How to Add a Signature to a PDF Using PDF.co and Zapier

Step 1: Get the Coordinates for Adding the Signature

Before placing the signature, we need to know exactly where on the PDF page to put it.

1. Go to the PDF.co PDF/Edit/Add Helper tool: https://app.pdf.co/pdf-edit-add-helper
2. Upload your PDF file (local, Dropbox, or URL).
3. Hover your mouse over the area where you want to add the text or signature image.
4. The X and Y coordinates will display on the right side of the screen.
5. Note down the coordinates — we’ll use them when configuring PDF Filler.

Step 2: Upload Your PNG Signature to File Storage

You have two options for storing your signature image:

Option 1: Using PDF.co File Storage (Recommended)

1. Go to https://app.pdf.co/files.
2. Click “Upload” and select your PNG signature.
3. Copy the private file URL/token generated by PDF.co.

Why this is recommended: It provides a stable and secure file URL.

Step 3: Set Up the Trigger in Zapier

The trigger determines when the signing process starts. In this tutorial, the trigger will fire whenever a new file is added to a Google Drive folder.

1. Log in to your Zapier account.
2. Click “Create Zap”.
3. Choose Google Drive as the trigger app.
4. Select “New File in Folder” as the Trigger Event.
5. In the Configure tab:
   • Under “My Drive”, select your Google Drive.
   • In the Folder field, choose the source folder where input files will be uploaded.
6. Click “Test Trigger”. Zapier will confirm the connection and retrieve a sample file.

How it works: Whenever a new PDF is added to that folder, this Zap will be triggered automatically.

Step 4: Configure the PDF Filler App in Zapier

Once the trigger is set, we’ll configure PDF.co to insert the signature and optional text.

1. Click the “+” icon to add an Action.
2. Choose PDF.co as the app.
3. Select “PDF Filler” as the Action Event.
4. Connect your PDF.co account to Zapier. You can get your API Key from your PDF.co dashboard.
5. In the Configure tab:
   • Map the Input File using the Web Content Link from the Google Drive trigger (previous step).
   • This allows PDF.co to process the uploaded file.

Text Object Field (Optional – if you want to add your name)

Format:

x;y;pageNumber;text;fontSize;fontName

Example:

200;700;0;John Doe;12;Times New Roman

This places the text “John Doe” at coordinates X = 200, Y = 700 on page 1 (page 0 in indexing).

Images Field (For your signature)

Format:

x;y;pageNumber;imageURL;linkToOpen;width;height

• x and y: coordinates from Step 1
• pageNumber: zero-indexed (0 = first page)
• imageURL: URL of your signature (from Step 2)
• linkToOpen: optional (leave blank if not needed)
• width and height: signature size (optional)

Example:

110.43;710.64;0;filetoken://ee3510993300eb783623588……;196;42

This places your signature image at X = 110.43, Y = 710.64, Width = 196, Height = 42 on page 1.

Step 5: Test and Review the Output

1. Click “Test & Review” in Zapier.
2. Zapier will send the data to PDF.co.
3. If successful, PDF.co will return a temporary URL for the signed PDF.
4. Open the URL to verify signature placement and quality.

If the placement isn’t perfect, tweak your coordinates and test again.

Step 6: Save the Signed PDF to Google Drive

To make sure your signed PDF is saved permanently:

1. Add another Action Step after PDF Filler.
2. Select Google Drive as the app.
3. Choose “Upload File” as the Action Event.
4. In the File field, map the output URL from PDF.co.
5. In the Folder field, select the destination folder where the signed files should be stored.
6. Test this step to confirm the upload works.