Build the Form

Design the form   You might find it helpful to sketch a layout of the form or to use an existing form as a guide. Decide whether you want an online form or a printed form. Online forms give you more flexibility in getting information from users.

New button

Build the form by using tables   Click the New button. Then click Forms and Tables and Borders (View menu, Toolbars submenu). Many of the commands you’ll need are on these toolbars.

Insert Table button

Show/Hide ¶ button

Click the Insert Table button on the Forms toolbar to insert the same number of rows and columns as in your sketch. If you need several tables with different numbers of columns and rows, separate individual tables with blank paragraphs. Click the Show/Hide ¶ button to display paragraph marks and cell boundaries. Then add text to cells in the table.

Do others need to use the form online?   Save the form as a template by clicking Save As (File menu). In the Save as type box, click Document Template. Create custom forms for e-mail messages or contacts   You can use Microsoft Outlook to create custom online forms. For more information, see Use Outlook to Share Folders.

Guidelines for Working with Tables in a Form

Move from one cell to another   Press TAB or use the arrow keys. If you press ENTER, you add a new line to a cell.

Insert Rows button

Insert rows quickly   Select the number of rows you want to add, and then click the Insert Rows button on the Forms toolbar. Word inserts that number of blank rows. Note that you won’t see the Insert Rows button until you’ve inserted a table.

Break up a table   Select the row above which you want to break the table, and then click Split Table (Table menu).

Merge or split cells   Select the cells you want to change and then click Merge Cells or Split Cells (Table menu). Or, you can use the Eraser button or Draw Table button to modify the table. For more information, see “Have a Complicated Form?” below.

Combine two tables separated by a paragraph mark   Select the paragraph mark and press DELETE.

Make the form visually easy to follow   Add shading and borders to key elements. Select the item you want to emphasize, click the Tables and Borders button, and then select the options you want.

Have a Complicated Form?

Draw Table button

Tables and Borders button

Eraser button

If your form has differing numbers of columns per row, or cells of differing heights, you can use the Draw Table button on the Tables and Borders toolbar to draw individual rows and columns. Use the Eraser button to erase mistakes. For more information, see Create a Flyer.