--- title: "PDF Stamper setup" slug: "pdf-stamper-setup" updated: 2026-10-09T18:21:15Z published: 2026-10-09T18:21:15Z canonical: "help.quickbase.com/pdf-stamper-setup" --- > ## 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 Stamper setup The **PDF Stamper Setup** step comes after the [Setup Type](https://help.quickbase.com/quickbase-extensions/docs/en/pdf-stamper-setup-type) step. Here you give the details of the documents you want to create: which table the data comes from, which PDF template to stamp it onto, and where to store the stamped documents—there are more options than a file attachment field. PDF Stamper always creates PDF files, so there's no output file type to choose. What you see depends on whether you chose **Single Document Generation** or **Bulk Document Generation** on the **Setup Type** step; the differences are in each field below and in the table after the list. Most fields have a **?** icon beside them that shows help in the wizard. ## The PDF Stamper Setup step The fields, from top to bottom: 1. **Select a Table** (required)—the table you want to create documents from. This is the **master table**. The list starts at **Select a Table**. The wizard adds fields to this table, so your user token needs permission to create fields in it. 2. **Template to Use**—the PDF file your data is stamped onto. Choose one: - **Use Standard Sample Template** (selected by default)—the wizard creates a sample template record for you, so you can try out how PDF Stamper works. - **Upload Custom Template**—if you already know PDF Stamper, skip the sample and upload your own PDF. A **Select a Template File** picker appears; it accepts *.pdf* files. The wizard adds the file as a record in the new **Document Templates** table. - **Use an Existing Template**—shown only when your app already has a **Document Templates** table, for example because you've installed PDF Stamper on another table. An **Existing Template Record ID#** box appears: enter the Record ID# of the template record you want to use. 3. **Filtering Criteria** (required; bulk only)—how PDF Stamper finds the records to create documents for. Choose one: - **Select a Report**—a **Select a Report** list of the master table's reports appears. When a run starts, documents are created for the records in that report. - **Filter By Query**—a **Build a Query** query builder appears. When a run starts, documents are created for the records that match the query at that time. 4. **Merge Output Files** (checkbox; bulk only)—after PDF Stamper creates the documents found by the **Filtering Criteria**, it merges them all into a single PDF and saves it on the **PDF Stamper Batch Processing** control record that the run was started from. 5. **Advanced Settings**—select it (**+**) to expand the storage options below. 6. **Select a Cloud Storage Type**—choose **None** (the default) to keep the documents in file attachment fields, or **Amazon S3** to save them to your Amazon S3 bucket. Amazon S3 adds the **Amazon S3 Account Setup** step before **Finish**; see [Optional steps this step can add](/quickbase-extensions/docs/pdf-stamper-setup#optional-steps-this-step-can-add). 7. **Use a Repository Table** (checkbox; single only)—save each document to a separate table, where each document is its own record. This keeps every document after it's created, in one place. Checking it adds the **Repository Table Setup** step. Select **Finish** to install. If your choices added optional steps, the button is **Next**, and **Finish** is on the last optional step. Select **Previous** to go back to **Setup Type**. ## Single vs. bulk document generation | **Setting** | **Single Document Generation** | **Bulk Document Generation** | | --- | --- | --- | | **Select a Table**, **Template to Use** | Shown | Shown | | **Filtering Criteria** (with **Select a Report** or **Build a Query**) | Not shown | Shown, required | | **Merge Output Files** | Not shown | Shown | | **Select a Cloud Storage Type** (**None** or **Amazon S3**) | Shown | Shown | | **Use a Repository Table** | Shown | Not shown | | **Application Token** step | Not added | Always added | | What gets installed | The **Stamp the Document** button and batch fields on the master table | The **PDF Stamper Batch Processing** and **PDF Stamper Batch Processing Logs** tables | ## Optional steps this step can add The wizard adds these steps before **Finish**, based on your choices: - **Amazon S3 Account Setup**—when you choose **Amazon S3**. You need your AWS account information. See [Amazon S3 setup](https://help.quickbase.com/quickbase-extensions/docs/en/cloud-provider-amazon-s3-setup), and for an overview of cloud storage, [Cloud provider overview and setup](https://help.quickbase.com/quickbase-extensions/docs/en/cloud-provider-overview). - **Repository Table Setup**—when you check **Use a Repository Table**. Choose or create the repository table and its file attachment field. See [Repository table step](https://help.quickbase.com/quickbase-extensions/docs/en/repository-table-step). - **Application Token**—for bulk document generation (added when you chose **Bulk Document Generation** on the **Setup Type** step). If your app requires application tokens, enter one in the optional **Application Token** box; the wizard adds it to the formulas it installs. If your app requires a token and you leave the box empty, add the token to those fields yourself later. See [Application token step](https://help.quickbase.com/quickbase-extensions/docs/en/application-token-step). ## Messages If something is missing, the wizard stays on this step and shows one of these messages in a red banner: | **Message** | **What to do** | | --- | --- | | *Please select a table.* | Choose a table in **Select a Table**. | | *The usertoken selected does not have permissions to create fields in the table. PDF Stamper needs permissions to create fields in order to continue the setup.* | Use a user token that can create fields in the table, or choose another table. | | *Please upload a valid file for the custom template.* | With **Upload Custom Template**, choose a *.pdf* file in **Select a Template File**. | | *Must supply a Record ID# for the existing template.* | With **Use an Existing Template**, enter the template's Record ID# in **Existing Template Record ID#**. | | *No filtering mode was selected. Please select a filtering mode.* | Bulk only: choose **Select a Report** or **Filter By Query** under **Filtering Criteria**. | | *Report-mode selected, but no report chosen. Please choose a report.* | Choose a report in the **Select a Report** list. | | *Query-mode selected, but query is blank. Please fill in a query.* | Build a query in **Build a Query**. | Next: [PDF Stamper finish](https://help.quickbase.com/quickbase-extensions/docs/en/pdf-stamper-finish).