Create forms that users complete or print in Microsoft Word

6/30/2020

To create a form in Word that others can fill out, start with a template or document and add content controls. Content controls include things like check boxes, text boxes, date pickers, and drop-down lists. If you’re familiar with databases, these content controls can even be linked to data.

Show the Developer tab

The Developer tab isn't displayed by default, but you can add it to the ribbon.

1. On the File tab, go to Options > Customize Ribbon.
2. Under Customize the Ribbon and under Main Tabs, select the Developer check box.

After you show the tab, the Developer tab stays visible, unless you clear the check box or have to reinstall a Microsoft Office program.

Open a template or a blank document on which to base the form

To save time, start with a form template or start from scratch with a blank template.

• Start with a form template

1. Go to File > New.
2. In Search online templates, type Forms or the type of form you want and press ENTER.
3. Choose a form template, and then select Create or Download.

• Start with a blank document

1. Go to File > New.
2. Select Blank document.

Add content to the form

Go to Developer, and then choose the controls that you want to add to the document or form. To remove a content control, select the control and press Delete. You can set properties on controls once inserted.

Note: You can print a form that was created using content controls, but the boxes around the content controls will not print.

• Insert a text control

In a rich text content control, users can format text as bold or italic, and they can type multiple paragraphs. If you want to limit what users add, insert the plain text content control.

1. Click or tap where you want to insert the control.
2. Select Developer > Rich Text Content Control  or Plain Text Content Control  .

• Insert a picture control

A picture control is often used for templates, but you can also add a picture control to a form.

1. Click or tap where you want to insert the control.
2. Select Developer > Picture Content Control  .

• Insert a building block control

Use building block controls when you want people to choose a specific block of text. For example, building block controls are helpful when you need to add different boilerplate text depending on the contract’s specific requirements. You can create rich text content controls for each version of the boilerplate text, and then you can use a building block control as the container for the rich text content controls.

1. Click or tap where you want to insert the control.
2. Go to DeveloperBuilding Block Gallery Content Control  (or Building Block Content Control).
3. Select Developer and content controls for the building block.

1. Click or tap where you want to insert the control.

• Insert a combo box or a drop-down list

In a combo box, users can select from a list of choices that you provide or they can type in their own information. In a drop-down list, users can only select from the list of choices.

1. Go to Developer > Combo Box Content Control  or Drop-Down List Content Control  .
2. Select the content control, and then select Properties.
3. To create a list of choices, select Add under Drop-Down List Properties.
4. Type a choice in Display Name, such as Yes, No, or Maybe.

Repeat this step until all of the choices are in the drop-down list.

5. Fill in any other properties that you want.

Note: If you select the Contents cannot be edited check box, users won’t be able to click a choice.

• Insert a date picker

1. Click or tap where you want to insert the date picker control.
2. Select Developer > Date Picker Content Control  .

• Insert a check box

1. Click or tap where you want to insert the check box control.
2. Select Developer > Check Box Content Control  .

• Use the legacy form controls

Legacy form controls are for compatibility with older versions of Word and consist of legacy form and Active X controls.

1. Click or tap where you want to insert a legacy control.
2. Go to Developer > Legacy Forms  drop-down.
3. Select the Legacy Form control or Active X Control that you want to include.

Set or change properties for content controls

Each content control has properties that you can set or change. For example, the Date Picker control offers options for the format you want to use to display the date.

1. Select the content control that you want to change.
2. Go to Developer > Properties.

3. Change the properties that you want.

Add protection to a form

If you want to limit how much others can edit or format a form, use the Restrict Editing command:

1. Open the form that you want to lock or protect.
2. Select Developer > Restrict Editing.

3. After selecting restrictions, select Yes, Start Enforcing Protection.

 

Advanced Tip:

If you want to protect only parts of the document, separate the document into sections and only protect the sections you want.

To do this, choose Select Sections in the Restrict Editing panel. For more info on sections, see Insert a section break.