How to Create Forms With Fill-in Fields With Microsoft Word

A lot of businesses use preprinted forms that are completed forms that are completed by hand, with a typewriter, or using a computer. Such forms require storage space and cost the company money. Did you know you can create forms, with fill-in fields on the form using Microsoft Word? It is easy to do.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. To create a form with fill-in fields with Microsoft Word opened, click File, then new. Make sure blank document is selected in the list box. At the box that gives you the choice of picking create a new document or template, click template. Then click okay.

2. On the document screen, select the type of font and size you want. The default will probably be Times New Roman, and the default size will probably be 12. If you change those, then click the Default button.

3. Start typing in the kind of information you need to gather, whatever it is, such as name, address, phone number, Social Security number, information you may need from a potential job applicant, or whatever.

4. When you get to a spot where you want someone to enter information, beside the fields you have typed, either by hand or typewriter, or where you or an employee might gather information and enter it yourself on a computer, create a fill-in field. Do this by turning on the Forms toolbar by clicking View, pointing to Toolbars, and then clicking Forms. The toolbar will have a range of options to enable you to create them on your form. If you point your mouse over them, you will see a text form field, which will allow the entering of text; a drop down form field, which will drop down and allow you to enter more information, a check box fill-in form, and other options, such as giving you the chance to create a table. Each time you click one of the features, click enter.

5. After the form, with the fill-in fields, is completed, you can protect it by clicking the Protect Form button on the Forms toolbar. Then cloe the toolbar.

6. Save the document with whatever name you want as a Template. If you print the form, the gray shading you see will not print.

[inspecchi]

on 9/8/2009 Thats great, now how are the fields filled in, do you tab over, point and click over to enter the data?

[chw1tt]

on 2/7/2009 Note: if you are using WORD 2007 you will have to add the text field command to your toolbar.

1. Right-click on the "HOME" tab.
2. Select "CUSTOMIZE QUICK ACCESS TOOLBAR"
3. In the new window under "Choose Commands From:" drop down menu select "ALL COMMANDS"
4.You will see a list of all commands. Scroll down to the command you want to add "text field(form control)" and highlight it or double click.
5. Click "ADD" button.
6. Your command button will now reside on the top toolbar.

Note: there are some commands that are not directly accessible from the standard toolbar menus.

[mnemaus]

on 4/13/2008 good information...would like to know how to make a field combo of alpha/numberic when one does not the order of alpha nor numeric and how many of each.

Also...step 5 has a spelling error in the last sentence. Insteard of saying "then cloe the toolbar"...it should say "then close the toolbar"

thank you