Is a form, template, or table best (when used by multiple users?)?

G

Guest

I need to create a "form" in Word (2007) to be filled out on a regular basis
by multiple users, but I do not know if I should create a form, a template,
or a table. It will include multiple check boxes and multiple fields for the
user to type-in detailed information, and I need to make it aesthetically
pleasing.

I have not done this before, and I am under a deadline so I need to be
certain that the right foundation (form, template, or table) is chosen from
the get-go.

Thank you to all the experts out there willing to offer some advice and
direction!!
 
G

Guest

Hi - thanks for quick response. Can you fill me in as to why a table is
favorable over a form? Thanks again.
 
S

Summer

You can adjust the column sizes easily by just dragging your mouse or use
Properties (Tables), change the way individual rows look - some rows need 3
columns other rows may need 1 whole row (merged the columns) and another set
of rows in a form may need 4 columns to accommodate questions and answers
(check box formfields). You can put borders (black or coloured lines of
different weights), shade the whole row or individual cells in a row - so
many things you can do with a table apart from adding Formfields and text to
make it look very professional.
 
G

Guest

Thanks! To be sure I understand, you are saying to open a Word Doc and create
the form by using a combination of form fields and tables, as appropriate,
and finally, save it as a template so that users can use it. Am I tracking?
Heather
 
G

Guest

Thanks again, Summer. As I indicated to Graham and would appreciate your
confirmation as well, it sounds like I need to open a Word doc, create a form
with a combination of form fields and tables and save it as a template to be
filled-in later by other users. Would you agree?

Again, this is awesome and thank you so much!
Heather
 
S

Summer

Absolutely.
Heather C. said:
Thanks again, Summer. As I indicated to Graham and would appreciate your
confirmation as well, it sounds like I need to open a Word doc, create a
form
with a combination of form fields and tables and save it as a template to
be
filled-in later by other users. Would you agree?

Again, this is awesome and thank you so much!
Heather
Click to expand...
 
S

Suzanne S. Barnhill

To reiterate what Graham said, the most effective way to place form fields
is in a table (which can be borderless), so the form should be a template
consisting of a table containing static text and form fields.

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA

Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the newsgroup so
all may benefit.
 
J

Jeff Mathewson

Yes, at the end you will find that creating a document using tables as the
base formatting will be very helpful. Using tables will help you a lot in
keeping the formatting of the document when the document is filled out.
Using form fields would be the best way to go about for the data fields.
Now if you are using Word 2007 make sure that you use Legacy Controls over
Content Controls. Last to enabled the controls and save the document from
change, protect your document without a password. Before protecting, select
the Form Fill-in option as the protection so that this will keep the fields
enabled. Then save your document as a template. You will learn to love it.

Jeff.
 
G

Guest

One last question for everyone, but if necessary, I can post a new question.

Does anyone know how to tab or know what the command is to tab from one
field to another so the user can quickly fill out the form? Without knowing
this, pressing tab only creates a tab within the field or table cell itself,
instead of tabbing to the next field to fill in. Hope I am making sense.

Thanks again!
Heather
 
G

Guest

One last question for everyone, but if necessary, I can post a new question.

Does anyone know how to tab or know what the command is to tab from one
field to another so the user can quickly fill out the form? Without knowing
this, pressing tab only creates a tab within the field or table cell itself,
instead of tabbing to the next field to fill in. Hope I am making sense.

Thanks again!
Heather
 
G

Guest

Thanks, Jeff! I am using 2007 so I appreciate the clarification on the Legacy
Controls over the Content Controls.

One last question for everyone, but if necessary, I can post a new question.

Does anyone know how to tab or know what the command is to tab from one
field to another so the user can quickly fill out the form? Without knowing
this, pressing tab only creates a tab within the field or table cell itself,
instead of tabbing to the next field to fill in. Hope I am making sense.

Thanks again!
Heather
 
S

Suzanne S. Barnhill

You really don't need to post this question three times. Once you have
protected the form, Tab will take you from one form field to the next. I
think perhaps you should read the forms tutorials by Dian Chapman that are
linked from http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/Customization/FillinTheBlanks.htm.

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA

Email cannot be acknowledged; please post all follow-ups to the newsgroup so
all may benefit.
 
G

Guest

Suzanne,
Thank you for telling me - I had no idea. I am new to discussion groups,
too, so I appreciate you letting me know. The last thing I want to do is
become a frustration.

I will definitely check out the tutorial you suggested.

Thanks!
Heather
 
G

Guest

Can you tell me how to "lock" the size of the form field within a table so
that when a user fills in the form, it doesn't change the look and sizing? I
protected the document, but when I enter text --a lot of text-- to test if
the cell margin would change, it did.
 
G

Guest

Graham,
Would you happen to know why Jeff recommended using the Legacy Controls over
the Content Controls? I ask because, I picked up a book last night called
Word 2007 The Missing Manual (by Chris Grover) and he has this to say (on
page 341 under the Creating a Computer Form section) about the Legacy
Tools..."These are controls and tools that were used in previous versions of
Word. They don't have the same capabilities for sharing information as Word's
new content controls, so unless you need to edit a form developed in an older
version of Word, avoid the legacy control."

I used the Legacy (Forms) Controls to create my form
(table...template...thing). Can you speak to whether or not I will have
issues because I used the Legacy Form Controls?

Thank you,
Heather




Yes, at the end you will find that creating a document using tables as the
base formatting will be very helpful. Using tables will help you a lot in
keeping the formatting of the document when the document is filled out.
Using form fields would be the best way to go about for the data fields.
Now if you are using Word 2007 make sure that you use Legacy Controls over
Content Controls. Last to enabled the controls and save the document from
change, protect your document without a password. Before protecting, select
the Form Fill-in option as the protection so that this will keep the fields
enabled. Then save your document as a template. You will learn to love it.

Jeff.
 

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