Creating a Form

Forms are an easy way for you to interact with users of your documents, either online or in print, and gain information and feedback from them in the process. Form fields are predefined places where users enter their answers to the questions on the form. Word includes many different types of form fields: text boxes for typed entries, data fields, time fields, fields that perform calculations, and check boxes, where users can click the box that represents either answer. After you insert the fields you want, you can change field properties to customize the form.

Create a Form

Click the View menu _' point to Toolbars _' and then click Forms.

Position the insertion point where you want to insert a form field.

Use the Forms toolbar to insert form fields.

• To insert a fill-in field (where users can enter text), click the Text Form Field button on the Forms toolbar, so that you can specify a default entry the user can either leave as is, or edit.

• To insert a check box next to an option that users either select or deselect by clicking, click the Check Box Form Field button on the Forms toolbar.

• Click the Insert Table button or the Draw Table button on the Forms toolbar to create and modify a table using the Tables and Borders toolbar.

• Click the Insert Frame button on the Forms toolbar to provide boundaries for your form. Drag to create a frame.

• To provide a shading effect within a form field, click the Form Field Shading button on the Forms toolbar.

Change Form Field Properties

Click the View menu _' point to Toolbars _' and then click Forms.

Select the form field you want to modify.

Click the Form Field Options button on the Forms toolbar.

Select the new options you want for the form field.

Click OK.

Did You Know?

You can reset form fields to default settings . Click the Reset Form Fields button on the Forms toolbar.

You can protect a form . Click the Protect Form button on the Forms toolbar to prevent users of the form from being able to edit its content (not their answers, but the questions and choices themselves ).

See Also

See " Creating a Web Form " on page 264 for information on creating other types of forms.