Word 2010 Protect Newly Inserted Form Fields in an Older Document

[PWD]

Good afternoon. This is driving me nuts. I have been sent an older .doc in which they want me to put Form Fields (some of which will be within a Table structure!) I have had to add 'Legacy' Form Fields but need to find a way of restricting what users will be able to do with it. I've put a password to modify on but, ideally, I'd like it just to open in the first Form Field and then only allow tabbing through the fields. Not much to ask in this day and age, is it? It does stop the document from being overwritten with the same name but I'd like it made more secure. Any ideas?

Many thanks,
D€$

 

[macropod]

You don't need 'password to modify' you need to apply 'filling in forms' editing restrictions - accessed via the same Developer tab you used to add the formfields.

Cheers
Paul Edstein
[MS MVP - Word]

 

[apstef]

Or make it a form-filling pdf?

 

[macropod]

Or make it a form-filling pdf?

What, so you think the OP should start over with an entirely different app (which he'd probably have to purchase) instead of using the tools he already has and simply applying the 'filling in forms' editing restrictions to the existing document???

Cheers
Paul Edstein
[MS MVP - Word]

 

[PWD]

Hi guys, it's amazing what the difference a day makes - and a WORD shutdown and PC reboot.

TODAY I'm presented with the option to Enforce Protection and it looks like I wanted it to. Thanks Microsoft!!!

Many thanks,
D€$

 

[apstef]

What, so you think the OP should start over with an entirely different app (which he'd probably have to purchase) instead of using the tools he already has and simply applying the 'filling in forms' editing restrictions to the existing document???

Is that what you understood of what I wrote?
There are free applications, no need to spend money on anything.
I was just saying there are alternatives to do what he wants. Also, he doesn't need to start over.

 

[macropod]

That is exactly what your suggestion would necessitate. There simply does not exist any software that can take a Word form and convert it to a fillable PDF.

Sure, there's plenty of free software to convert documents to PDFs but, when you do so, you lose all of the document's text re-flow capabilities, for example, with the result that the text no longer reflows to match the length of what is input into the form - using PDF fields you have to add to the PDF post-conversion, because the document's formfields get converted to plain text. Evidently you've never tried to do this; otherwise you'd have known these fairly basic details. Can you name any free software that can both maintain a document's variable text flow and add fillable PDF fields to a document? How about free software can even do either of those things?

Cheers
Paul Edstein
[MS MVP - Word]