Chapter - 21

Using Forms to Manage Content:

Create Forms
When you create a form, you usually start by creating a template that contains the text on the
form that doesn’t change, that contains formatting, and that contains a table to line everything
up neatly. By using a template as the basis for a form, users can fill out the form without
changing the text or formatting of the form itself. Think of the template as a blank form when
putting it together. Some of the tools you use when creating a form include:

• Templates: Forms are normally saved as templates so that they can be used again and again.

• Content controls: Content controls are the areas where users input information in a form.
We’ll learn more about content controls in upcoming lessons.

• Tables: Tables are often used in forms to align text and form fields, and to create borders and
boxes.

• Protection: Forms are protected so that users can complete the form without changing the
text and/or design of the form itself.

Once the form document looks the way you want it to, you are ready to insert form controls.

Display the Developer tab on the Ribbon:

The Developer tab must be displayed on the Ribbon in order to access and insert the form
controls.

1. Click the File tab on the Ribbon and select Options.

The Word Options dialog box appears.

2. Click the Customize Ribbon tab.

A list of tabs appears on the right side of the Customize Ribbon tab.

3. Select the Developer check box under Customize the Ribbon and click OK.
 The Word Options dialog box closes and the Developer tab is displayed on the Ribbon.

Manipulate Forms:
Adding Content Controls:
Once you have created the form document, you can start inserting the content controls the
user needs to fill out.

Tip:

 If content controls are not available, you may have opened a document created in an earlier
version of Word. To use content controls, you must convert the document to Word 2016
format.

1. Place your insertion point where you want to insert a form content control.

2. Click the Developer tab on the Ribbon.

The Controls group is where the content controls you can insert in the form are located.

3. Click the content control you want to use in the Controls group.

Form Content Controls

Formatting can be saved by loading, saving, or closing the

Rich Text
document. Use this control for a short paragraph.
This is limited to a plain text paragraph, so no formatting
Text can be included.
Fills the content control with a single picture.
Picture Content
Control

Shows a gallery of formatted design choices you can add to

Building Block the content control. Specify the building blocks you want to
Gallery make available from the Quick Parts gallery.

Contains a list that you can edit directly. Formatting can be

Combo Box saved by saving or closing the document.
 Choose from several predetermined selections that appear
Drop-Down List upon clicking the list arrow.
Use this to help users enter a date. The content control
allows you to control the format and appearance of the
Date Picker
date.
Insert a check box into a form.
Check Box

If you prefer the form controls from previous versions of

Legacy Tools Word, they are available here.

Group content controls:

You can group content controls to make them easier to work with.

1. Once you’ve inserted the controls you need you’re your document, select the ones you want to
group.

2. Click the Group button in the Controls group.

3. Select Group from the list.

Set content control properties:

You can change the properties for a content control after it is inserted; do this to change the
options available under a drop-down list, for example:

1. Select the content control you want to change and click Properties in the Controls group.

The Properties dialog box appears.

2. Change the content control’s properties as necessary.

3. Click OK.
 Assigning Help to Form Content Controls:
Help out the people who fill out the forms you create by adding instructional text to the
content controls. Instructional text already appears when the content controls are inserted,
such as “Choose an item,” or “Click here to enter text.”

You can enter instructional text that is more specific to your form, such as “Click here to enter
your first name.”

1. Click the Developer tab on the Ribbon and click the Design Mode button in the Controls

group.

The form content controls change so that they are editable.

2. Click the content control that you want to add instructional text to.

3. Edit and format the placeholder text as you wish.

Once you’re done editing the placeholder text for content controls, turn off Design Mode.

4. Click the Design Mode button in the Controls group. The content controls are edited with

instructional text.

Make a content control disappear:

You can make a content control disappear when someone enters their own content in a Rich
Text control or Text control.

1. Click the Developer tab on the Ribbon and click the Design Mode button in the Controls
group. The form content controls become editable.

2. Click the Rich Text or Text content control.

3. Click the Properties button in the Controls group.

The Content Control Properties dialog box for the control appears.

4. Click the Remove content control when contents are edited check box.
5. Click OK.

6. Click the Design Mode button in the Controls group.

Preparing the Form for Distribution:

You need to protect a form before distributing it so that the content controls cannot be
removed or edited when users fill out the form.

Protect the entire form:

If you are asking people to fill out a form, in most cases you will want people to fill out the
entire form.

1. Open the form.

Make sure the form and its content controls appear the way you want users to see it before
filling out the form.

2. Click the Developer tab on the Ribbon and click the Restrict Editing button in the Protect
group.

The Restrict Formatting and Editing task pane appears.

3. Click the Allow only this type of editing in the document check box in the Restrict
Formatting and Editing task pane.

Specify the type of editing to be allowed in the editing restrictions list.

4. Click the Editing restrictions list arrow and select Filling in forms from the list.

If that is all the protection you need, you are ready to start protecting the document.

5. Click the Yes, Start Enforcing Protection button.

The Start Enforcing Protection dialog box appears. It’s a good idea to enter a password so that
users can’t change the editing restrictions.

6. Click the Enter new password (optional) text box and enter a password.

7. Click the Reenter password to confirm text box and enter the password again.
8. Click OK.

The document is protected, and the protection level is shown in the Restrict Formatting and
Editing task pane.

Chapter - 22
Automating Repetitive Tasks with Macros:

Automate Tasks Using Macros:

A macro is a series of commands and instructions that are recorded so that they can be
executed as a single command. Instead of manually performing a series of time-consuming,
repetitive actions in Word yourself; you can create a macro to perform the task for you. There
are two ways to create a macro: by recording them or by writing them in Word’s Visual Basic
programming language. This lesson explains the easy way to create a macro—by recording the
task(s) you want the macro to execute for you.

Show the Developer tab on the Ribbon:

The Developer tab must be displayed on the Ribbon in order to access and insert the macro
controls.

1. Click the File tab on the Ribbon and select Options.

The Word Options dialog box appears.

2. Click the Customize Ribbon tab.

The right column displays the tabs on the Ribbon and the groups and commands in each tab.

3. Select the Developer check box under Customize the Ribbon and click OK.

The Word Options dialog box closes, and the Developer tab is displayed on the Ribbon.

Create a Macro:
When you create or record a macro, imagine you’re being videotaped; everything is
recorded—all your commands, the data you enter, even any mistakes you make. Before
 recording a macro, it’s helpful to write down a script that contains all the steps you want the
macro to record. Practice or rehearse your script a couple times, to make sure it works, before
you actually record it. If you do make a mistake while recording a macro, don’t worry—you
can always delete the existing macro and try again or edit the macro’s Visual Basic source code
to fix the mistake.

1. Click the Developer tab on the Ribbon and click the Record Macro button in the Code
group.

The Record Macro dialog box appears.

2. Enter a name for the macro.

Next you can enter a number of specifications for the macro, including assigning a keystroke
shortcut to the macro for easy access.

3. (Optional) Click the Keyboard button and in the Press new shortcut key box, press the

keystroke shortcut that you want to use. Click Close.

If the keystroke is not already assigned to another command, [unassigned] appears in the
dialog box.

You may also choose if you want to save the macro in the current document or template, or
enter a description for the macro.

4. Finish entering the macro information and click OK. Now the Record Macro dialog box
closes, and everything you do is recorded.

5. Perform the actions you want to include in your macro.

You can perform a command from the Ribbon, a keystroke shortcut, or a dialog box.

Tip: You cannot use the mouse to edit and select text as you normally would while recording a
macro—you have to use the keyboard instead. You still can use the mouse to access the
Ribbon, however.

Tip: Use the Pause Recording button if you need to stop the macro command progression
so you don’t have to start all over again.
6. Click the Stop Recording button in the Code group.

The macro is recorded and ready to use.

Other Ways to Stop Recording: Click the Stop Recording button on the status bar.

Playing and Deleting a Macro:

Once you have created a macro, you’re ready to use it in your documents.

Tip:

 If you see a Security Warning message beneath the Ribbon telling you that macros have been
disabled, click the Enable this content, and click OK.

Play a macro:

1. Click the Developer tab on the Ribbon and click the Macros button in the Code group.

The Macros dialog box appears. Here you can see the macros that are available in the
document.

Other Ways to View Macros: Press <Alt> + <F8>.

2. Select the macro you want to run and click the Run button.

The macro runs, performing the steps you recorded.

Other Ways to Run a Macro:

Click the button or press the keystroke shortcut assigned to the macro.

Delete a macro:
Delete a macro when it is no longer needed. This lowers the security threat of the document.

1. Click the Developer tab on the Ribbon and click the Macros button in the Code group.

The Macros dialog box appears.

2. Select the macro you want to delete and click the Delete button in the dialog box.
 Another dialog box appears, asking if you really want to delete the macro.

3. Click Yes.

The macro is deleted.