How to create an automated form that has fill-in fields in Word 2003 (826211)

SUMMARY

This step by step article describes how to create a simple form in a Word 2003 document that automatically prompts a user to fill in information.

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How to Create the Template

To create a template with automatic fill-in fields, follow these steps:

1. On the File menu, click New.
2. In the New Document task pane, in the Templates section, click On my computer.
3. In the Create New box select Template.
4. Click Blank Document, and then Click OK.
5. Create the fill-in fields. To do this, use either of the following methods.
   • Method 1: Create a field by using the menus.
     1. Position the insertion point where you want to insert the text field.
     2. On the Insert menu, click Field.
     3. In the Categories list, click Mail Merge.
     4. In the Field Names list, click Fill-in.
     5. In the Field properties Prompt box, type the message that you want to appear.
     6. Click OK. A sample of the message appears. Click OK to return to your document.
        
        Note To view the field code that you inserted, right-click the field, and then click Toggle field codes. Alternatively, press ALT+F9 on the keyboard.
     7. Repeat steps a through f for every location in the document where you want to insert a fill-in field.
   • Method 2: Create a field by using keystrokes.
     1. Position the insertion point where you want to insert the field.
     2. Press CTRL+F9. Field braces ({ }) appear in the document.
     3. Position the insertion point inside the field braces.
     4. Type:

        FILLIN "message"

        where message is the instruction that Word prompts the user with.
        
        Note If you press F9 while the insertion point is still on the field, you can see a sample of the message. You do not have to follow this step to create the fill-in field.
6. On the File menu, click Save As.
7. Name the template.

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How to Use the Template

To create new documents based on the new template, follow these steps:

1. On the File menu, click New.
2. In the Templates section of the New Document task pane, click On my computer.
3. In the Templates dialog box, under General, select your template, and then click OK.

Word creates a new document, automatically searches for all the fill-in fields in the document, and then displays the prompts to the user.

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