Company:
Oneflow
Year:
2024
Overview
Oneflow is a digital contract platform offering structured, data-rich documents. As part of a larger push toward better integrations and automation, I worked on enabling overlay data fields on PDFs. This meant customers could continue using familiar, regulation-compliant PDFs without needing to recreate them manually in Oneflow.
This project also addressed urgent market needs in PDF-reliant regions and laid foundational groundwork for multiple integrations by standardising how data fields behave. I was responsible for all research, workshop facilitation, and design. Shaping the concept from problem space through to solution definition.
Problem space
Many regulated industries (e.g. govermental, property, and finance) use PDFs that cannot be altered in layout. In these workflows, users still need to capture structured data like names, dates, or IDs all while not disrupting the original visual format.
This limitation blocked adoption in markets like the UK, where PDFs are the norm. It also stalled integration opportunities, especially for CRM and ERP systems that rely on data fields being consistently formatted and accessible.
In parallel, our research revealed that even users working with HTML-based contracts found data fields confusing and difficult to grasp. Terminology, placement logic, and interactions weren’t intuitive, leading to errors and friction.
So while the core goal of the project was to enable overlay fields on PDFs, it also became an opportunity to rethink and improve the overall data field experience. Making this feature clearer, more scalable, and consistent across document types.
Solution
To support PDF-based workflows, we introduced a drag-and-drop overlay system that allowed users to place, resize, and configure data fields directly on top of PDFs that didn't alter the underlying document. Fields could be made required, edited inline or via the sidebar, and previewed in context. Permissions were also added, giving users control over who could view or edit each field.
At the same time, we addressed long-standing usability issues with data fields in HTML-based contracts. Based on insights from customer research, we redesigned how data fields are displayed, placed, and interacted with to make their function and behaviour easier to understand. This included:
A dedicated sidebar tab for managing fields and values
Visual cues for placed fields and hover labels
Improved defaults for sizing, alignment, and text overflow
More predictable interactions for both senders and counterparts
By treating overlay fields as part of a broader data field ecosystem, not just a standalone patch, we ensured that the solution could scale and serve as a foundation for CRM, ERP, and workflow automation integrations.
