HomeApplicationOffice information

How to Create a Form Using a Word Processor

This wikiHow teaches you how to create a form with fillable text boxes in Microsoft Word. Open Microsoft Word. It's a blue app with a white 'W' on it.
Part 1 of 3:

Displaying the Developer Tab

  1. How to Create a Form Using a Word Processor Picture 1How to Create a Form Using a Word Processor Picture 1
    Open Microsoft Word. It's a blue app with a white "W" on it.
  2. How to Create a Form Using a Word Processor Picture 2How to Create a Form Using a Word Processor Picture 2
    Open a new document. To do so, first click the File tab, then click New Document.
    1. In Word 2016, you may instead click Blank Document on the right side of the page. On Mac, you'll first need to click New.
  3. How to Create a Form Using a Word Processor Picture 3How to Create a Form Using a Word Processor Picture 3
    Click File. It's in the top-left corner of the Word window.[1]
    1. On Mac, click Word in the top-left corner of the menu bar.
  4. How to Create a Form Using a Word Processor Picture 4How to Create a Form Using a Word Processor Picture 4
    Click Options. You'll find it near the bottom of the left-hand pane.
    1. On Mac, click Preferences near the bottom of the drop-down menu.
  5. How to Create a Form Using a Word Processor Picture 5How to Create a Form Using a Word Processor Picture 5
    Click Customize Ribbon. This option is on the left side of the pop-up window.
    1. On Mac, you'll instead click View beneath the "Authoring and Proofing Tools" heading.
  6. How to Create a Form Using a Word Processor Picture 6How to Create a Form Using a Word Processor Picture 6
    Click the Developer check box. It's in the "Main Tabs" pane on the right side of the window.
    1. On Mac, instead click the Show developer tab box that's beneath the "View" heading.
    2. If this box has a check mark in it, the Developer tab is already enabled.
  7. How to Create a Form Using a Word Processor Picture 7How to Create a Form Using a Word Processor Picture 7
    Click OK. Doing so will save your changes and return you to your Word document.
Part 2 of 3:

Creating a Form

  1. How to Create a Form Using a Word Processor Picture 8How to Create a Form Using a Word Processor Picture 8
    Type in your prompts. These might be questions, categories of information, or essay instructions.
    1. For example, you might write "Name:", "Date of Birth:", and so on.
    2. You might consider making your prompts bold by highlighting them and pressing Ctrl+B (or ⌘ Command+B) to make them stand out.
  2. How to Create a Form Using a Word Processor Picture 9How to Create a Form Using a Word Processor Picture 9
    Click the Developer tab. It's in the row of tabs in the blue ribbon that's at the top of the Microsoft Word window.
  3. How to Create a Form Using a Word Processor Picture 10How to Create a Form Using a Word Processor Picture 10
    Click a space to the right of a prompt. This will place your mouse cursor here, thereby indicating the place in which your text box will be inserted.
    1. If you're creating essay questions, perhaps click below the prompt instead.
  4. How to Create a Form Using a Word Processor Picture 11How to Create a Form Using a Word Processor Picture 11
    Click the "Text Box" button. It resembles a non-bold Ab on PC and ab| on Mac. Doing so will insert a text box next to your selected prompt.
    1. You can also click other options in the "Controls" section to insert a check box, a drop-down list, etc.
  5. How to Create a Form Using a Word Processor Picture 12How to Create a Form Using a Word Processor Picture 12
    Insert a text box for each prompt. On PC, you can add a Date Picker box if your form has a date section.
Part 3 of 3:

Restricting Your Form

  1. How to Create a Form Using a Word Processor Picture 13How to Create a Form Using a Word Processor Picture 13
    Click the Review tab. It's a couple of tabs left of the Developer tab.
  2. How to Create a Form Using a Word Processor Picture 14How to Create a Form Using a Word Processor Picture 14
    Click Restrict Editing. Doing so will prompt a pop-out window on the right side of the page.
    1. On Mac, click Protect, then click Protect Document in the drop-down menu.
  3. How to Create a Form Using a Word Processor Picture 15How to Create a Form Using a Word Processor Picture 15
    Click the check box below the "Editing restrictions" heading. This check box has "Allow only this type of editing in the document:" written next to it.
    1. On Mac, instead click the "Protect document for:" check box below the "Protection" heading.
  4. How to Create a Form Using a Word Processor Picture 16How to Create a Form Using a Word Processor Picture 16
    Click the No changes (Read only) box. It's below the check box here. Doing so will invoke a drop-down menu.
    1. Skip this step on a Mac.
  5. How to Create a Form Using a Word Processor Picture 17How to Create a Form Using a Word Processor Picture 17
    Click Filling in forms. This option is near the bottom of the drop-down menu.
    1. On Mac, click Forms.
  6. How to Create a Form Using a Word Processor Picture 18How to Create a Form Using a Word Processor Picture 18
    Click Yes, Start Enforcing Protection. It's at the bottom of the right-hand pane.
    1. Skip this step on Mac.
  7. How to Create a Form Using a Word Processor Picture 19How to Create a Form Using a Word Processor Picture 19
    Enter a password (optional). If you decide to apply a password to this document, you'll need to enter it in order to edit the document later.
  8. How to Create a Form Using a Word Processor Picture 20How to Create a Form Using a Word Processor Picture 20
    Click OK. This will confirm your password (or your lack thereof) and apply restrictions to your Word document. People to whom you send the document will only be able to fill out the text box areas.
4.5 ★ | 2 Vote
clickboxdocumentmac

You should read it

Maybe you are interested

Office information