How to use CCS PDF Editor
A short, everyday guide. Click ? in the app header for the full shortcut list.
Need more detail? See the User guide. Training tracks: USER-TRAINING.md.
The 30-second version
- Open a PDF (File menu, or drag the file onto the window).
- Stay in Editor with Pointer to fill forms and move annotations.
- Switch to Form only when you need to place or resize fillable fields.
- Save Project while you work. Save PDF when you are ready to share.
Your document is edited on this computer. This app does not upload it to a CCS server. Closing the tab or the app without saving discards unsaved work.
Open a document
| Do this | What happens |
|---|---|
| File → Open / Append PDF | Pick one or more PDFs |
Drag a PDF or .ccspdf onto the window |
Same as Open |
| Already have pages open | Choose start new or append |
| File asks for a password | Type it in the unlock box. Cancel aborts the open |
Tips
.ccspdffiles are CCS project files (the PDF plus your saved edits).- You can open several PDFs and combine their pages.
- A rare DRM-locked file may need an authorized Print to PDF first.
Editor or Form?
The header has a sliding switch.
| Switch | Use it when you want to… |
|---|---|
| Editor (blue) | Annotate and fill form fields. Use Pointer to click into a field. |
| Form (purple) | Place, move, resize, or rename fillable field boxes. Annotations are dimmed and locked. |
Rule of thumb: fill and mark up in Editor + Pointer. Design field layout only in Form.
| Key | What it does |
|---|---|
| F | Jump to Form (Pointer) |
| E in Form | Back to Editor (Pointer) |
| E in Editor | Edit / Stamp tool |
| M | Toggle Editor / Form (always lands on Pointer) |
| V or Esc | Pointer / deselect |
Everyday editing (Editor)
Visible when the switch is on Editor.
| Tool | What it is for | Key |
|---|---|---|
| Pointer / Move | Select, drag, and fill form fields | V |
| Edit / Stamp | Work with existing PDF text / stamps | E |
| Add Text | Click to place a text box | T |
| Rectangle / Circle / Line | Draw shapes. Line can be thickened | R / O / L |
| Redact | Click or drag over text to drop a black cover bar (visual only, not certified redaction) | D |
| Table / Grid | Place a simple table overlay | G |
| Snip & Move | Capture a region and place it as an image | S |
| Insert Image | Place a picture from your files | I |
| Insert Signature | Stamp a picture of a signature | N |
Select a shape to change stroke or fill. Undo / Redo are in the header (Ctrl+Z / Ctrl+Y).
Zoom: + and −, or Ctrl + scroll.
Fill a form
- Stay in Editor with Pointer.
- Click the field and type, check, or pick from a list.
- Save PDF (or Save Project) when you are done.
This works for forms that already had fields, and for fields you designed in Form mode.
Can't type in a field? You are probably in Form mode, or not on Pointer. Press E then V, and click inside the field.
Design a form (Form workspace)
- Switch to Form (F or the header switch).
- Choose a form tool and click-drag on the page to size the field.
- Select a field to rename it, set options, or resize it.
- Save Project to keep designing later, or Save PDF so others can fill it.
| Tool | Recipient gets |
|---|---|
| Text field | A type-in box |
| Checkbox | A clickable check box |
| Radio button | One option in a group — same group name, unique option value |
| Dropdown | A choice list (use Options…) |
| Signature field | A name-line widget in PDF readers |
Radio tip: group name payment_type, values cash / card. Mark at most one as Default.
Save PDF keeps fields fillable. Editor annotations are flattened into the page.
Can't move a field box? You need Form mode, not Editor.
Save Project vs Save PDF
Save Project (.ccspdf) |
Save PDF (.pdf) |
|
|---|---|---|
| When | Still working; want to reopen edits | Sharing a finished file |
| Annotations | Stay editable | Flattened (burned in) |
| Form fields | Stay editable in CCS | Stay fillable for others |
| Password | — | Optional protect on export (not recoverable if forgotten) |
Still editing tomorrow → Project. Sharing a form people can fill → PDF. Doing both is fine: Project first, then PDF.
There is no autosave to a server. Pick Save Project often.
OCR a scan
- Open the scanned PDF.
- Click Scan OCR (or OCR on a narrow window).
- Wait for local progress; keep the tab open.
OCR runs on your device (English). Pages that already have a text layer may be skipped; hold Shift and click to force a rescan.
Signatures (two different things)
| Feature | Where | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Insert Signature | Editor | A picture of a signature (flattened on Save PDF) |
| Form: Signature field | Form to design, Editor to fill | A name line with a local attestation |
Neither one replaces a policy-required e-sign platform (DocuSign, Adobe Sign, and similar).
To fill a form signature: Editor + Pointer, click the field, check the attestation box, then type or pick a style.
File → Print prepares pages and opens the browser print dialog. Form designer chrome is not printed as purple boxes.
If something is not working
| Symptom | Try |
|---|---|
| Cannot type in a form field | Editor + Pointer, then click inside the field |
| Cannot move a form field box | Switch to Form |
| Cannot select a text box or shape | Switch to Editor |
| Save dialog never appeared | Save location is requested before long processing; hard-refresh and try again |
| Edits missing after reopen | You saved a PDF (flattened) instead of a Project |
| Forgot the export password | It cannot be recovered — re-export if you still have the project |
| Password PDF will not open | Confirm the password; rare DRM may need print-to-PDF |
| Desktop app will not start | WebView2 Runtime / .NET Desktop Runtime (see the Windows package START-HERE) |
Still stuck: ITHelpdesk@ccsemail.org — mention browser or Windows app, file size, Save Project vs Save PDF, and Editor vs Form.
More documentation
This page is the staff landing page for the docs/ folder.
| Document | Who it is for |
|---|---|
| USER-GUIDE.md | Full click-by-click reference |
| USER-TRAINING.md | Trainer tracks A–D + staff handout |
| WINDOWS-INSTALL-SOP.md | IT: install the Windows package |
| AUDITOR-FAQ.md | One-page answers for auditors |
| GOVERNANCE.md | Change control, privacy posture, residual risk |
| ARCHITECTURE.md | How the editor is built |
| SYSTEM-PROFILE.md | Owners, host blanks, contacts |
| DEVELOPMENT-STANDARDS.md | How we change the code |
| marketing/index.html | Browser pack: overview, pitch, generated HTML |
| README.md | Deploy overview |
| CHANGELOG-1.5.25.md | Release notes |
Sensitive documents: only open files you are authorized to see, save records to the folder your department uses, and close the tab when you are done.
Rendered for the browser from repository markdown. Edit the .md sources, then re-run powershell -File docs/marketing/render-docs.ps1 from the repo root.