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This document describes how to create forms that recipients complete electronically in Word.
Introduction
Word has features that make it possible to create and use electronic
forms instead of paper ones. The electronic form can be sent as an
email attachment or made available on your website for download, which
the recipient can fill out and return. As an electronic form, a Word
document can provide its data to other applications so that people
never have to handle an actual paper form.
Create a Template
If you build the form as a template, it will be presented to the
email recipient as a new document, based on the original form's
template. The recipient can fill in the form, click the save, then
email it back to you.
- Open Microsoft Word.
- Create a new document by selecting New on the File menu. Go to the File menu again and click on Save As.
- In the Save as type box, click Document 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 dialog box.
- In the File name box, type a name for the new template, and then click Save.
Design and Layout the Form
- Type or paste your content into the template.
Many forms consist solely of text, with form fields inserted
throughout the document so users can provide specific information.
Depending on the form, you may want to add features such as tables to
align text, text boxes, borders and shading.
The Forms Toolbar
- Open the Forms toolbar by selecting View --> Toolbars --> Forms.
Insert a Text Form Field
- In the template, click where you want to insert the form field. Click on the Text Form Field button
 in the Forms toolbar to add the field.
You can specify a default entry so that a user does not have to type except to change the response.
Insert a Check Box
- In the template, click where you want to insert the check box. Click the Check Box Form Field button . The fields are not mutually exclusive, so users can select more than one.
Insert a Click Drop-Down Form Field
- In the template, click where you want to insert the drop-down form field. Inserting a Drop-Down Form Field restricts available choices to those you specify.
- Click on the Drop-Down Form Field Button
 . Double click on the field to view the Drop-Down Form Field Options window. To add an item, type the name of the item in the Drop-down item box. To delete an item, click the item in the Items in drop-down list box, 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.
Display or Remove Shading
- Click the Form Field Shading button
 on the Forms
toolbar to display or remove form field shading. 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
- Double-click the form field you want to change. Change the options you want, and then click OK.
Protect the Form
When you have completed your form, click on the Protect From button in the Forms toolbar  .
Recipients will not be able to modify the form except to fill in form
fields with data. Your form is now ready to distribute via email.
Save the Data for Use in a Database or Spreadsheet
When a completed form is returned to you via email, open it in Microsoft Word. On the Tools menu, click Options, and then click the Save tab. Select the Save data only for forms check box. Click OK. On the File menu, click Save Copy As. Type a file name in the File name box. In the Save as type box, select Plain Text.
Word will then save the form field data in a comma-delimited text file,
which you can import into Microsoft Excel or a database. |
