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WORD already provides preformatted templates for common business/commercial forms - these are located in the Templates sub-directory within the Winword sub-directory and can be accessed by choosing the New command in the FILE menu. However, WORD's Form Field commands (located in the INSERT menu) allow the creation of customised form templates and furthermore, because the newly created form templates can be protected, users cannot accidentally change the format of the form template as they input their data.
It is important that you create a new template for your form so that global macros and AutoText entries (usually stored in NORMAL.DOT) are made available. NOTE: Any macros or AutoText entries which you create for the form must also be stored with the form template.
Choose the FILE-New command; your form template will be based upon the Normal template for documents but under New select the Template option and then OK.
Create the layout of the form on the template document - see Choosing The Layout For Your Form
Position the insertion point where you want users to type or select information and then choose the INSERT-Form Field command.
Under Type select the type of form field you require. Use the Options button to specify the properties of the form field, and then choose OK.
Repeat steps 4 and 5 for every form field you wish to insert.
NOTE: You can also choose form field options by clicking the appropriate buttons on the Forms toolbar (to display this choose the VIEW-Toolbars command).
Choose the command TOOLS-Protect Document, and under Protect Document For choose the Forms option - WORD will protect your document from changes users may make and allows users to input data only in the form fields; type a password if this is also required.
Use the FILE-Save As command to save the template (the extension to the filename will be .dot) and close it. The template will join other templates in the default directory for templates, within the Winword sub-directory.
Form fields are the locations in an online form where the user fills in information, and these can be inserted in the middle of a text paragraph, in a table cell or in a frame. In a protected form, users can only input information in a form field or sections in which the protection has been removed.
Three categories of form field are provided:
Why use form fields?
The input of data can be controlled. You can specify a default entry for a field, define a list of items from which a user can select a choice and apply formats to an entry. See Filling-In An On-Line Form .
Specify that a macro be initiated when the insertion point enters or exits the field. See Automatic Macros .
Define Help messages for each form field. Each field can have one message that appears in the Status Bar and another that appears in a Help window when the user presses the F1 key. See Help Messages For Form Fields .
NOTE: By default and for easy identification, form fields in an online form are shaded. To turn field shading either on or off, click the Field Shading button on the Forms toolbar.
There are six different types of form field; to select the most appropriate field (or to modify a text field), you will need to display the Text Form Field Options dialogue box by doing one of the following:
EITHER choose the Options button in the Form Field dialogue box when you initially insert the text form field,
OR double-click the field in the document,
OR select the field in the document and click the Form Field Options button on the Forms toolbar.
Which text form field do I require?
Depending upon the type of text form field chosen, the default format and custom format options change. The Maximum Length box determines the width of the field in a form. The text form field adjusts to accommodate the input text, up to the maximum number of characters you specify in the Maximum Length box (no more than 255 characters are allowed).
Regular text - use this when the form requires an entry of any type, be it text, numbers or symbols. Under Default Text type in the text that perhaps assumes the response of the user - they will only need to type an entry if they need to change the response. If the Default Text box is left blank, then the field will also be left blank.
Number - use this when the field requires a numeric entry; again a default number can be displayed if required.
Date - use this when a date is required; again you can display a default date in the form field.
Current Date and Current Time - both the current date and current time are supplied by WORD and therefore the default date/time box is unavailable. However chosen formats can be applied to the current date/time and are effected when the insertion point leaves the field.
Calculation - use this when you require a row or column of figures to be added or subjected to some other calculation. WORD uses an =(Formula) field to perform calculations. Type the expression for the calculation in the Expression box.
The chosen formatting for Text, Number and Date form entries only takes effect when the insertion point leaves the field; WORD will also display an error message if the entry within a field is not valid.
Current Date, Current Time and Calculation form fields cannot be edited whilst the form is being filled in, but to update all fields before printing, make sure you have the Update Fields check box selected in the TOOLS-Options-Print tab.
To apply character formatting to a form field
Take off the document protection - TOOLS-Unprotect Document.
Select the form field requiring the formatting.
Choose the FORMAT-Font command and type/select the required character formatting and/or spacing and choose OK.
Check box form fields prompt the user to provide a 'yes' or 'no' response. You should type a label for the check box in the form, then insert a check box form field next to the label. To set options for the check box (or to modify a check box), you must display the Check Box Form Field Options dialogue box by doing one of the following:
EITHER choose the Options button in the Form Field dialogue box when you initially insert the text form field,
OR double-click the field in the document,
OR select the field in the document and click the Form Field Options button on the Forms Toolbar.
You must decide how large the check box is to be under Check Box Size. Choose Auto if you wish your check box to be the same size as the surrounding text, or the Exactly option to specify an exact size.
The Default Value options determine whether a check box is initially selected or cleared; however to have the check box print as an empty box on a hard copy, select the Not Checked option.
Use drop-down form fields when you need to present a list of possibilities from which the user can select the most appropriate item. You may wish to add 'None' to the list of choices.
The item at the top of the list is the default selection, but whichever option is highlighted at the time of printing is the one that appears on the hard copy.
To set options for the check box (or to modify a check box), you must display the Check Box Form Field Options dialogue box by doing one of the following:
EITHER choose the Options button in the Form Field dialogue box when you initially insert the text form field,
OR double-click the field in the document,
OR select the field in the document and click the Form Field Options button on the Forms Toolbar.
To add or delete items in a drop-down list
Double-click the drop-down form field to which you require an item to be added, or from which you require an item to be deleted.
EITHER in the Drop-Down Item box, type the text you want to add to the list (up to 50 characters) and choose the Add button. Repeat steps 1 and 2 for every item you wish to add to the list.
OR in the Items in Drop-Down List, select the item which you want to remove from the list and choose the Remove button. Repeat steps 1 and 3 for every item you wish to remove from the list.
Choose OK.
To change the order of items in the drop-down list
Double-click the drop down form field which you need to modify.
Under Items in Drop-Down List, select the item you wish to move and use the Up Arrow or Down Arrowbuttons to move the item up or down respectively.
Choose OK.
Choose the TOOLS-Protect Document command.
Under Protect Document For choose the Forms option.
Type a password (up to 15 characters) in the Password box if you require this but remember to use the same combination of upper and lower case letters when you come to use the password again. Access to the master form is only allowed for those users who know the password - only they can edit the form or change the protection.
Choose OK. (If you have assigned a password, you will be asked to confirm the password again and to choose OK for a second time.)
When a document is protected the following changes occur to the document:
Form fields are activated.
Field results are displayed instead of field codes.
The insertion point can move only to form fields and unprotected sections allowing users to input their data without detrimental effect to the master form.
You cannot select the entire document.
Table column widths are fixed.
The Find, Replace and Go To commands are only available in the form fields and in unprotected sections of the document.
Some menu commands are unavailable.
Entry macros, exit macros and form field Help functions are activated.
To remove the protection from the document
In the TOOLS menu of a protected document, the Protect Document command changes to an Unprotect Document command. This is the command you use.
To remove the protection from SECTIONS of the document
Choose the TOOLS-Protect Document command.
Select the Forms option, and then choose the Sections button - this is dimmed if your document has not been divided into sections.
Select the check boxes next to the section(s) requiring protection, but clear check boxes next to sections that are to be left unprotected.
Choose OK.
A macro saved in the form template can run automatically when the insertion point either enters or exits a form field.
To assign a macro to a form field, have the appropriate form field dialogue box displayed and make your choice under Run Macro On - select a macro from the list available.
Why might I want macros?
Macros can be used to perform all sorts of tasks in the form. Specifically an entry macro might be used to display database information from which the user can select appropriate entries; whereas an exit macro could be used to check and validate input data and even activate or deactivate other fields as a result.
WORD assigns a bookmark name to every form field and this default name appears under Field Settings in the Bookmark box. In performing their tasks, macros have to refer to form fields by their bookmark names; therefore although you can change the bookmark names, you must be careful to choose names which are valid and which are not being used elsewhere in the form!
Transferring macros from Normal.dot to the form template
Use the TOOLS-Macro command, and use the Organiser to transfer macros from the Normal.dot template to the form template. Only then will the macros become available when a user is attempting to complete the on-line form on a different machine.
Double-click the form field to which you want to add (or modify) Help text.
Choose the Add Help Text button.
Select the Status Bar tab to display the help text in the Status Bar, or select the Help Key (F1) tab to display the help message on pressing the F1 key.
Do one of the following:
EITHER select the Type Your Own option button and then type the help text which can be a maximum of 255 characters.
OR select the AutoText button if you require an AutoText entry.
OR select the None option to turn off the help message display.
Choose OK.
As soon as you protect the form, the behaviour of certain keys changes such that users can move the insertion point from field to field.
Choose the FILE-New command (do not click the New icon on the Toolbar otherwise the Template dialogue box is not displayed).
Under Template select the form template you require and choose OK.
The following methods explain how you can move amongst the fill-in form fields.
Enter data in a field and move to the next field TAB or ENTER or Down Arrow Move to a previous field SHIFT + TAB or Up Arrow Display items in a drop-down field F4 or ALT + Down Arrow Move to an item in a drop-down list Up Arrow or Down Arrow Select or clear a check box SPACEBAR or X Display help text for a form field F1 Insert a tab character in a form field CTRL + TAB
Users can save and print as they would any document. However, users have the choice of saving and printing the form AND their entries (by choosing the appropriate commands in the file menu) or saving and printing only their text entries.
To save and print on-line data only
Choose the TOOLS-Options command.
Select the Save tab or the Print tab.
To save select the Save Data Only For Formscheck box.
To print select the Print Data Only For Formscheck box.
Choose OK.
Perhaps the most difficult part of designing a form is to plan the grid which will eventually hold the input information in the most coherent way. Tables are by the far the most popular means to an end; you can use a single table for the entire form, merging and resizing cells where necessary to produce areas of differing height, or you can several tables if different parts of your form demand different layouts. Different tables can be separated by a blank paragraph (or some other measurement as defined in the FORMAT-Paragraph-Spacing Before/After dialogue box), or they may lend themselves quite easily to being joined. Borders and shading effects can then be applied selectively to create the required layout.
When a table is not the answer you could consider creating frames around form fields, text and graphics to position them on the page. (You can even enclose a table within a frame and control its position.)
If your form contains several graphics and scrolling is becoming difficult, then choose the TOOLS-Options command, select the View tab and select the Picture Placeholderscheck box. Graphics appear as boxes on the screen, but are printed correctly.