Lots of times there is a need to create a form within MS Word wherein the form is e-mailed to a colleague or a client and they fill out the form and send it back to you.
It can be very tedious to sort through the information when users insert data that you are not specifically looking for and that is where drop-down lists come in very handy, because you can create a drop-down list with specific items for selection.
To create your drop-down list, follow the steps below:
If your form template has already been created, open it and remove protection from the form.
If you are just creating your form, right-click on an empty spot on your toolbar which will open the list of Toolsbar. From there, click on the Forms Toolbar, which will open a floating toolbar.
Click the Drop-down Form Field button.
Double-click the field to open the dialog box.
Type each choice for the drop-down list and click Add.
Make sure you arrange them in the order you prefer.
Click OK.
The form will display the typical arrow next to the field. When you click it the choices are displayed for you.
Don’t forget that you will not be able to use the form until you protect it!
You can use these same techniques to create an online form for the Web. In this case, however4, use the tools on the Web Tools toolbar to creatre the form fields, which has many of the same controls as the Forms toolbar.
Go ahead and experiment with it. I think you will find that it is fun to create forms and not difficult at all!
Tags: arrow, choice, dialog, double-click, drop-down, field, list, list box, MS Word
great post – very helpful!
How do you make the first choice in a drop down field’s “menu” to be a blank, so when there’s no selection you don’t see the first choice on the list?
e.g. –BLANK–
01 A
02 B
03 C
When the document is opened, you only see the blank until you drop down the field choices. Does that make sense? Can MSWord do that? How? Thank you.
Yes MA it does make sense.
Unprotect your form so that you can edit it.
Click in one of your fields to select it.
Double-click the field.
The Drop-Down Form Field Options will open.
In the Drop-down item area, type the number of spaces as your longest word.
Click Add.
To move the empty “spaces” field to the top, use the up arrow.
I hope this has been helpful to you!
Thanks for this advice. will try now.. i am a new bee
I’m assuming this is not for Word 2007.
Is it possible to make a list with whole sentences as list items. For example a form with the following options:
1. Sara went to the zoo to look at the elephants and the giraffes and played with the baby goats.
2. Sara stayed at home and made cupcakes and lemonade in the kitchen with her friends.
etc.
It seems that the drop down lists box options are limited to a few words only. I need options that are much longer than those permitted. Any clues? Maybe another Office package? Thank you.
Is it possible to create a drop down lists that has accelerator keys so the user can just tab, type the accelerator key such as P for Product and then tab to the next field. As a typist we hate to take our hands off the keyboard and use the mouse.
Is there a way to add a calendar and time in the drop down area?