WD97: How to Create an Online Form Using Form Fields

This article describes how to create an online form using form fields. A form is a template or document with empty areas in which to collect and organize information. An online form uses form fields, which may include text boxes to fill in, check boxes to select or clear, and drop-down list boxes that contain lists of items from which to select choices.

To create an online form, follow these steps:

1. Create a template.
   1. On the File menu, click New.
   2. Click the General tab. Select Blank Document.
   3. Select the Template option under Create New, and click OK.
2. Lay out the form. Include any text, tables, or graphics that you want to appear in the form.
3. Insert the form fields.
   
   
   1. Position the insertion point where you want the user to type or select information.
   2. On the View menu, point to Toolbars and then click Forms. The Forms toolbar appears.
   3. Click the appropriate form field button on the Forms toolbar.
   4. To specify the options of the form field, double-click the form field; or right-click the form field and then click Properties. Select the options you want to use.
   5. Repeat steps a-d for each form field you want to add to your form.
   NOTE: Each type of form field is described in the following table.

       Type        Description
       ------------------------------------------------------------
   
       Text        Use a regular text form field when the form
                   requires an entry of any type, including text,
                   numbers, dates, current date and time, or
                   calculations. You can specify a default entry
                   so that the user does not have to type an
                   entry except to change the response.
   
       Check Box   Use a check box to prompt the user for a yes
                   or no response.
   
       Drop-Down   Use the drop-down form fields to provide the
                   user with a list of answers to choose from.
                   Selecting from a list rather than typing
                   entries makes it easier for users to fill in
                   the form correctly.
   					

4. Protect the document.
   1. On the Tools menu, click Protect Document.
   2. Click Forms, and then click OK.
      
      Word protects the template from changes so users can enter information only in the form fields.
5. Save and close the template.

NOTE: You can save the template to any folder. However, to use the template when you click New on the File menu, save the template to the Templates folder located in one of the following locations by default:

Microsoft Windows 95 and Microsoft Windows 98:Microsoft Windows 95 and Microsoft Windows 98 with Profiles Enabled and Microsoft Windows NT:Microsoft Windows 2000: where username is the name of the user logged on to Windows and windowsfolder is the name of your Windows folder.

How to Update the Fields

Templates containing calculations as the type of text field require that you update the fields. To do this, use any of the following methods.

Method 1: Use Calculate on Exit

Use the Calculate On Exit option in the Form Field Options dialog box.

Method 2: Use a Macro

Assign a macro to the calculation text field to automatically update the field.

Method 3: Use the Update Fields Option

To have Word update all fields when the document is printed, follow these steps:

1. On the Tools menu, click Options.
2. Click the Print tab and then click to select the Update Fields check box.
3. Click OK.

For additional information, click the article numbers below to view the articles in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: For additional information about creating an online form using ASK and FILLIN fields, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: