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Word 2007 Practice: Create a Basic Form

July 17th, 2008 | by Loren |

These directions will give you the steps to add form fields (Content Controls) to a Word document. The final, filled-in document could be saved, printed or emailed.

First, if you don’t see a Developer tab, that needs to be turned on. Go to Office button, Word Options, and click the Popular category in the left pane, then check Show Developer Tab in the Ribbon.

Create the Document

  1. Start with a new Word document.
  2. Save it as a template: Office button, Save As, Word Template.
  3. Go to the Home tab, Styles, Change Styles, Style Set, click on Word 2007. This will automatically add paragraph spacing to the document.
  4. Type: Information Request, then Enter once.
  5. Type: Name:, then space once, Enter once.
  6. Type: Phone:, then space once, Enter once.
  7. Type: Pick preferred date to be contacted:, then space once, Enter once.
  8. Type: Do you prefer: Days:, space once, tab once, then type Evenings:, space once, Enter once.
  9. Type: How did you hear about us:, then space once.
  10. Save your template.

What you have so far should look like this:



Adding the Form Fields (Content Controls)

In the next steps you will insert all the Content Controls. You will format them in the next set of steps.

  1. Move your cursor to the end of the Name: line. (Click anywhere in the line, push the End key to go to the very end, to the right of the colon and space you typed in earlier.)
  2. Click the Developer tab, and in the Controls group, click Rich Text. The Name: field is done for now.
  3. Move your cursor to the end of the Phone: line. In the Developer tab, Controls group, click Rich Text.

  4. Move your cursor to the end of the Pick preferred date to be contacted: line. In the Developer tab, Controls group, click Date Picker.
  5. Move your cursor to just after Days: but stay on the Days: side of the tab you typed earlier. In the Developer tab, Controls group, click Legacy Forms, then click Check Box. Push the End key to move to the cursor to the right of Evenings:, then click Check Box again.

    6.      



  6. Move your cursor to the end of the How did you hear about us? line.
  7. In the Developer tab, Controls group, click Combo Box.
  8. Save your template.


What you have so far should look like this:



Format and Customize

To change the default text in each Content Control:

  1. In the Developer tab, Controls group, click Design Mode.


  2. Click and edit the text in each Content Control.
  3. For Name:, change: Click here to enter text. to: Click here to enter name. Double-click on the word text, type name.
  4. For Phone:, change text to phone number.
  5. For Pick preferred date…, change to: Click down arrow to select preferred date.
  6. For How did you hear…, change to: Click down arrow and select one item.
  7. Click Design Mode to turn it off.

Customizing the Combo Box: next you will add the items that make up the list in Combo box.

  1. Click the Combo Box by How did you hear…, then click Properties in the Control group.
  2. Click Add…, then type Newspaper for Display Name, don’t enter anything under value (it will show the Display Name you type in). Finish with OK. (Push Enter for OK, immediately push Enter for Add…)
  3. Repeat the steps to add TV ads, Radio ads, Magazine ads.
  4. Select Pick an item, choose Remove.
  5. OK to finish.
  6. Save.



Last Step: Protect the Document

  1. On the Developer tab, in the Protect group, click Protect Document. This opens a Restrictions pane on the right side of the Word window.
    Either a Formatting or Editing restriction needs to be applied in order to protect the document.

  2. Under Editing restrictions, check Allow only… then choose Filling in forms from the list.
  3. Click Yes, Start Enforcing Protection.
  4. You will be prompted for a password. For this practice, leave it blank.

    5. Note: If you were to create a real form for distribution that you didn’t want to be edited or changed in any way, you would want to have it password protected. But if you forget the password, you won’t be able to edit the original document.

  5. Save and close the file.

Test the Form

  • Open a file from your Information Request template. You shouldn’t see Information Request as the file name in the title bar at the top of the Word screen, it should show Document1.
  • Try filling in the blanks, using the date picker, the check boxes and combo box.
  • To edit the original form, open the template file. In the Developer tab, click Protect Document, at the bottom of the Restrict Formatting… pane click Stop Protection. Now you can edit the template. Once it is edited, turn on the protection again and Save again.

Troubleshooting

  • If the Content Controls aren’t working, check to see that you saved the original file as a template.
  • If the check boxes aren’t working, go back to the original template and verify that in the Protect Document pane, Filling in forms is checked in the Editing Restrictions.

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  1. 34 Responses to “Word 2007 Practice: Create a Basic Form”

  2. By bsp131 on Jun 5, 2010 | Reply

    Loren,
    Thank you so much for your explanation of how to use the design mode tools. I was searching the MS website and found no help whatsoever. Next time I need help, I will come to this site first instead of wasting all of that time with MS>

  3. By addisub on Feb 3, 2010 | Reply

    Wonderfull information. But for me i need how to create a form which is partialy editable and other part protectd from editing? I tried to some notes but can’t get them full.

  4. By Olga on Jan 26, 2010 | Reply

    Hi pilar: Yes, You can use a simple Text Form Field (which will expand as it is filled in). This works well in any document or table. Once you protect it to prevent editing, save and email it. The other party can fill in and email back to you. It works well, we use this very often. Hope this helps.

  5. By pilar on Dec 7, 2009 | Reply

    Hi
    Can you create aform and send it by email so the other person could fill it in and send it back??? easy way not to fill in and then save and copy and attach.
    Thank you

  6. By billwagnon on Dec 2, 2009 | Reply

    if combobox doesn’t work, uncheck the “Contents cannot be edited” box on the properties of the combobox.

  7. By Elif on Nov 19, 2009 | Reply

    Is it possible to use several content control fields on a single line?
    Like
    Date: Document No:

    I tried to insert a table and put content controls to each cell. But it is not possible to fill out all the fields when using the form

    Can somebody help me?

  8. By Tamuna on Nov 13, 2009 | Reply

    How can I get to TAB over/under the fields?

    Thanks!

  9. By AmyI on Nov 8, 2009 | Reply

    Keith – Thank you for sharing the “deselect compatability on saving as” trick! It totally worked and I couldn’t find that *anywhere* on Microsoft’s sites or help feature!

  10. By Heather on Oct 29, 2009 | Reply

    When I try to put text in the fields after I’ve made the template I can only do so in order. I can’t skip around the document. I am not able to enter text in a field after I’ve entered a check in a box or text in a field. Help!

  11. By Nina on Sep 12, 2009 | Reply

    Hi,
    Combobox does not work properly, it does not show the values when I want to choese one. Hope I get some help!

    Thanks in advance
    Nina

  12. By sahridhayan on Sep 10, 2009 | Reply

    Hi Brad,

    For saving the word as pdf from with in VBA.

    Document_Close Event.

    use this:

    ThisDocument.SaveAs “C:\test.pdf”,17
    (note you have to install Office 2007 Addin (SaveasPDF) from Microsoft.

    Hope it helps somebody here,

    sahridhayan

  13. By David on Aug 27, 2009 | Reply

    Is there any way to create a form that has the default text in the control box for online form info gathering but when printed, only prints an underline in the max space allowed for the data? I have a need for online form info gathering as well as taking a hardcopy with me and filling in while interviwing a customer. Can it be done with one form or do I need two. The best thing would be to have one form that might have some data filled in online but when printed, any fields not completed showed blank lines only for hand writing. That would be great. Thank you in advance.

  14. By Mike on Aug 14, 2009 | Reply

    In a protected form it is not possible to change style or add symbols in a text field. These fields are all grey. Any idea how to fix this ?

  15. By Fabio on Aug 3, 2009 | Reply

    Hi
    I have created several fields to enable other people entering the dates thru developer, design mode, etc. However, certain fields were not be inserted with date, but later only.

    During the process the document must be printed out. However, those blank fiels, supposely in blank, appears with as “click here to enter a date”.

    How can I print the document without the warning ???

    Any help is welcome !!!

  16. By rdali on Jul 5, 2009 | Reply

    Hi Jay, how to save word 2007 forms as online questions that can be displayed and used in any of the favorite browsers available? I could open the web page but cannot response to any of the questions to answer! The same problems did not however occur in word 2003!

  17. By DIANA MONTEON on Jun 16, 2009 | Reply

    is there a way to have a form protected with the fill in only option and still be able to insert tables and full formatting in one of the boxes?

  18. By JEM on Apr 27, 2009 | Reply

    Hello,

    I’m creating a form in a word document and I need to send it via Internet.

    All I want to do is build up a likert scale(for example):

    “I always recicle everything I can”
    disagree 0 1 2 3 4 5 agree

    next to each number there is an option button. I’ve done several sentences and their option buttons, but the problem is that I can’t group the option buttons from each sentence. If I already chose the first 0-5 scale for the first sentence, then I go to the second sentence choose the option and the first one that I picked up before, erases. How can I group them?

  19. By Janie P on Apr 27, 2009 | Reply

    Can you create form fields in a document that is not a template? In Word 2003 I could and once the document was locked I could tab from one field to the others. 2007 doesn’t seem to do that. Also, my enforce protections now button is grey. Is there a solution?

  20. By pratibha on Apr 18, 2009 | Reply

    hi.,
    when i am creating form with word.
    In Restricting Formating and editing 3rd step That is to start to enforce restriction is disabled
    what should i do

  21. By Sue on Feb 26, 2009 | Reply

    I want to get more information about the content controls — date picker for one. You’re instructions are great, but just need to really use some of the other forms options.

    Thanks

  22. By Kate on Feb 24, 2009 | Reply

    I am having the same problem. Whether saved as a template or as a document, some text fields will not allow typing in them once the document has been saved. I have to choose between locking the document (which means text fields can’t be filled once saved) or leaving it unlocked (in which case the check boxes don’t work with one click, not to mention the possibility of unintended editing. Is there a way to save a form and still allow for fields to be edited?

  23. By Sharon Herkes on Feb 19, 2009 | Reply

    This is a well thought out and presented instruction. Thank you.
    Can you tell me how to allow the user to select more than one item in from a single value list?

  24. By Johnna on Feb 6, 2009 | Reply

    When I try to test the form I see Information Request as the file name, what do I need to do?

  25. By Loren on Feb 2, 2009 | Reply

    Hi Brad – that’s a good question that I won’t have a good answer for. If you use the Save As, PDF option in Word, the fill-in fields will be gone. If you have Adobe Acrobat, you can create forms with fill-in fields, or you could add them to a form started in Word.
    There may be other PDF creation software that can keep the fill-in fields, but I don’t know of any off hand.
    Hope that helps, good luck!

  26. By Brad on Feb 2, 2009 | Reply

    Hi, I am making many forms for my job. I used what you said and it is wonderful! I was wondering though. Is there a way that I can save it as a PDF file while still being able to fill out the different feilds?

    Thanks,
    Brad

  27. By Janet on Feb 1, 2009 | Reply

    I have created a template and it is working fine except I have rich text content control for a click here, sometimes that information does not need to be filled in but when the form is printed it says click here etc. How can I stop that from being printed, I just want it to be blank if not filled in?

  28. By Loren on Jan 15, 2009 | Reply

    Hi Hazel – is the field in the header grayed out only because it’s in the header? Can it be accessed by double-clicking it? A field in the header could work if your users know how to get into and out of the header. A possible alternative would be to have the ID number field in the document body, with a cross-reference to it appearing in the header. It document would need to have the fields updated for the header to display the ID number.
    Here some info on using cross-references: How to Add Any Document Text to a Header or Footer in Word 2007.
    And some on updating fields: Word 2007: Make Updating Fields Easier and some MS info at: support.microsoft.com/kb/832897.
    Hope these are helpful for you and thanks for stopping by.

  29. By Hazel on Jan 15, 2009 | Reply

    Hi! I have a form that has been protected by using the ‘Editing Restrictions > Filling in Forms’ options but I have a field in the header that people need to complete and this has been greyed out and they cannot enter the data required (a simple ID number). Is there anyway to continue to protect the main document but also allow the filling in of data in the header (which is in the form of a field)? Many thanks!

  30. By Jay W on Jan 6, 2009 | Reply

    I have created a template with text entry fields. Is there a template setting that will allow the user to save the document and then later edit the text field data? When I try it, the saved document does not allow me to enter new data or edit the data previously entered in the text fields.

  31. By Jay W on Dec 23, 2008 | Reply

    Aahhh, I see that “allow carriage return” only exists in the plain text option, I was using the Rich text and it wasn’t there. (Also noticed that once I changed to plain text, I could not revert back to Rich text.) Thank you!

  32. By Loren on Dec 23, 2008 | Reply

    Hi Jay – you can allow multiple lines in a text field by selecting the text field by single clicking in it, then clicking the Properties button (in the Controls group). Check on the Allow carriage returns in the Plain Text Properties section, and OK to finish. You should be able to use Enter to add extra lines as you type.
    Thanks, hope this helps!

  33. By Jay W on Dec 23, 2008 | Reply

    When using the text option, is there a way to allow multiple lines in a single text field? For example, if the required info was address, how do you allow the field to accept multiple lines, using the enter key to move to next line, or is this possible?

  34. By Keith HJ on Nov 9, 2008 | Reply

    “Click the Developer tab, and in the Controls group, click Rich Text. ”

    My Developer tab has the Control greyed out, except for Legacy tools. Why ?

    Found out the answer : deselect compatability on saving as template !

    Keith

  35. By Keith HJ on Nov 9, 2008 | Reply

    “Click the Developer tab, and in the Controls group, click Rich Text. ”

    My Developer tab has the Control greyed out, except for Legacy tools. Why ?

    Keith

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