Creating Forms in Word 1

[linmar]

I need to create a form in Microsoft Word that can be posted on an internal network for users to enter data or print and use as a hard copy. Can someone point me in the right direction? Thanks!

 

[mintjulep]

Open Word.

In the little box at the upper-right corner, where it says "Type a question for help" type "creating forms".

Read.

 

[linmar]

Hi,
Thanks for the response. I have looked all through "Help" and it does say that I can create a form in Word that can be edited but it doesn't give me instructions - at least I can't find them. Thanks.
Linda

 

[fumei]

Really? I typed "creating forms" into Help - precisely as mintjulep suggested - and got:

Create forms that users complete in Word
You need to complete several tasks to create forms for users to view and complete in Microsoft Word.

Create a template.

How?

Start a new document, or open the document or template that you want to base the template on.

On the File menu, click Save As.
In the Save as type box, click Document Template. This file type will already be selected if you are saving a file that you created as a template.
The default folder is the Templates folder in the Save in box. To save the template so that it will appear on a tab other than General, switch to the corresponding subfolder within the Templates folder.
In the File name box, type a name for the new template, and then click Save.
Design and lay out the form.

How?

When designing a form, you can sketch a layout first, or use an existing form as a guide. Many forms, such as contracts, consist solely of text, with form fields inserted throughout the document so users can provide specific information. Other forms are based on a grid, in which you can combine features such as:

Tables to help you align text and form controls.
Tables generally work well when you're creating a form with a simple layout. However, if the layout is more complex, you can insert several tables and separate them with blank paragraphs; use the Draw Table tool; or use nested tables.

Text boxes are useful when you want to precisely position a block of text, a graphic, or a chart. You can then format the text box borders, background color, text color, and so on.
Borders and shading can designate text areas to be filled in, and generally help make key elements in the form attractive and easy to follow.
Add form fields for text boxes, check boxes, and drop-down lists.

How?

You use the Forms toolbar to insert fields in a form that users will view and complete in Microsoft Word or in print.

In the document, click where you want to insert the form field.

Do any of the following:

Insert a fill-in field where users can enter text.

Click Text Form Field .

You can specify a default entry so that the user does not have to type an entry except to change the response.

Insert a check box next to an independent option that users select or clear.

Click Check Box Form Field .

You can also use this button to insert a check box next to each item in a group of choices that are not mutually exclusive — that is, users can select more than one.

Insert a drop-down list box that restricts available choices to those you specify.

Click Drop-Down Form Field .

If needed, a user can scroll through the list to view additional choices.

If necessary, edit the appearance of the controls. Do any of the following:

Add, remove, or change the order of items in a drop-down list form field

Double-click the drop-down form field you want to change.
Do any of the following, and then click OK:
To add an item, type the name of the item in Drop-down item box.
To delete an item, click the item in the Items in drop-down list box, and then click Remove.
To move an item, click the item in the Items in drop-down list box, and then click the Move arrow buttons.
Change the formatting of form field results

Select the form field you want to format.
On the Format menu, click Font.
Select the options you want.
For Help on an option, click the question mark , and then click the option.

Display or remove shading

Click Form Field Shading on the Forms toolbar.
Note The shading appears on screen so users can quickly identify the fields they need to respond to. This shading does not print.

Set or edit properties for the form field.

How?

Double-click the form field you want to change.
Change the options you want, and then click OK.
For Help on an option, click the question mark , and then click the option.

Add Help or automation to the form. Do one of the following:

Add help text to a form control

Double-click the form field to which you want to add Help text.
Click Add Help Text.
To display Help text in the status bar, click the Status Bar tab.
To display Help text in a message box when a user presses F1, click the Help Key (F1) tab.

Select the options you want.
For Help on an option, click the question mark , and then click the option.

Automate your form

Create the macros you want to use, and store them in the form template.
If another template contains macros you want to use, copy them into the form template.

Double-click the form field you want to assign a macro to.
To run a macro when the insertion point enters the form field, click the macro in the Entry box.
To run a macro when the insertion point exits the form field, click the macro in the Exit box.

Note If you store the entry and exit macros in your Normal template and then distribute a form to others, the entry and exit macros may not run because the macros won't be available to the users. You must store macros you use in the form in the form template.

Protect the form from changes.
How?

You can protect a form when it is in progress, and also protect the final version to prevent users from making changes as they fill it out.

Protect a form as you are designing or changing it

This method provides a helpful way to test how the final version of the form will work.

On the Forms toolbar, click Protect Form .

Note In previous versions of Microsoft Word, if you protected a form after making changes, all form fields were automatically reset to their original state. In this version, that does not occur. You can manually reset form fields by clicking Reset Form Fields on the Forms toolbar.

Prevent users from making changes to a form

Before you distribute a form that users will view and complete in Microsoft Word, you must protect it so that users can enter information only in the designated areas.

Note When you protect a document by using the following method, any information in form fields will be reset.

On the Tools menu, click Protect Document.
Click Forms.
To assign a password to the form so that users who know the password can remove the protection and change the form, type a password in the Password (optional) box. Users who don't know the password can still enter information in the form fields.
To protect the entire form, click OK.
To protect only parts of a form, those parts must be in separate sections. Click Sections, and then clear the check boxes of the sections you don't want to protect.

Tip

Users can check spelling and grammar in unprotected sections of a form. For example, in an employee review form, you might not protect a section designated for employee comments. Users can proof their text in that section before submitting the form.

Save the form, and then distribute it as you would any other document that you send for review.

which seems to have quite a few instructions.

Gerry

 

[linmar]

Thanks to both of you! I was reading it incorrectly. Now I'll go give it a try. Thanks again.

 

[JPaules]

http://office.microsoft.com/en-us/help/HP052302701033.aspx

http://www.computorcompanion.com/LPMArticle.asp?ID=253

http://www.computorcompanion.com/LPMArticle.asp?ID=22

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JP