API Documentation

Authorization

To access PDFx's API you need an API Key. This key is generated when you create your account and is available on your account's page right away.

You need then to add this API Key to the X-Api-Key header.

Endpoint

Payload

The main structure of your JSON request.

{
  "header": [ elements ],
  "content": [ elements ],
  "footer": [ elements ],
  "font": ["helveltica"], // titillium, noto, noto_tc or noto_jp
  "options": {},
  "xml_attachement": "<xml>...</xml>",
  "xmp_attachement": "<xml>...</xml>"
}

Templates

Templates allow you to save and reuse PDF configurations in your account. This is particularly useful for generating invoices, reports, and other documents that follow a consistent structure. Templates are especially powerful when combined with Factur-X/ZUGFeRD compliance for electronic invoicing.

Managing Templates

Access your templates from your account page. You can:

• • Create new templates with a visual editor
• • Edit existing templates and preview changes in real-time
• • Test your templates before using them in production
• • Use templates via API by referencing their UUID

Using Templates via API

Once you've created a template, you can use it in your API calls by referencing its UUID. This allows you to separate your document structure from your application code.

curl -X POST https://pdfx.com/v1 \
  -H "X-Api-Key: YOUR_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "template_uuid": "your-template-uuid-here",
    "variables": {
      "customer_name": "Acme Corp",
      "invoice_number": "INV-2024-001"
    }
  }'

Factur-X Templates

Factur-X (also known as ZUGFeRD in Germany) is a European standard for electronic invoicing that combines a human-readable PDF with machine-readable XML data. PDFx makes it easy to create Factur-X compliant invoices using templates.

Creating a Factur-X Template

To create a Factur-X compliant invoice template, you need to configure three components:

{
  "fonts": ["helvetica"],
  "content": [
    {
      "type": "paragraph",
      "value": "INVOICE",
      "options": { "fontSize": 24, "fontWeight": "bold" }
    },
    // Add more elements: tables, customer info, line items, etc.
  ]
}

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<x:xmpmeta xmlns:x="adobe:ns:meta/">
  <rdf:RDF xmlns:rdf="http://www.w3.org/1999/02/22-rdf-syntax-ns#">
    <rdf:Description rdf:about=""
      xmlns:fx="urn:factur-x:pdfa:CrossIndustryDocument:invoice:1p0#">
      <fx:DocumentType>INVOICE</fx:DocumentType>
      <fx:DocumentFileName>factur-x.xml</fx:DocumentFileName>
      <fx:Version>1.0</fx:Version>
      <fx:ConformanceLevel>BASIC</fx:ConformanceLevel>
    </rdf:Description>
  </rdf:RDF>
</x:xmpmeta>

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<rsm:CrossIndustryInvoice
  xmlns:rsm="urn:un:unece:uncefact:data:standard:CrossIndustryInvoice:100"
  xmlns:ram="urn:un:unece:uncefact:data:standard:ReusableAggregateBusinessInformationEntity:100">
  <rsm:ExchangedDocumentContext>
    <ram:GuidelineSpecifiedDocumentContextParameter>
      <ram:ID>urn:factur-x.eu:1p0:basic</ram:ID>
    </ram:GuidelineSpecifiedDocumentContextParameter>
  </rsm:ExchangedDocumentContext>
  <!-- Add invoice details, line items, totals, etc. -->
</rsm:CrossIndustryInvoice>

Testing Your Factur-X Template

After creating your template, use the built-in editor to test it:

1. 1 Click "Generate PDF" to preview your invoice layout
2. 2 Download the PDF and verify it with a Factur-X validator tool
3. 3 Test the XML extraction with your ERP system or accounting software

Set Font

{
  "type": "font",
  "value": "helveltica",
  "weight": "normal" // or bold
}

Paragraph

{
  "type": "paragraph",
  "value": "Lorem, ipsum dolor sit ...",
  "options": {
    "fontSize": 19
  }
}

Image

{
  "type": "image",
  "value": "https://your-link-to/image.jpg",
  "width": 500
}

Table

{
  "type": "table",
  "header_columns": [
    {
      "title": "Column 1",
      "options": { "fontSize": 19 }
    }
  ],
  "rows": [
    [
      {
        "value": [
          {
            "content": [
              { "type": "text", "value": "Hello world", "fontSize": 22, "fontWeight": "bold" },
              { "type": "text", "value": "Hello world 3", "fontSize": 12 }
            ],
            "width": 305, "fontSize": 10, "alignment": "left",
            "borderSides": { "right": false }
          }
        ]
      }
    ]
  ]
}

SVG Path

{
  "type": "svg_path",
  "value": "M344.2 794.3l-0.3-1.5...",
  "width": 500,
  "height": 500,
  "options": {
    "strokeColor": "000000",
    "borderWidth": 1,
    "align": "center",
    "fillColor": "cccccc"
  }
}

QRCode

{
  "type": "qrcode",
  "value": "some data"
}

EAN13

{
  "type": "ean13",
  "code": "5901234123457",
  "width": 200,
  "height": 50
}

Position

{
  "type": "move",
  "x": 10,
  "y": 0
}

Draw Line

{
  "type": "line",
  "from_x": 10, "to_x": 500,
  "from_y": 10, "to_y": 10,
  "width": 1,
  "options": {
    "color": "00aa00",
    "style": "dotted",
    "cap": "round"
  }
}

If from_x and from_y is not set, the current position will be used.

Draw Rectangle

{
  "type": "rectangle",
  "width": 100,
  "height": 100,
  "options": {
    "borderWidth": 1,
    "borderStyle": "solid",
    "borderColor": "000000",
    "fillColor": "ffffff",
    "borderSides": {
      "left": true,
      "right": true,
      "top": true,
      "bottom": true
    }
  }
}