Is creating forms without locking the entire document a possibilit

[computerilliteratesocialworker]

I am trying to figure out a way to create a document in Word where a portion
of it (an isolated page or text box, etc) is formatted as a "form" that can
be locked and tabbed through for filling in text boxes, but without having to
actually lock the entire document. Is this possible? I am using Microsoft
Word for Windows 97.

 

[Charles Canale]

1. Create your document as you normally would then go to where you want to
place the for.

2. Click on on Insert on the menu bar, then Break, then slect Continuous.

3. Now place the form controls where you want them.

4. Then click on Insert on the menu bar, then Break, then slect Continuous.

5. Now to protect just that section go to the Tools item on the menu bar.

6. Select Protect Document, then Forms, select Sections, then uncheck the
sections you want to leave unprotected, then you can add a password if you
want.

7. You then then save as a document or a template.

Note that sections go all the way across the page of the document.
Though I'm using Word 2003 now I have Used Word 97 for a number of years and
this will work.


Charles Canale -- e-Paralegal

 

[computerilliteratesocialworker]

Thanks so much for your help and for the step-by-step directions. For the
most part, I was able to follow along. However, even when I put the
continuous section breaks in (there wasn't anything indicating that there was
a section break) and then protect that portion of the document (I had to just
guess which was section 1, etc), the whole document showed up as protected
(it had the lock symbol on the forms toolbar), but wasn't the normal "lock"
function of a form. I could edit and change it just as easily as if the
document had not been protected. I don't know if that makes sense, but I was
hoping that I would be able to tab through the form fields once the section
was protected to just enter information without everything shifting around,
which is the effect that the lock function usually provides on the form
fields.

 

[Jean Thompson]

Can you tell me how to protect 2 sections of a form while having 1 section
unprotected using Word 2003?

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

Using Tools | Protect Document, you have to check "Editing restrictions" and
select "Filling in forms." If the document contains more than one section,
you'll then be able to select which sections to protect.

 

[Jean Thompson]

Thanks for your help. Another problem; the unprotected section is in the
middle of the form so when I type in the middle (unprotected) it shift the
bottom of the form to page 2. Can you tell me how to stop the bottom half of
the form from shifting to another page?

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

I don't know that that's possible if you're going to give users carte
blanche to add text in the second section.

 

[TJ in LA]

Suzanne - I tried doing what you said in Windows 2003 - inserting a section
break, and then choosing Tools, Protect Document, but it didn't give me any
option to protect one section and not another.

This doesn't appear to be possible in Word 2003. Is that correct?

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

In a document that contains more than one section, when I check the box for
"Allow only this type of editing in the document" and then select "Filling
in forms," there is a blue link that says "Select sections..." This opens
the familiar Section Protection dialog.