Creating a Template in Word 3

[KDM2005]

Is it possible to create a template using Word just like the templates they have available? (Such as the fax form where you can tab over to enter various information). I have a form that several people in the office would like to use as a template and type, rather than print it out and write information. What would be my best route?

Thanks for any help.

 

[TonyJollans]

Hi KDM2005,

Yes, Yes, Yes!! That is using Word as she should be used!

Play with copies of the supplied templates. Read up on Forms and Fields. Save your work as Template (.dot) files. And come back with any specific questions you have.

Enjoy,
Tony

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[striker83716]

It is possible to make a template in word. First create the document that you want, but be sure to use the form toolbar, insert controls that the end user will complete, such as a text boxes where the end user will put the fax number, the receipent etc.

Name: TextBox
Phone: TextBox
Fax: TextBox

Then lock the form by pressing the "Protect Form" button. Finally save the document as a template.

 

[KDM2005]

Thank you both for your help - I'm off to a great start on my form this morning. Couple of things..

1- When the user clicks to enter a name or date, etc... is there a way for that field to stay a particular size and not move the rest of the form? Say if the user enters "Bob" and the field is 25 characters in length. I don't want the next field to the right of this to move over, since the space wasn't used.

2- I am using a 1x1 table for user's to enter a paragraph of comments. Is there a way to limit this to 4 lines of text so that the form's format remains the same and on the same amount of pages?

 

[fumei]

If you are using a text form field, until the user enters text, it really has no length. Not quite true, as Word defaults to an apparent length of 5 characters. Entering "Bob" will make the length = 3. Entering "Harry" will make the length = 5 characters. Entering "RamajiGlockenspiel" will make the length = 18 characters. Any text following the field will be moved forward or backward to adjust for the length of the text in the field.

So say you enter text that is 27 characters, then change it to something that is 3 characters. The following text will move 24 characters towards the left - or towards the beginning of the document. Which makes sense as you removed 24 characters.

Possible alternative? Put the form fields in a table.

There is not an easy way to try and limit user entered text. You are making an editable paragraph. They can enter text. You would need a procedure that would check the length of the text AFTER they have entered it. Which means somehow finding out when they have stopped. I am not saying it can NOT be done, but it would not be something to just toss off.

Gerry

 

[striker83716]

Gerry, Gave you great advise, put a table on you form get it all set up the way you want it then make the color of all of the borders of the table that you do not want to see white.

 

[SilentAiche]

KDM2005

A couple of thoughts. Striker83716's next to last sentence hit on something critical- you must protect the document as a FORM. If you protect it "manually" by clicking on Tools/Protect Document, be sure to check the third option for FORMS (in Word 2002, anyway). Protecting as a Form is the only way the user can tab from field to field.

Also, be sure to take advantage of the default text capabilities that are available, if it's applicable to what you're doing. For example, I have a Fax Cover Sheet form with the date field defaults set to the current date and the "From" fields default set to my name and title. Saves a bit of typing.

Finally, as far as one field "pushing" the next, it's not easily avoidable. You will have to try to anticipate the length of fields and place the next field accordingly (use your tab markers).

Good Luck!
Tim

 

[fumei]

Just as an added tip, re: form fields. If you do not like the greyed out (on screen) look of the fields, which is the default, on the Forms toolbar (View > Toolbars > Forms) there is a button to turn the shading off. That way the text in the form fiels looks like the other text.

Also, make good use of the Continuous Section break. FormFields need to be in protect5ed sections to work, as formfields. Protected sections do not allow any user editing. By using Continuous sections breaks you can have sections - with the formfifelds - with no user edits allowed; AND sections - unprotected - that DO allow user edits.

FormFields can, in fact be used as containers for text, without protection. Because formfields are also bookmarks (that is, they are named range objects) they can be filled in directly by code....without the document being protected for forms.

Also, depending on your requirements, take a look at using formfields with conditional logic. Say you have a drop down formfield. The items selected by the user can reload a new set of dropdown items in a different dropdown; it can fill in a text formfield automatically; it could fire all sorts of procedures.

For example, you could have a document that is made up of three different generic letters (Letter A, Letter B, and Letter C), each one contained within a separate bookmark. User selects letter type A from a dropdown formfield. It has a OnExit macro that goes and removes Letter B, and C, leaving just Letter A.

And on and on and on. The possibilities are vast.

Gerry

 

[KDM2005]

WOW! I've been using Word for years and thought I knew my stuff. This is a whole new realm for me. THANK YOU so much for all your help!

I created a draft of my form and it looks great on my PC. I sent it to someone else in my office and the formatting is off...tables are being divided between 2 pages on her PC. Is this where 'section breaks' help or is this something else?

 

[fumei]

Yes, section breaks may help with this.

How are you send the file? As a template to have the other person open and make a new document - a document for them to open?

Gerry

 

[KDM2005]

Correct. I am sending the person the file as a template for them to open, use and print out (or send on to another person).

 

[fumei]

Whoa - "I am sending the person the file as a template for them to open".

Please clarify again. Is this file a .DOT file? That is a template file. The difference between a .DOT file ( a REAL template), and a .doc file that is opened the the other person - well it is a gigantic difference.

So what do you mean by sending as a template?

Gerry

 

[KDM2005]

I am sending it as a .dot file

It's a form that the HR dept completes partially and then they send it to another person (as a .dot file) to finish.

 

[fumei]

Sorry, then this is poor design. A template file should NEVER be sent for a user to open. Doing so completely defeats the reason and purpose of making a .DOT file. Sending a .DOT file for someone to open makes it absolutely pointless as a "template". You may as well sending them, and in fact it would be BETTER to send them a .DOC file.

Templates, real templates, are never opened by users. They are cloned by using the File > New process. This creates a COPY, a perfect copy, of the template. The original (the template) is NOT touched.

If a user opens a .DOT file, then they are opening the original, and it is not a template anymore, it is simply a file. Just like any other file. The fact that it has a .DOT extension is irrelevant if the file itself is opened.

Tell me that you send it, and they open it via Windows Explorer. The reason I hope to hear that is, if they open via Explorer, then yes (at least if opened with a double click) Word will, in fact, properly clone a new document from the .DOT file. However, if they open it in Word it self, it does not - it opens the .DOT file.

Gerry

 

[KDM2005]

Well sorry, but no - this person opened the document through the attachment I sent to her.

I will tell you my purpose and maybe you can suggest a better design:

This is the HR Department's Peformance Evaluation form.
We have several sites throughout area, so users would like to have the form available as a softcopy, so that they can fill it out and e-mail back to HR.

I thought the template would be a good option, because the form had already been created. So I used textboxes to design my fields and it works beautifully on my PC. I'm just not one who has to use this form! I didn't know what other option would be a good choice...

 

[striker83716]

This is still a great option. Just instruct the managers/leaders that are performing the evaluations, to save the .dot file to their hard drive. Then, when they are ready complete the evaluation they need to open the file by double clicking on the icon in explorer. Or if the file is saved on a server have them open from there.

If it is on a server, I would suggest saving the template to the server, then sending hyperlinks to the managers/leaders. The hyperlink would not actually point to the template, but rather just to the folder that the template is stored in.

Rob