Creating Forms

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(No Transcript)
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Chapter 29

• Creating Forms

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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.

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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.

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Understanding Forms
The respondent fills in data fields
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Designing a Form

• Identify the forms 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

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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?

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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.

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Filling in a Form Document
Select the template
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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Adding Instructional Text
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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Creating a Drop-Down List

• 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.

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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.

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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.

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Customizing Date Picker Properties

• 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.

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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?

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Wrap Up

• A form is a document with user-defined sections
  into which a respondent enters information.
• Create content controls and data fieldscalled
  data fieldson 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.