How to Make a Fillable Form in Microsoft Word

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1. Enable the Developer Tab

Step 1:Open a new Word document, go to theFile tab,and click onOptions.

Step 2:That will open theWord optionswindow. Now, selectCustomize Ribbonand click on theChoose commands fromdropdown.

Step 3:From the scrollable list in the first column, selectMain Tabs.In the window below, you’ll see aDeveloper(Custom) option. Please select it andmove it to the right side.

Step 4:SelectOKto save the changes once you’ve finished. You’ll see a new tab namedDeveloperon the Ribbon menu.

The block beside the Add-in block marked Controls will contain all the control elements, such as text boxes, drop-downs, and text boxes.

Step 2: Add Form Elements To Word Document

Now, all you need to do is add the Content Control Elements. If it is a simple form with text boxes, you may want to add a table while designing the form. While the standard control panel lets you experiment with new elements, you can also play around with legacy controls.

Start by clicking onDesign Mode. Position your cursor where you want to add the elements and select one of the many control elements.

Note that the default style doesn’t have any formatting options. You won’t be able to see any borders, which can be problematic for first-time users. To see a page’s content control elements, tap on Design Mode, which will highlight all the placeholders.

At the same time, to access thelegacy controls, click on the little briefcase-shaped icon, as shown in the screenshot below.

Step 3: Customize the Elements for Form

Microsoft Word also lets you edit and customize the properties of the elements. From simple things like changing the placeholder color to adding the element title and adding locking mechanisms, you can do plenty with this simple control.

Select an element to open the Properties box and click onPropertiesfrom the top ribbon. Next, double-click thecontent control elementto change the instructional text.

Step 4: Restrict Editing of Forms in Word Document

It’s pretty easy to edit a form in Word. All you need is a person who knows their way around MS Word’s fillable form features to change a form’s structure completely. However, you would also want users to be able to fill the form out quickly. Thankfully, this can be avoided by locking the form.

Step 1:Use theCtrl+A keyboard shortcutto select all the form elements, then click theRestrict Editingbutton at the top of the ribbon.

Step 2:Next, select the modes of restriction. Tap onEditing restrictions(option #2), select theAllow only this type of editing in the documentcheckbox, and then select theFilling in formsoption from the drop-down. Enter a password if you want to, and then press theOkbutton

Content Control Elements and Their Meaning

Quite naturally, the first two options, Plain Text Content Control and Rich Text Content Control, are for adding text elements to the form. Users can add text in various formats, but they won’t be able to add multiple lines by default. Thankfully, it is easily correctable.

Step 1:Click onpropertiesand check theAllow Carriage returnscheckbox.

Note:However, it’s not as simple for the other elements, like thedrop-down list and date picker, where you’d need to add the values beforehand when you submit the form.

Step 2:For drop-downs, select the element and click onProperties. Next, tap onAddand add the name and the value. Do this for the rest of your options. You can even move the values up and down on the list.

Step 3:Similarly, you can choose the date format, calendar type, and the like. Like the above one, open the Properties controls for the calendar and make changes. Hit Ok when done.

However, the best tool is the Repeating Section tool. This one lets you repeat any form element on your form. That is a container for other content tools you want to repeat in the different parts of the form.

To use it, tap on the icon and add the tools you want inside it. Once you’ve done this, click on the Add icon. All the elements will be repeated neatly.

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Last updated on 01 August, 2024

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