---
title: "PDF Merger merge options"
slug: "pdf-merger-merge-options"
description: "Learn how to merge PDFs using Configuration or Query setups in PDF Merger, and discover tips for saving files from S3 or Dropbox efficiently."
tags: ["Quickbase Extension", "Document Generation"]
updated: 2026-10-09T17:41:07Z
published: 2026-10-09T17:41:07Z
canonical: "help.quickbase.com/pdf-merger-merge-options"
---

> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://help.quickbase.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# PDF Merger merge options

There are two ways to tell PDF Merger which files to merge: **merge with a configuration**, where you list each file, or **merge with a query**, where PDF Merger merges the files on every record a query or report returns. You choose one in the **PDF Merger Parameters** formula field. The installation wizard calls them **Configuration Setup** and **Query Setup**.

## Which option to use

|  | Merge with a configuration | Merge with a query |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **Use it when** | You know exactly which files to merge—for example, a cover page, the record's own document, and a closing page. | You want every file that matches some criteria—for example, the attachments on all the child records of a project. |
| **Files can come from** | Any records in any tables, and each file can be in Quickbase, Amazon S3, or Dropbox. | The records of one table. All files come from the same kind of storage. |
| **Number of files** | Fixed: one entry per file. The wizard sets up to five; you can add more in the formula. | Changes with the data: one or more files for each record the query returns. |
| **Order of files** | The order you list them. | The query's sort order, then the order of the fields on each record. |
| **Main parameter** | `Configuration` | `msqry` (a query) or `msqid` (a report) |

Use one option per **PDF Merger Parameters** field. If the field has both `Configuration` and `msqry` or `msqid`, or both `msqry` and `msqid`, PDF Merger doesn't merge anything.

Both options also use the same general parameters—`clientid`, `appid`, `apptoken`, `errorfid`, `mrgdte`, `triggerfid`, `type`, and `configid`. See [Formula Text field parameters](/quickbase-extensions/docs/formula-text-field-parameters).

> [!NOTE]
> Note
> 
> Type parameter names exactly as shown on this page—they're case-sensitive (for example, `S3=Y`, not `s3=Y`). Parameters are separated by spaces, so no value can contain a space.

## Merge with a configuration

The `Configuration` parameter is a list of entries separated by a pipe (`|`). Each entry points to one file. The **last** entry is different: it says where to save the merged PDF.

```plaintext
Configuration={file 1}|{file 2}|...|{where to save}
```

The basic entry is a table, a record, and a file attachment field:

```plaintext
{table dbid}:{Record ID#}-{file attachment field ID}
```

For example, `bq5d6e7f8:12-6` is the file in field 6 of record 12 in table `bq5d6e7f8`.

### Example: an employee welcome package

This formula merges a cover page (record 12 of a *Document Templates* table, field 6), the employee's own document (field 10 on the record PDF Merger runs from), and a closing page (record 15 of *Document Templates*), and saves the result to field 25 on the same employee record:

```plaintext
"Configuration=" & [_DBID_DOCUMENT_TEMPLATES] &":12-6|"
  & Dbid() & ":" & [Record ID#] & "-10|"
  & [_DBID_DOCUMENT_TEMPLATES] & ":15-6|"
  & Dbid() & ":" & [Record ID#] & "-25"
& " fn=Welcome_Package"
```

Use `Dbid()` and `[Record ID#]` for the record PDF Merger runs from, and a table alias such as `[_DBID_DOCUMENT_TEMPLATES]` for other tables. `fn` is the merged file's name, without spaces.

### Files from Amazon S3 or Dropbox

An entry can point to a file in Amazon S3 or Dropbox instead. The field ID is then a field on the record that stores the file's S3 key or Dropbox file name. You can mix Quickbase, S3, and Dropbox entries in the same configuration.

| Where the file is | Entry | Example |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Quickbase file attachment field | `{dbid}:{Record ID#}-{field ID}` | `bq5d6e7f8:12-6` |
| Amazon S3, your account's bucket | `{dbid}:{Record ID#}-s3:{S3 key field ID}` | `bq5d6e7f8:12-s3:15` |
| Amazon S3, another bucket | `{dbid}:{Record ID#}-s3:{bucket}:{S3 key field ID}` | `bq5d6e7f8:12-s3:contracts_bucket:15` |
| Dropbox, your account's folder | `{dbid}:{Record ID#}-DB:{file name field ID}` | `bq5d6e7f8:12-DB:16` |
| Dropbox, another folder | `{dbid}:{Record ID#}-DB:{folder}:{file name field ID}` | `bq5d6e7f8:12-DB:contracts:16` |

### Where the merged PDF is saved

The last entry in the configuration says where to save the merged PDF:

| Save to | Last entry | What happens |
| --- | --- | --- |
| A file attachment field | `{dbid}:{Record ID#}-{field ID}` | The merged PDF is saved to that field. The record must already exist; it can be in another table. |
| Amazon S3 | `{dbid}:{Record ID#}-s3:{field ID}` or `{dbid}:{Record ID#}-s3:{bucket}:{field ID}` | The merged PDF is saved in your account's bucket, or the bucket you name, with a new key: the file name, table, record, and five random characters (for example, `Welcome_Package_bq1a2b3c9_25_K7Q2M`). The key is written to the field, which should be a text field. |
| Amazon S3 with your own key | `{dbid}:{Record ID#}-s3:{bucket}:{key}:{field ID}` | The same, but the third part is the key itself (not a field ID), so you can build it in the formula. The key is written to the field. |
| Dropbox | `{dbid}:{Record ID#}-DB:{folder}:{field ID}` | The merged PDF is saved in that Dropbox folder as `{fn}.pdf`, and that file name is written to the field. Use a different `fn` for each record, or files with the same name are replaced. |

### Good to know

- If a source field is empty, PDF Merger skips that file and merges the rest.
- Bucket and folder names in the configuration can't contain a hyphen (`-`), because the hyphen separates the record from the field.
- To merge more than the five files the wizard sets up, add more entries before the last one.

## Merge with a query

With a query, PDF Merger finds the records in one table, then merges the files on each of them. You give the table, the query or report, the fields that hold the files, and where to save the result.

| Parameter | Description | Sample |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `dbid` | The table to take the files from. | `dbid=bq9h8g7f6` |
| `msqry` | A Quickbase query that picks the records. Use either `msqry` or `msqid`. | `msqry={'6'.EX.'25'}` |
| `msqid` | The ID of a report on the `dbid` table. PDF Merger merges every file attachment field in the report's columns, so `clist` isn't needed. | `msqid=5` |
| `clist` | With `msqry`: `3`, then the IDs of the file attachment fields to merge, separated by periods. Always start with `3`—PDF Merger skips the first ID in the list. | `clist=3.8.9` |
| `slist` | The field to sort the records by. Defaults to Record ID# (`3`). | `slist=7` |
| `mrgdbid` | The table to save the merged PDF in. | `mrgdbid=bq1a2b3c9` |
| `mrgrid` | The Record ID# of the record to save it on. The record must already exist. | `mrgrid=25` |
| `mrgfa` | The file attachment field to save it in. | `mrgfa=10` |
| `mrgfn` | The merged file's name, without spaces. Required for a query merge. | `mrgfn=Project_Timesheets` |

### Example: every job's timesheet on a project

This formula, on a *Projects* table, merges the *Job Timesheet* file (field 8) of every *Jobs* record whose *Related Project* (field 6) is this project, sorted by Record ID#, and saves the result to field 10 on the project:

```plaintext
"msqry={'6'.EX.'" & [Record ID#] & "'}"
& " clist=3.8"
& " slist=3"
& " dbid=" & [_DBID_JOBS]
&" mrgdbid=" & Dbid()
&" mrgrid=" & [Record ID#]
&" mrgfa=10"
& " mrgfn=Project_Timesheets"
```

The query can't contain spaces either, so match on IDs or values without spaces—for example, a Record ID# or a status code.

### Files in Amazon S3 or Dropbox

If the records store S3 keys or Dropbox file names instead of attachments, add these parameters. PDF Merger then reads those fields instead of file attachment fields.

| Parameter | Description | Sample |
| --- | --- | --- |
| `s3fid` | The field that stores each file's S3 key. | `s3fid=12` |
| `s3bktfid` | Optional. A field that stores each file's bucket, if the files are in different buckets. | `s3bktfid=13` |
| `s3bkt` | Optional. The bucket to use instead of your account's bucket. | `s3bkt=contracts_bucket` |
| `dbfid` | The field that stores each file's Dropbox file name. | `dbfid=14` |
| `dbfolderfid` | The field that stores each file's Dropbox folder. Required with `dbfid`. | `dbfolderfid=15` |

### Saving the merged PDF to Amazon S3 or Dropbox

- **Amazon S3**: add `S3=Y`. PDF Merger saves the merged PDF with a new key (or the key in `cstmkey`), in your account's bucket or the one in `s3bkt`, and writes the key to the `mrgfa` field—use a text field for it.
- **Dropbox**: add `DB=Y` and `dbfolder={folder}`. PDF Merger saves the merged PDF as `{mrgfn}.pdf` and writes that name to the `mrgfa` field.

### Good to know

- If the query returns no records, PDF Merger writes *There are no records retrived for the query* to the error field.
- Records with an empty file field are skipped.

## Limits

Your account has a maximum number of files per merge and a maximum size for the merged PDF. If a merge goes over either one, PDF Merger stops and writes the reason to the error field.

## Learn more

- [Set up PDF Merger with the installation wizard](/quickbase-extensions/docs/pdf-merger-setup-with-wizard)
- [PDF Merger email notification setup](/quickbase-extensions/docs/pdf-merger-email-notification-setup)
- [Formula Text field parameters](/quickbase-extensions/docs/formula-text-field-parameters)

## Related

- [PDF Merger features and functionality](/pdf-merger-features-and-functionality.md)