Check Box move to right

[Johnammo]

Please forgive me if I didn't post this correctly. I am using word 2007 and I have a problem with a document that was sent to me. The document has numerous check boxes. Every time I try to place an X in one of the boxes it moves to the right and leaves an x to the left of the box. Can anyone suggest a fix for this problem? Thanks in advance for any help you are able to provide.

[Charles Kenyon]

It is quite possible that you are seeing a box character rather than an actual checkbox field. Note that there are no checkbox content controls built into Word 2007, any active checkboxes would be either legacy formfields or ActiveX controls (the latter is unlikely).

If legacy formfields, they become active in a document that is protected for filling in forms.

Add Classic FormField Controls to Ribbon

[Charles Kenyon]

What happens if you double-click on one of these "checkboxes?"

[Johnammo]

Thanks for your reply. if i double-click on the check box it does nothing. If I try to put a X in the box and then hit enter the box moves to the right and the X stays to the left of the box. If I protect the document I can double-click the box and it works as it is suppose to, however I can't type any information in the rest of the document.

[Stefan Blom]

Based on your description, Word is behaving as designed. In a protected document with legacy check boxes, you can't type in any text. You will have to (temporarily) unprotect the document and add text form fields for users to add text.

What you can do is insert a section break and leave one section unprotected. It can then be edited (but there is a number of editing restrictions enforced on any protected document, even on unprotected sections).

Alternatively, if the document doesn't have to be backward compatible (to Word 2003 or earlier versions), you can make use of content controls instead. These will let you type freely outside of the controls.

[Charles Kenyon]

Except that Word 2007 doesn't have checkbox content controls.

See Content Controls Custom Checkboxes. That solution, though, requires that you be able to use macros.

[Stefan Blom]

Except that Word 2007 doesn't have checkbox content controls.

Good point. Thanks.