WD2000: How to Create an Automated Form with Fillin Fields

ID: Q238278

The information in this article applies to:

SUMMARY

This article describes how to create a simple form that automatically prompts a user to fill in information.


MORE INFORMATION

Follow these steps to create a template with automatic fill-in fields:

  1. On the File menu, click New.


  2. Select Blank Document.


  3. Under Create New, select Template. Click OK.


  4. Create the FILLIN fields.

    There are two methods you can use to create FILLIN fields: menus and keystrokes. Select the method best suited for you.

    Method 1: Creating a Field 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, select Mail Merge.


    4. In the Field Names list, select Fill-in.


    5. The FILLIN field is displayed in the Field codes text box below the Categories list. Click inside the text box to the right of the word FILLIN, and type quotation marks around the prompt you want to display. For example, use the following syntax to display a prompt asking the user to enter their name:
      FILLIN "Please enter your first and last name."


    6. Click OK. You then see a sample of the prompt. Click OK to return to your document.

      NOTE: To view the field code you just inserted, press ALT+F9.


    7. Repeat steps a-f for every place in the document where you want a FILLIN field.


    Method 2: Creating a Field 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 the following, where <prompt> is what Word asks the user to type:
      FILLIN "<prompt>"
      NOTE: If you press F9 while the insertion point is still on the field, you can see a sample of the prompt that will be displayed. This step is not necessary to create the FILLIN field.




  5. On the File menu, click Save As.


  6. Name the template appropriately.


Using the Template:

To create new documents based on the new template, follow these steps.
  1. On the File menu, click New.


  2. Click to select your template.


  3. Click OK.


Word creates a new document, automatically searches for all FILLIN fields in the document, and begins to prompt the user for input.

Additional Information

For additional information about using form fields, please see the following article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
Q212328 WD2000: How to Create an Online Form Using Form Fields
You can also use SET and ASK fields in conjunction with FILLIN fields.


REFERENCES

For more information about the SET field, click Microsoft Help on the Help menu, type Field codes: SET field in the Office Assistant or the Answer Wizard, and then click Search to view the topics returned.

For more information about the ASK field, click Microsoft Word Help on the Help menu, type Field codes: ASK field in the Office Assistant or the Answer Wizard, and then click Search to view the topics returned.

Additional query words: fillin field fields forms auto keyboard merge automatic automatically vba 


Keywords          : kbdta kbfield wd2000 
Version           : WINDOWS:2000
Platform          : WINDOWS 
Issue type        : kbinfo

Last Reviewed: July 30, 1999