How to automate PDF tasks and e-signatures in Microsoft Power Automate

Power Automate already takes care of approvals, notifications, data collection and file storage for a lot of teams. But there's usually one step that still needs a human: the PDF.

Someone downloads the file, opens a PDF tool, compresses or converts it, uploads it again, then sends it out for signature. It's small work, but it adds up, and it's exactly the kind of step that slows a workflow down.

So we built two connectors to close that gap. The iLovePDF connector brings our PDF tools into Power Automate, and the iLoveSign connector lets you send documents for electronic signature from the same flow. Your documents now move to the next step on their own.

Key takeaways

• iLovePDF and iLoveSign are both available as connectors in Microsoft Power Automate, currently in preview.
• The iLovePDF connector can compress, merge, split, rotate, protect, unlock, watermark, number, OCR and convert PDFs as steps in a flow.
• The iLoveSign connector signs a PDF or sends a signature request, with multiple signers, reminders and expiration dates.
• Signers don't need an account. They sign through a link sent by email.
• Both connectors also work in Power Apps, Copilot Studio and Azure Logic Apps.
• You connect them with an API key from your iLoveAPI developer account.

What is a Power Automate connector?

A connector is what lets Power Automate talk to another service. Microsoft offers hundreds of them, from Outlook and SharePoint to Teams and Dynamics 365.

Each connector adds actions you can drop into a flow. A flow usually has three parts:

1. A trigger, the event that starts everything, like a new file landing in a folder.
2. One or more actions, the work that happens next.
3. An outcome, such as a file being shared, saved or sent.

With the iLovePDF and iLoveSign connectors, PDF processing and e-signatures become actions in that chain. A new PDF is created, iLovePDF processes it automatically, and the result is shared, saved or sent without anyone touching it.

If you're new to Power Automate, Microsoft's overview of connectors is a good place to see how they fit together.

The iLovePDF connector for Power Automate

What it does

The iLovePDF connector automates the everyday PDF operations that tend to interrupt a process. You pick the action, point it at a file, and the processed PDF comes back as file content you can pass to the next step.

Files can come from inside the flow, for example an attachment or a file from SharePoint or OneDrive, or from a public URL.

PDF actions you can add to a flow

Compress PDF. Reduce file size while keeping the document readable, so it fits in an email or an upload portal. You can choose the compression level. Here's where to compress a PDF without losing quality.

Merge PDF. Combine files into a single document. Each merge action joins two files, and you can chain actions to build longer documents.

Split PDF. Extract specific page ranges, split every few pages, remove pages you don't need, or merge the ranges back together after splitting.

Office to PDF. Turn Word, Excel and PowerPoint files into PDFs, ready to share or archive.

Image to PDF. Convert JPG, PNG and TIFF images into a PDF, with options for orientation, margins and page size.

PDF to JPG. Convert every page into an image, or pull out the images embedded in the document.

PDF to PDF/A. Convert documents into PDF/A for long-term preservation, with a choice of conformance level.

PDF OCR. Turn scanned, non-selectable PDFs into searchable documents, with support for multiple OCR languages.

Protect PDF. Add password protection before a document leaves your organization.

Unlock PDF. Remove a password from a PDF you have the right to open, so the next step in your flow can work with it.

Rotate PDF. Fix page orientation automatically, which is handy for scans that come in sideways.

Add page numbers. Number all pages or just a range, and set the position, font, size and color.

Watermark. Stamp text or an image on selected pages, with control over position, rotation, transparency and whether it sits above or below the content. You can even repeat it as a mosaic across the page.

The iLoveSign connector for Power Automate

What it does

iLoveSign is our e-signature product. Its Power Automate connector adds a Sign PDF action that either signs a document or sends a signature request to the people who need to sign it.

That means approvals no longer stall while someone remembers to send a contract. The flow sends it for you as soon as the document is ready.

What you can control

Multiple signers. Add signer names and email addresses, and set where each signature appears on the page.

Roles. Assign each participant as a signer, a validator who approves the document, or a viewer who simply receives a copy.

Expiration dates. Set a request to expire after anywhere from 1 to 130 days.

Automatic reminders. Turn on email reminders and choose how many days apart they go out.

Placement and size. Pick the pages where signatures go and adjust their size.

When the request is created, the action returns a task ID and a status, which you can store or use in later steps of your flow.

Do signers need an iLoveSign account? No. Signers receive a link and sign from there, which keeps things simple for customers, suppliers and anyone outside your company.

If you want to understand the difference between signature types before automating them, we explain it in our guide on how to sign a PDF online.

Example workflow: from form to signed, stored PDF

Here's what a complete flow can look like, from first click to final file:

No downloads, no manual processing and no switching between tools. The result is a faster process, cleaner documents and a workflow that scales as your business grows.

More ways teams can use the connectors

The same building blocks fit a lot of different processes. A few examples:

Finance. When invoices arrive by email, run OCR so they're searchable, compress them, and file them in the right SharePoint library.

HR. When a new hire is added, merge the offer letter with the policy documents, add page numbers and send the package out for signature.

Legal. Convert signed agreements to PDF/A for archiving and add a "Confidential" watermark to working copies.

Sales. Turn a Word proposal into a PDF, protect it with a password and send the contract to the client for signature once the deal is approved.

Operations. Rotate and merge scanned delivery notes into one daily report and save it to OneDrive.

How to set up the iLovePDF and iLoveSign connectors

Getting started takes a few minutes:

The full list of actions and parameters is available in Microsoft's reference pages for the iLovePDF connector and the iLoveSign connector.

Good to know before you build

Are the connectors available on every Power Automate plan? No. Both are premium connectors in Power Automate, Power Apps and Copilot Studio, so you'll need a license that includes premium connectors. In Azure Logic Apps, they're available as standard connectors.

Where can I use them? In all Power Automate, Power Apps and Logic Apps regions except US Government (GCC and GCC High), China Cloud operated by 21Vianet and US Department of Defense environments.

Can a connection be shared with my team? No. Each person creates their own connection with an active key.

Is there a usage limit? Yes. Each connection can make up to 100 calls every 60 seconds, which is plenty for most business flows.

What about large files? Files over 25 MB are supported but may take a little longer to process.

Can one signature request include several documents? No. Each Sign PDF action handles one document. For several files, merge them first with iLovePDF or add one action per document.

How your documents are handled

Files processed through the connectors go through the same infrastructure that powers iLovePDF for millions of individuals and international enterprises every day. The connection uses your own API key, so every task is tied to your developer account.

For details on encryption, file retention and compliance, see our security documentation.

Let your PDFs keep up with your workflows

In summary: the iLovePDF and iLoveSign connectors turn PDF processing and e-signatures into steps Power Automate handles for you. You can compress, convert, merge, protect, OCR and archive documents, then send them for signature, all inside the flows your team already uses.

A good way to start is to pick one repetitive task, like compressing invoices or sending contracts for signature, and automate just that. Once it runs on its own, it's easy to add the next step.

If you'd rather bring PDF tools into your AI assistants too, take a look at how iLovePDF works inside ChatGPT, Claude and Cursor. And for more automation ideas, follow along on our social channels.

Add iLovePDF and iLoveSign to your flows and let your documents handle themselves

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