Formula Text field parameters

Authorization Parameters

clientid

Quickbase Extensions client identifier assigned to your account during the setup process.

clientid=Q###

appid

Unique identifier for the Quickbase app. This is used to verify that your app is authorized to use PDF Merger.

appid=appID()

apptoken

Application token. If the Quickbase app requires application tokens, then pass a token in this parameter.

apptoken=adfsff3v55v353xxxxxx

"Configuration String" - this is the "heart" of this type of merge operation

• Uses a "string" of values to instruct PDF Merger on how to find the files to merge and where to send the file after it is "merged".

Configuration

Defines:

• Where the source file attachments are located (see 1a, 1b, 1c), and

• Where the final merged file should be uploaded (see 2a, 2b, 2c)
  

1a. Source File Format - for files coming from file attachment fields

Each file to be merged is defined using the following format:

{dbid}:{Record ID#}-{File Attachment field id#}
Example: bjnjxrzbu:1-7

Tip

You can include up to 50 source files, separated by a pipe (|) character.

Example with multiple files: bjnjxrzbu:1-7|bjnjxrzbu:4-7

1b. Source File Format - for files coming from Amazon S3

Each file to be merged is defined using the following format:

{dbid}:{Record ID#}-s3:{S3 key - field id#}
Example: bjnjxrzbu:1-s3:15      (where 15 is the field id# that stores the S3 key)

If a different bucket is required when downloading from what we have on file:
{dbid}:{Record ID#}-s3:{S3 Bucket name}:{S3 key - field id#}

Example: bjnjxrzbu:1-s3:test_bucket:15

1c. Source File Format - for files coming from Dropbox

Each file to be merged is defined using the following format:

{dbid}:{Record ID#}-DB:{Dropbox file name - field id#}
Example: bjnjxrzbu:1-DB:15      (where 15 is the field id# that stores the Dropbox file name)

If a different folder is required when downloading from what we have on file:
{dbid}:{Record ID#}-DB:{Dropbox folder name}:{Dropbox file name - field id#}

Example: bjnjxrzbu:1-s3:test_db_folder:15

Tip

If you need a file to come from a mixture of file attachments and Amazon S3, you can mix any one of the configurations from above in the same string.

2a. Destination File Location - for storing in a file attachment field

The final part of the string (after all source files) specifies where the merged file should be stored. This must be the last definition in the string.

It follows the same format as seen before:

{dbid}:{Record ID#}-{File Attachment field id#}
Example: bjnjxrzft:1-29

2b. Destination File Location - for storing in Amazon S3

The final part of the string (after all source files) specifies where the merged file should be stored. This must be the last definition in the string.

Notice the format below contains what is referred to as a "Custom S3 key" - this allows you to create the key in a formula field any way you need.

{dbid}:{Record ID#}-s3:{Custom S3 key field id#}

Or

{dbid}:{Record ID#}-s3:{S3 Bucket Name}:{Custom S3 key field id#}

A few notes on the above syntax:

1. This is optional: {S3 Bucket Name} - if not specified, we use the bucket on file for your account.

2. This is also optional: {Custom S3 key field id#} - and if not specified our process will define it as: {File name -specified with "fn" parameter}"_"{dbid}"_"{Record ID#}

Examples:

bjnjxrzft:1-s3:29 (custom S3 key in field id# 29)

bjnjxrzft:1-s3:test_bucket:29 (S3 bucket: test_bucket and custom S3 key in field id# 29)

bjnjxrzft:1-s3 (the merge process uses the S3 bucket on file and generates its own S3 key)

2c. Destination File Location - for storing in Dropbox

The final part of the string (after all source files) specifies where the merged file should be stored. This must be the last definition in the string.

{dbid}:{Record ID#}-DB:{Merged/Dropbox file name}:{Dropbox file name field id#}

Or (if not using the Dropbox folder name we have on file for you, specify it below)

{dbid}:{Record ID#}-DB:{Dropbox folder name}:{Merged/Dropbox file name}:{Dropbox file name field id#}

Examples:

bjnjxrzft:1-DB:myDBFolder:my_merged_file:29

Notes:

• You need to provide the field id# for the field that stores the name of the merged file, like the Dropbox file name field id# seen above. The "Merged/Dropbox file name" is not the full file name and does not have the .pdf extension in its name. We store the "Merged/Dropbox file name" in Quickbase so that we can allow it to be downloaded.

• The "Merged/Dropbox file name" should be unique for each Quickbase record, or your files will be overwritten each time files are merged.

3. Complete Example

Configuration="bjnjxrzbu:1-7|bjnjxrzbu:4-7|bjnjxrzft:1-29"

Where: bjnjxrzbu:1-7 and bjnjxrzbu:4-7 are the files to be merged,

And: bjnjxrzft:1-29 is the location where the merged file will be stored.

Ex. formula text field...

"Configuration=" & [DBID_TABLE1] &":1-7|" &[DBID_TABLE1] & ":4-7|" & [DBID_TABLE2] & ":5-7|" & [DBID_DESTINATION_TABLE] & ":" &[Record ID#] & "-29"

fn

File name when stored within the file attachment field.

fn=Employee_forms_2025

mrgdte

This is the field id# that is updated with a completion date when the PDF Merger process is completed.

mrgdte=39

errorfid

This is the field id# that is updated with any error messages from the process if needed.

errorfid=45

triggerfid

This is the field id# of the field that indicates if the process is executing and reflects when it has been completed, as shown here:

triggerfid=71

Note

For this mode of merging files you still need the 3 parameters specified above at the top in Simple Merge, like Authorization Parameters: clientid, appid, apptoken. Then, below are the additional parameters used for this type of merge.

dbid

Unique identifier for the Master table. This is the table that we are storing the merged files in. You can use the function "dbid()" instead of the actual table dbid and Quickbase converts it properly.

dbid=dbid()

msqry

Master table query. This is used to process multiple records in a single transaction. It is used to filter the records from the master table to identify only the records that you want to include in the process. You can use the Quickbase API documentation to help you set up the query string filter properly.

Learn more about query operators in the Quickbase API documentation.

Note

You can either use msqry or msqid. You cannot use both.

msqry={'8'.EX.'" & [Relation2Master] & "'}

(Ex. If this is set up on a master record, you can direct the [dbid] to the related child table and choose all related files to merge together.

msqid
(optional)

Master table query id. This is not recommended when creating single documents. Use the report query id value in this parameter. Ex: The [List All] report is typically "1". You should create a new table report, filter the records to only display the records and file attachments that you want to have documents generated for, and save the report.

Note

You can either use msqry or msqid. You cannot use both.

msqid=5

clist

These are the field id#'s of the file attachments fields on the table you are querying.

Note

Always include '3' in the list - this denotes the Record ID# of the record.

clist=3.6.8.60
(assumes field ID 6,8 and 60 are file attachment fields - all get merged)

slist

Field id of the field that you want to sort the records with. Used for the merger with query.

slist=24

errorfid

This is the field id# that is updated with any error messages from the process if needed.

errorfid=45

triggerfid

This is the field id# of the field that indicates if the process is executing and reflects when it has been completed, as shown here:

triggerfid=71

As seen in the Simple Merge section, the following parameters instruct the PDF Merger process similarly to how the "Configuration String" works within Simple Merge, on the destination location of the output. These values allow you to direct the output to whatever table you want. Also, similar in concept to sending documents to a "Repository".

mrgdbid

(Merge table dbid) When creating a merged PDF here is where you specify the table that the merged PDF should be stored within.

mrgdbid=bkt7gdjs

mrgrid

(Merge table Record ID#) Record ID# of the record that the merged PDF will be stored within.

mrgrid=[Record ID#]

mrgfn

(Merge File Name) This is the value that PDF Merger uses when creating the document file. There can be no spaces in the file name.

mrgfn=Employee_Forms_2025

mrgfa

(Merge File Attachment field id#) This is the field id# of the file attachment field that is updated with the merged PDF document.

mrgfa=7

mrgdte

Merged date field id. This field is updated when the merge process is completed.

mrgdte=39

s3

Amazon S3 integration. If the document is to be stored on Amazon S3, then this parameter should be set to "Y".

s3=Y

s3bkt

Amazon S3 Bucket name. This overrides the bucket to use when saving files to Amazon S3. There is a default bucket set up when your account is created, and if this parameter is not passed in, the default bucket is used. This is a way to override the default bucket.

s3bkt=test_folder

s3fid

This is the field id# of the field that stores the key value.

s3fid=12

s3bktfid

This is the field id# of the field that stores the S3 Bucket name.

s3bktfid=32

db

If the document is to be stored in Dropbox, then this parameter should be set to "Y".

db=Y

dbfolder

This overrides the folder to use when saving files to Dropbox. There is a default folder set up when your account is created, and if this parameter is not passed in, the default folder is used. This is a way to override the folder name.

dbfolder=test_folder

dbfid

This is the field id# of the field that stores the Dropbox file name.

dbfid=12

dbfolderfid

This is the field id# of the field that stores the Dropbox folder name.

dbfolderfid=45