Term starts and your inbox fills with PDFs: school trip consents, medical forms, club sign-ups, photo permission slips. None of them are interesting, all of them need doing. Here's how to make it painless.
Signing without printing
Schools love PDFs that need 'a signed return'. You don't need to print, sign, scan, send. Open the PDF in Flint, draw your signature, save, email back. Two minutes total. Flatten before sending so the signature can't be moved. Keep a folder of frequently-signed forms (photo consent, medical) so you can copy your signed version when a new term brings the same request.
Filling forms that aren't fillable
Many school forms are exported flat — no clickable fields. Open in Flint's editor and add text directly on the page. Click where the line is, type the name. Works for every form regardless of whether the school made it fillable. Faster and tidier than handwriting, especially for forms with awkward boxes.
Tidying medical and ID documents
Some forms need vaccination records, passport pages, or birth certificates attached. Merge them with the form into one tidy PDF before submitting. For sensitive ID, redact anything not needed (full passport number, sometimes) before sharing. School admins prefer one well-named file over five attachments.
FAQ
Can my partner sign too?
Yes — both of you can add signatures to the same PDF. Each draws their own; flatten after both have signed. Useful for forms requiring both parents' consent.
Where do I keep all these forms?
A 'School Admin' folder synced to cloud is enough. Subfolders per child per year. Searching beats sorting; well-named files (term, type, date) make this work.
What if the school only accepts paper?
Print the signed PDF for them. The signed version is legally identical; some schools are slow to move off paper. Sign electronically anyway, print, hand in.
Family admin is mostly PDF admin. Sign one in Flint and feel the back-to-school pile shrink.