Word: Creating Forms

  • Updated

Using Templates

To save time, you can start with a form template.

  1. Click the File tab
  2. Click New
  3. Under Office.com Templates, click Forms
  4. Click the folder that matches the type of form that you want to create.
  5. Click the form template that you want to use, then click Download.
  6. Click the File tab again, and then click Save As.
  7. In the Save As dialog box, type a name for the new template or document, and then click Save.

CAUTION: Templates can be extremely difficult to modify!

Word_Forms_Search.png

Word_template_options.png

 

Customizing the Ribbon

To enable form creation in Word, the Developer tab must be utilized. To enable the Developer tab on the Ribbon:

  1. Click the File tab
  2. Click Options
  3. Click Customize Ribbon
  4. Under Customize the Ribbon, click Main Tabs
  5. In the list, select the Developer check box, then click OK

[On Mac:  Word>Preferences—Authoring & Proofing group>View>Show Developer tab]

Word_Customize_Ribbon.png

 

Design Mode

Design Mode enables you to insert Content Controls and edit the Properties

  1. Go to Developer tab
  2. In Controls group, select Design Mode
  3. Highlight indicates that Design Mode is ON
  4. To turn off Design Mode, repeat process; highlight will disappear

NOTE: Changes made in Design Mode will not be "active" until Design Mode is turned OFF

Word_Design_Mode.png

Adding Content Control

On the Developer tab, in the Controls group, click Design Mode, and then insert the controls that you want. [No Design Mode on Mac]

  • Insert a Text Control where editors can enter text [Mac=Text Box]
  1. In a Rich Text Content Control, you can format text as bold or italic, and you can type multiple paragraphs. If you want to limit what editors can add, insert the Plain Text Content Control.
  2. Click where you want to insert the control.
  3. On the Developer tab, in the Controls group, click Rich Text Content Control or the Plain Text Content Control.

Word_Rich_Text_Plain_Text.png

  • Insert a Picture Control [Not available on Mac]

A Picture Control is often used for templates, but you can also add a Picture Control to a form.

  1. Click where you want to insert the control.
  2.  On the Developer tab, in the Controls group, click Picture Content Control

Word_Picture_Control.png

  • Insert a Combo Box or a Drop-down list [Mac: Developer tab >Combo Box]

In a Combo Box, you can select from a list of choices that you provide or the editor can type in their own information. In a drop-down list, only the listed choices can be selected.

  1. On the Developer tab, in the Controls group, click the Combo Box Content Control or Drop-Down List Content Control (next to Combo Box Content Control).
  2. Select the Content Control
  3. Select Developer tab > Controls group> Properties.
  4. To create a list of choices, click Add under Drop-Down List Properties.
  5. Type a choice in the Display Name box, such as Yes, No, or Maybe. Repeat this step until all of the choices are in the drop-down list.
  6. Fill in any other properties that you want.

Word_Combo_Box_Content_Control.png    Content_Control_Properties.jpg

NOTE: If you select the Contents cannot be edited check box, editors won’t be able to click a choice.

[Combo Box Properties on Mac: Options>DropDown Form Field Options>enter desired text>click “+” to add to Items in dropdown field list]

  • Insert a Date Picker [Not available on Mac]
  1. Click where you want to insert the Date Picker
  2. On the Developer tab, in the Controls group, click the Date Picker Content Control.

Word_Date_Picker_Content_Control.png

To set Properties for Date Picker Content Control:

  1. Select Date Content Control
  2. Developer tabà Controls group
  3. Select Properties
  4. Set title as “Date”
  5. To lock, select Content control cannot be deleted
  6. Select desired date format
  7. Click OK

Word_Date_Picker_Properties.png

  • Insert a Check Box [Mac: Check Box]
  1. Click where you want to insert the Check Box
  2. On the Developer tab, in the Controls group, click the Check Box Content Control.

Word_Checkbox_Content_Control.png

  • Adding Instructional Text

Instructional text can enhance the usability of the form you create and distribute. You can change the default instructional text in content controls. 

To customize the default instructional text for your form editors, do the following:

  1. On the Developer tab, in the Controls group, click Design Mode.
  2. Click the Content Control where you want to revise the placeholder instructional text.
  3. Edit the placeholder text and format it as desired.
  4. On the Developer tab, in the Controls group, click Design Mode to turn off the design feature and save the instructional text.

NOTE: Do not select the Contents cannot be edited check box if you want form editors to replace the instructional text with their own text

Word_Instructional_Text.png

 

  • Protecting Your Document 

    [Mac = Protect Form; allows use of content controls but does not protect document from editing by others]

  1. Open the form that you want to protect. Ensure Design Mode is OFF.
  2. On the Developer tab, in the Protect group, click Restrict Editing
  3. Select desired restrictions from menu.
  4. When selections have been made, click Yes, Start Enforcing Protection to activate restrictions.

NOTE: If you set a password for the document and then forget it, you will be unable to make changes to the document; the password cannot be recovered!

Word_Protect_Doc.png

  • Saving Your Form as a Template

Turn off Design Mode prior to saving document

  1. File tab>Save as>Browse
  2. Select the file save location (make it somewhere easy to find later; the Word default location may not be!)
  3. Save as Type: Word Template (*.dotx)
  4. Enter Title
  5. Close document

To open a Template for use: double click file

To edit a Template: right click file and select Open. “Save” will override original Template; “Save as” with a different file name to create a new Template.