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Chapter 29 Creating Forms

3 Understanding Forms Word enables you to create fill-in forms to eliminate the need for storing pre-printed forms. Add content controls such as picture, date picker, and drop-down lists to create the form. After a form is saved as a protected document, users can create and fill in new copies of the form.

4 Understanding Forms A form is a protected document that includes user-defined sections into which a respondent enters information. Content controls limit user input, as in a drop- down list. A form field enables the respondent to enter specific text. The generic term data field refers to both content controls and form fields.

5 Understanding Forms The respondent fills in data fields

6 Designing a Form Identify the form’s purpose and make a list of all the information needed to meet the form objective. Then plan the layout of the form, sketching it out if needed and considering the following points: –Group like items together. –Place the most important information at the top of the form. –Use design elements purposefully and sparingly. –Use white space and lines to create clear sections

7 Creating a Form Template Create a form as a template so that the respondent creates a copy of the form rather than using the original. Protecting the template allows the user to enter or change information only in the form fields.

8 Creating a Form Template To create a new template, click the Office button, and then New. Click My templates under Templates in the New Document dialog box. In the New dialog box, click the Blank Document icon, click the Template option button, and click Create New.

9 Displaying the Developer Tab The Developer tab offers buttons for inserting data fields into a form template. Display the Developer tab by clicking the Office button and then Word Options. Click Popular in the left pane if needed, click the Show Developer tab in the Ribbon check box to check it, and click OK.

10 Inserting Text Controls Add a text control in a location where you want the user to enter text, typing in any label for the control first. Click the Rich Text button in the Controls group of the Developer tab to add a rich text control, which can have its own formatting or when the data to be entered will be used in another document. Click the Text button in the Controls group of the Developer tab to add a plain text control, which takes on the format of the text around it. Rich Text Text

11 Protecting a Template Protecting the template enables the respondents to enter information in the fields but not edit the template itself. Click the Protect Document button in the Protect group of the Developer tab. Check the Allow only this type of editing in the document check box in the Restrict Formatting and Editing task pane. Select Filling in forms from the drop- down list. Click Yes, Start Enforcing Protection.

12 Checkpoint What is the difference between a form and a regular document? Describe a situation where you might want to create and use a form. What two types of controls can you add to a form? What tab holds the buttons for adding form controls? Why do you create a form as a template? How do you protect the form template?

13 Filling in a Form Document After you create and save the form template, you can use it to create copies of the form for data entry. Click the Office button and click New. Click My templates in the Templates section of the new dialog box. Click the template icon in the New dialog box, leave Document selected and click OK.

14 Filling in a Form Document Select the template

15 Filling in a Form Document The form copy opens with the insertion point in the first data field. Type information in each field. Press Tab and Shift + Tab to move forward and back between fields.

16 Opening a Form Template Open the form template file to edit it. Word automatically saves a template document in the Templates folder. Click the Open button on the Quick Access toolbar, and then open the.dotx template file from the Templates folder. You can then unprotect the template if needed, and make changes.

17 Unprotecting a Form Template If the form is protected, turn off protection to edit the form. Click the Protect Document button in the Protect group of the Developer tab. Click the Stop Protection button. Turn protection back on after editing the document.

18 Adding Tables and Instructional Text Use a table to provide a framework for the form information. You can create your own prompt or instructional text for a text field to give the respondent specific information about what to enter. Type in the desired instructional text, select it and then click either the Rich Text or Text button in the Controls Group of the Developer tab.

19 Adding Instructional Text Type and select the instructional text Then make it a field

20 Checkpoint What do you have to do to create a copy of the form to fill in? How do you move between form fields? How is opening a form template to edit it different from opening a regular document? How do you turn off protection for the form template? Name one benefit of creating instructional text for a field.

21 Inserting Pictures A picture content control can display a picture, clip art image, drawing, shape, chart, table, or SmartArt diagram. Position the insertion point in the desired location, and click the Picture Content Control button in the Controls group of the Developer tab. Click the picture icon in the control to open the Insert Picture dialog box, and select the picture to insert.

22 Using the Date Picker The Date Picker button in the Controls group of the Developer tab inserts a content control that displays a calendar when the user clicks the control. The respondent can use the calendar to display the desired month and year, and then click the date.

23 Using the Date Picker Type the field label separately. Position the insertion point at the location for the control, and then click the Date Picker button.

A drop-down list offers the form user a number of options for filling in the field. Type the field label separately and position the insertion point at the location where you want the field to appear. Click the Drop-Down List button in the Controls group of the Developer tab, and click the Drop-Down Form Field button. 24 Creating a Drop-Down List

Leave the control selected, and click the Properties button in the Controls group of the Developer tab. In the Content Control Properties dialog box, click Add. Enter a Display Name and Value for the item in the Add Choice dialog box, and click OK. Click OK after you finish adding items. 25 Creating a Drop-Down List

26 Customizing a Picture Content Control Locking a picture content control causes the insertion point to skip the picture when the respondent presses Tab. Click the picture control to select it and click the Properties button in the Controls group of the Developer tab. Click the Contents cannot be edited check box to check it, and click OK.

A date picker control displays the date in m/d/yyyy format by default. You can specify another date format for the control. Click the date picker control to select it and click the Properties button in the Controls group of the Developer tab. Click the desired date format in the Display the date like this list, and click OK. 27 Customizing Date Picker Properties

28 Checkpoint What button do you use to insert a picture control? What is the benefit of inserting a date picker content control? What is the benefit of creating a drop-down list control? How do you display the properties for customizing any form field? What key function can you customize for a picture content control? What key function can you customize for a date picker control?

29 Wrap Up A form is a document with user- defined sections into which a respondent enters information. Create content controls and data fields—called data fields—on a form. Plan the form design to make sure it gathers all the needed information. Create the form as a template so respondents work from copies and the original remains intact. Protect the form to prevent unwanted changes while allowing respondents to enter data. Use the buttons in the Controls group to create the form controls. Open a form copy based on the template and press Tab to move to a field and fill it in. Open the template itself and unprotect it to make changes to the form. Select a data field and click the Properties button in the Controls group to display its settings. Create a table and instructional text to help organize the form and prompt the user for information.