the ability to add forms and text fields to PDFs. Forms can be used to allow people to enter their own information to a PDF or to add a drop-down list. Acrobat's form editing interface also allows users to create calculation fields that will execute equations and functions based on information entered in other fields -- but users must follow a few key guidelines to make calculation forms work properly.
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Instructions
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Go to the "Calculate" tab of the Field Properties dialogue box. Make sure the fields that you want users to fill in are marked as "Value is not calculated." Also make sure that any forms utilizing the "Value is the" function of the "Calculate" tab are set properly. For example, if you are creating a text box form that is meant to display the sum of the values of two other forms, make sure the drop-down menu in the "Value is the" section is set to "sum (+)".
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Confirm that the form fields you have selected in the "Pick" field as part of your "Value is the" functions are correct.
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Make sure that information entered into the "Edit" fields of the "Simplified field notation" or "Custom calculation script" sections is written in JavaScript. This is the only way these equations will be executable in your Acrobat forms.
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Double-check any JavaScript entered for equations in the "Simplified field notation" or "Custom calculation script" fields, to make sure there are no errors.
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Tips & Warnings
Make sure to give each of your fields an obvious, specific name to cut down on calculation mistakes.
