Would you like to create a questionnaire, sign-up form, quiz or other type of form that people can fill out on their computer? If so, here are some general instructions on how to create a form using Microsoft Word 2011 or Word 2016 on your Mac. Once you’ve created the form you can distribute it as an email attachment or via a web site. The recipient could then complete the form on his or her computer and return it to you. Here are some pointers to how to create a form using Word 2011 and 2016
By default Word’s Form Control features are hidden. To make them visible you have to enable the Developer tab on the Ribbon. Here’s how to do this:
In Mac Word 2011, User Templates are stored here by default: ~ Library Application Support Microsoft Office User Templates My Templates. In Mac Word 2016, they appear to be stored here: ~ Library Group Containers UBF8T346G9.Office User Content Templates. I know I can manually change folder locations in the Word Preferences.
- Open a new document in Word.
- Click on the Word menu and select Preferences.
- Click the Ribbon button on the bottom row on the right-hand side.
- In the Customize section, scroll through the list and insert a check mark next to Developer.
- Click the OK button.
- Click on the Developer tab on the Ribbon and you’ll see the Form Controls as depicted below.
You can now use these controls in a document. Let’s look at how to use the Text Box, Combo Box and Check Box.
The Text Box lets the form-filler type in their own answer. Click the Text Box option to insert a Text Box into your Word document. Double-click on this Text Box to control its options. For example, you could set a Maximum Length for the recipient’s answer.
![Word For Mac 2016 Content Control Word For Mac 2016 Content Control](http://www.customguide.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/word-2016-mac-it.png)
The Check Box lets you create a box that can be checked by the form-filler.
The Combo Box lets you enter a list of choices that will appear in a drop-down list. The form-filler can select only one choice. After adding a Combo Box to your Word document, double-click it to be able to enter the choices that you want to offer.
The Protect Form button is very important. After you’ve finished your document click the Protect Form button. This button locks the document so it can’t be edited. In other words, it turns the document into a fillable form. Once you’ve protected the form you’re ready to distribute it to others.
Below is a picture of a sample document which demonstrates the Text Box, Combo Box and Check Box.
Making a form in Word 2011 for Mac is as simple as choosing appropriate form controls from the Developer tab of the Office 2011 for Mac Ribbon, placing them in your Word document, and then enabling your form by turning protection on. The text input field is the most common form field. You might have filled in thousands of them in your lifetime. Name, address, and phone number are appropriate for text fields.
To add a text input field to a document:
- In an open Word document, place the insertion point where you want to insert a text form field.
- Click the Text Box Field button on the Developer tab of the Ribbon.A gray box (the form field) appears in your document at the insertion cursor position, and the fun begins.
- Click the gray box to select it and then click the Options button on the Ribbon.
Double-clicking a form control (while the form is not protected) displays the Options dialog for that form control.
The Text Form Field Options dialog is devilishly simple, yet brilliant. When you click the Type pop-up menu and choose a text field type, the rest of the Text Form Field Options dialog changes to offer appropriate choices based on your selection. Here are the six types of text form fields from which to choose:
- Regular Text: Word displays whatever is typed.
- Number: Numbers can be formatted and used in calculations.
- Date: Dates can be formatted.
- Current Date: Displays the current date in your form.
- Current Time: Displays the current time in your form.
- Calculation: Calculates values based on entries made in numeric fields.
The Text Form Field Options dialog allows these options for Regular Text:
- Type: Choose a field type as described in the previous paragraph.
- Maximum Length: Specify the number of characters allowed in the field.
- Default Text: This text appears as a prompt in the field.
- Text Format: Choose a text formatting option from the pop-up menu.
- Run Macro On: If macros are available to this document, you can choose one to be triggered as the form field is clicked into or exited.
- Field Settings: These settings are available:
- Bookmark:Add a bookmark name to your form field.
- Calculate on Exit: If you have calculated fields, select this check box to have them calculate when exiting the form field.
- Fill-In Enabled: Select this check box so your field can be typed in.
- Add Help Text button: This opens the Form Field Help Text dialog that enables you to add a prompt or explanatory text about the form field. This help text appears in the status bar at the bottom of the document window, or you can have it appear when the user presses the Help button on the keyboard (but not from the Help option you see when you right-click or Control-click the field).
Work with form fields and set their options while the form is unprotected (or unlocked). You have to protect (or lock) a form before you can fill in the form fields.