Capmo builds native mobile PDF workflows with Nutrient’s mobile PDF SDK
Table of contents
“The UX out of the box was so good that we actually just changed the colors to match our corporate identity and that’s it. We didn’t need to do anything else for it to feel natural, intuitive, and to the standard that we expected.”
Use case
Capmo set out to enable mobile PDF form filling, annotations, and digital signatures for construction site inspections — without building and maintaining PDF infrastructure in-house.
Challenges
- Lack of native PDF form filling and annotation capabilities for mobile field workers performing inspections and security checks.
- Inability to keep document workflows consolidated within the Capmo app, forcing users to export, sign, and reupload PDFs using external tools.
- Uncertainty around mobile performance and usability when handling large, vector-heavy construction plans (zooming, rendering, interaction).
Solutions
- Successfully enabled mobile form filling and annotations by embedding Nutrient’s out-of-the-box annotation toolbar and form components directly into Capmo’s mobile application, requiring only minimal UI customization for a native feel.
- Able to eliminate external document handoffs by integrating Nutrient’s digital signature functionality into existing Capmo workflows, keeping all document interactions inside the app.
- Confidently resolved mobile rendering concerns by relying on Nutrient’s PDF rendering engine and selectively rasterizing complex construction plans to balance performance and usability.
Results
- Provides a natural, intuitive PDF experience for mobile field workers conducting inspections and security checks.
- Delivers comprehensive document capabilities to users so they can annotate, fill, and sign PDFs without ever leaving the Capmo app.
- Enables construction teams to access and interact with large construction plans on mobile devices through a performance-optimized document experience.
Raphael Breitner is a product manager for mobile applications at Capmo(opens in a new tab), a construction project management platform designed to support teams from planning through execution in the field. As Capmo looked to expand its mobile capabilities, Breitner and his team needed to ensure that document-based workflows — especially inspections, plans, and security checks — worked seamlessly for construction professionals operating onsite.
At the center of the challenge was deciding how to deliver robust mobile document workflows entirely within the Capmo app without forcing users to download or reupload files. Pulling internal engineering efforts away from Capmo’s core construction product was also not an option.
“Building a PDF renderer in-house is not our core. We want to innovate at a higher level in our vertical.”
Why mobile document signing became a bottleneck for Capmo
Capmo’s mobile app originally supported basic PDF viewing, but that capability quickly became a limitation as customer needs evolved. Construction teams need to view in-depth inspections, complete forms, annotate plans, and sign documents while in the field.
One major challenge was the lack of form filling functionality. Initially, users were forced to export documents, open them in external tools to annotate or sign, and then reupload them back into the app. The Capmo team understood that forcing users to leave the app to mark up documents didn’t deliver an optimal experience.
Capmo also had to consider performance at scale. Construction plans are often large, vector-heavy PDFs, and there was uncertainty around how well mobile devices could handle rendering, zooming, and interaction without compromising usability.
As Breitner evaluated solutions, specific criteria needed to be met: Did the feature set meet Capmo’s needs, and how much customization would be required to make the experience feel truly native inside Capmo’s app?
How Capmo implemented Nutrient’s mobile PDF SDK
Capmo selected Nutrient to serve as the foundation for its mobile document workflows, starting with form filling and annotations. From the outset, the out-of-the-box experience appealed to the team. According to Breitner, “the UX just felt right.”
Developer experience played a critical role in the decision. The choice to use Nutrient was driven bottom-up, with engineers evaluating SDKs based on implementation speed and documentation quality.
“The documentation that you offer is really comprehensive and exhaustive. Not needing to research stuff for ages to find specific information is so valuable for developers.”
Using Nutrient’s annotation toolbar and form filling capabilities, Capmo was able to implement a production-ready experience with minimal customization. This enabled the team to move quickly without sacrificing quality or consistency.
Implementation for documents and forms was straightforward, while plan management required additional optimization. To deliver a responsive experience for large construction plans, Capmo invested significant engineering effort into rasterizing plans and tailoring the viewing experience for mobile devices, complementing Nutrient’s document capabilities.
What Capmo gained from consolidating document workflows
Before implementing Nutrient, field workers often had to export documents, sign them in external apps, and reupload them. Now, users can view plans, annotate documents, fill out forms, and apply digital signatures without switching tools or leaving the application.
“You don’t ever need to leave our app, because we bring the tools you need into our app.”
Apple Pencil support has been particularly well received by customers, making annotations and markups more natural for construction professionals working in the field. Digital signatures have also become a highly valued feature, enabling teams to complete inspections and approvals on the spot.
From an internal perspective, Capmo’s development team benefits from predictable monthly releases and a maintainable SDK that evolves alongside its product. Rather than investing time in building and maintaining complex PDF infrastructure, the team can focus on innovation specific to the construction industry.
The benefits
Adoption
Capmo reports strong positive customer feedback for in-app document workflows, particularly digital signatures that eliminate the need to leave the application.
Consolidation
Capmo now enables end-to-end document workflows entirely within its mobile app, removing the need for external tools or file reuploads.
Readiness
Capmo achieved a native, production-quality document experience with minimal customization effort.
Building for the future without owning PDF infrastructure
With Nutrient’s support, Capmo transformed its mobile document experience — from basic PDF viewing to a fully integrated, production-ready solution tailored for construction teams in the field.
“Nutrient is now so deeply integrated into our app that we don’t see it as just a third-party library — we see Nutrient as our partner.”
By partnering with Nutrient, Capmo avoided reinventing complex PDF infrastructure and instead accelerated time to market for features that matter most to its customers. Today, Nutrient plays a critical role across Capmo’s mobile workflows, enabling the team to innovate with confidence and deliver modern, intuitive document experiences.
As Capmo looks ahead, the partnership positions the company to continue expanding functionality — closing the loop for its customers and preparing its platform for whatever comes next.
