Online Forms

Setting up a form that can be filled in online is simple, and can save hours of work and tons of frustration. It's the best choice for frequently used documents where the text is the same from one document to the next, but some of the data changes AND you don't need to store the data for future use.

For instance, an FAA form's labels remain the same, but the data in each field changes from case to case, and the data to be entered into the form is not saved in a database. You can set up a table to simulate an existing form, fill in the blanks, save the new document, then print only the variable data onto the preprinted form.

Mail Merge is a better choice when you want to use existing data in a report or a letter for a mass mailing. When you use a form, you enter your data directly from the keyboard and save a copy of the filled-in form, but the data is not stored in a separate worksheet or database. (Word can save the data entered into forms in an Access or Excel database. The instructions are beyond the scope of the current document.)

First, Create a Template

1. In a new or existing document, set margins, page orientation, headers and footers, etc. Enter the text, tables, graphics etc. that will remain constant from one document to the next.
    
2. Insert and customize form fields where users can enter variable data (see below for information on how to use the various field types).
    
3. Save the template in the appropriate folder on the hard drive where Microsoft Office is installed (normally - depending on how your drive is partitioned - this will usually be
    

   C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Templates

   although yours might be on a different drive (e.g., D:\). If you save your template to your network directory, Word may not be able to find it when you want to use it. Make sure that you save all new templates where Word expects to find them (and save an extra copy to your network directory, just in case...)

Tables work best for most forms - the kind that have blank lines to be filled in (see the article on Tables). You can also automate other documents; for example, the certificates employees receive when they complete in-house enrichment training use form fields.

In Word tables, you can combine cells, change the size of individual cells, put a lower border where there are spaces to be filled in - and this underline is guaranteed not to move or wrap to another line! Tables can be printed without gridlines or borders so they don't look at all like tables. See my article on tables or MS Word Help for instructions for setting up tables.

The Forms Toolbar

Open the Forms toolbar by right clicking on any open toolbar, then left clicking on Forms.

The Forms toolbar has three field types:

• text
• check box, and
• drop-down list.

Each can be controlled through Form Field Options, which you can use to specify the type of entry (regular text, date, calculation, etc.), limit the number of characters in a field, enter default text, or include a macro.

Next, insert form fields:

1. Display the Forms toolbar: highlight Toolbars in the View menu, then click on Forms (or right-click on any open toolbar and Select Forms from the context menu).
    
2. Click to place the cursor where you want users to enter information.
    
3. Hold the mouse pointer over a Forms toolbar button for a moment to display the name of the form field.
    
4. Click on the button for the field you want to insert (see the explanation of options later on this page).

Don't forget spaces: if you don't leave a space between the label (e.g., Name:) and the form field, there won't be a space between the label on your form and the data entered into the field.

You'll use the Text field most often, for entering text, numbers, calculations, and symbols - any text data at all. You can set default text to appear automatically in a field if the response will almost always be the same for that field (for example, "single" or "Missouri"). The default text will be inserted automatically, but can be edited when it isn't the correct response.

Set default text:

1. Insert a Text field in the document.
    
2. Click on the Form Field Options button to open the Text Form Field Options dialog box.
    
3. Select a Type (regular text, number, date, etc.) and set the length, if desired.
    
4. In the Default text: field, enter the text that you want to automatically appear in the field (remember that the user can edit it if necessary).
    
5. Select a text format (upper case, first capital, etc.)
    
6. Click on the Add Help text... button, select Add your own, and type a brief description of what kind of information the user should enter in this field. Your message will appear in the status bar when the user clicks on the field.

The Check Box field is most useful for yes/no answers or to indicate a single choice from several options. Users click it to insert a check mark. If you print out forms to be filled in by hand, it will print a box in which a check mark can be entered manually.

To insert a Check Box field:

1. Insert a Check Box field in the document.
    
2. Click on the Form Field Options button to open the Check Box Form Field Options dialog box.
    
3. Adjust the Check box size, if necessary.
    
4. In the Default area: click on Checked if you want a default value to be selected when a new document is created (the user can make a different choice when filling in the form).
    
5. Click on the Add Help text... button, select Add your own, and type a brief description of the selected choice. Your message will appear in the status bar when the user clicks on the field.

The Drop-Down field allows you to enter several choices in a list. When the form is filled in, the user clicks on the down-arrow next to the box, then selects an item from the list to enter it into the form.

To create a Drop-Down list:

1. Click on Drop-Down Form Field on the Forms toolbar, then on Form Field Options.
    
2. In the Drop-down item: text box, enter an item and click Add--> to add it to Items in drop-down list:. Add as many items as you'd like, then use the Move arrow keys to arrange them in the order you want them. Click on OK.

When you fill in the form, use the drop-down list to select an item to be inserted at that spot in the document. Using this field can save a lot of repetitive typing.

Add Help Text...

Use this option to add instructions to help users fill in the form. When a user clicks the field, the Help text displays automatically in the status bar or pops up when the [F1] key is pressed.

Control Toolbox

If you need more option or command buttons in your form, you'll find them on the Control Toolbox which you can display by right-clicking on any toolbar, then left-clicking on Control Toolbox. For complete instructions on using these controls, see Getting Results - Online Form in Help (this requires that you have access to the MS Office CD), then read the article about inserting ActiveX controls in your online form.

Protecting Your Form

After inserting all of the fields in your form, click on the Protect Form button on the toolbar or click on Protect Document... in the Tools menu, then select Forms. This will protect your form from editing changes except where you have inserted fields.

You will save your form as a template, not as a document. When you create a new document using this template, the cursor will automatically go only to the fields you inserted. Users won't be able to edit the form itself without unprotecting it first. The cursor can only be inserted in a field.

Saving and Using Your Form

Use Save As... in the File menu to save your new form as a template.

In the Save as Type: drop-down list, select Document Template. This should automatically change the file location to C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Templates. If it doesn't, be sure to change it manually (then see the article on Options!).

In the Templates directory, choose a folder for the template (possibly Other Documents) or create a new one. Enter a name for your new form template. Make sure that the filename extension is .dot (for example, New Pilot Data.dot). If the new template is not in the correct directory and/or if it does not have the .dot extension, the program won't be able to find it or recognize it as a template, so you won't be able to use it!

To fill in the form:

1. Create a new document by opening the File menu and clicking on New... to display the New dialog box. Select the appropriate tab (Letters & Faxes, Memos, Other Documents, etc.) then select your template and click OK. Your form will appear in the document window with the first field highlighted.
    
2. Fill in the first field, then use the [Tab] key, the [Enter] key, or the down arrow key to move to the next field. [Shift + Tab] or the up arrow will move you to a previous field.
    
3. When you finish filling in the form, save it as a new document, using Save As... in the File menu. Make sure that you save it as a Word Document with the .doc filename extension, and make sure that you save it to your network directory, using the same method described above, but substituting the correct drive and directory name.

If you have a network directory, your documents should not be stored on your local hard drive (drive C:\ or D:\), but your templates really should be stored there. For your protection, it's a good idea to keep copies of the new templates you create in your network directory. That way, if anything happens to your hard drive, you won't have to recreate forms or other templates you've set up if your hard drive is replaced.

If you get stuck setting up a form, click in the Office Assistant window, type in "forms" (without the quotation marks!), and press [Enter] or click on Search. In Word Help: click on the Index tab, type in 'forms' then double-click on the appropriate article or click on the Display button to read an article.

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