Enhancing PDF Layout Versioning for Form Instances

Currently, when a user updates the PDF layout for a form definition, this change is applied universally to all associated form instances, regardless of their creation date. This means that historical form instances, when exported, will always reflect the latest selected PDF layout, rather than the layout that was active at the time the instance was originally created or exported. This can lead to challenges for users who require the ability to retrieve or re-export older form instances with their original, historical PDF layouts, which may be critical for auditing, compliance, or maintaining consistent historical records.

While the current design offers flexibility for applying new layouts to historical data, it introduces a limitation for scenarios where preserving the original layout of a form instance is essential.

We propose exploring an enhancement that would allow for the retention and selective application of historical PDF layouts for form instances.