Hi All,

I've created a questionnaire using tables in word. I'm facing an issue with the Date drop down fields and check boxes that i have added to the form.

I would ideally like the form to be in a format where after the user has completed the form, the form should be saved in a format where the next user (reviewer of the form) is only able to copy data from the form, and be able to navigate easily between fields using the tab key.

Currently the form I have lets the reviewer navigate through the form easily using the tab key. But when it comes to a Date drop down field or a checkbox, hitting tab either deletes the date or just gets stuck on the same checkbox. Basically not moving forward or back. So the reviewer has to click on another text field to start navigating again.

Secondly, I would like to design the form in a way that once the first user competes the form, it must be saved in a format that would simply lock the fields from being changed. In a way like it is a PDF file or something. And give the reviewer the option to navigate only through the fields that have the answers by the user.

Just so you know the layout of the form, there are mainly two columns (at least for all questions). Questions are in the first column and all responses in the second column.



Thank you in advance for your suggestions.

Your description suggests your form uses content controls, presumably in a document with 'filling in forms' protection applied. That you're getting stuck on checkboxes suggests you're also using formfields. You really shouldn't use content controls and formfields in the same document, as they're not designed to work together.

As for the locking, that could be implemented via a content control on exit macro, or via a Document_Open macro, but you'd need to do this carefully, so as to not lock the form or a given content control prematurely.

Without seeing the form and knowing more about your requirements, it's difficult to provide more specific advice. You can attach a document to a post (delete anything sensitive) via the paperclip symbol on the 'Go Advanced' tab at the bottom of this screen.

__________________
Cheers,
Paul Edstein
[Fmr MS MVP - Word]

Hi,

Thank you for your reply.

I am enclosing a copy of the form for a quick review.

What could be a replacement for the Date fields? Just providing the text field is too simple.

I do not want to make this a macro enabled template/document as most of our clients will not be able to use it due to their IT system restrictions.

Therefore, if you could suggest another way to protect the data after it has been entered in to the form and the reviewer still be able to navigate through the form would be simply great!

I look forward to your reply.
Reuben

Attached Files

Non-EU-Employee Immigration Questionnaire.docx (187.3 KB, 9 views)

As I suspected in my previous reply, your form uses a mix of formfields and content controls. You should use one or the other, not both.

If you want to use formfields, they have no equivalent of the date-picker content control - only a date format for input validation.

Some of your questions also have checkboxes but there's nothing to prevent someone checking both - or leaving both unchecked. Instead of checkboxes, I'd suggest using Dropdowns with the appropriate options (e.g. for gender - male & female).

Your address 'field' is also far too small for the amount of data a respondent might be expected to input; I'd suggest separate 'fields' to cater for:
• Apartment #
• Property name
• Street # and name
• City
• State
• post/zip code
You might consider taking the same approach to some of your other fields, also. Doing so facilitates the export of the data to a database, which I presume is what will occur at some stage.

Given your desire to use the date-picker content control, you should therefore replace all the fields with the corresponding content controls.

The content cannot be locked post-input without the use of a macro. However, there is no need for the form itself to contain one. Only the template upon which it is based needs contain the macro. Once returned to the form's 'owner' the macro, which could be made to run automatically, could lock all the inputs to prevent editing. The same macro could validate the inputs and report any exceptions - which would be useful for follow-up purposes.

__________________
Cheers,
Paul Edstein
[Fmr MS MVP - Word]

Thanks for your quick reply, Paul.

I took your suggestions and have already changed the checkboxes to the legacy forms' check box. So there's no conflict now. However, the date picker is still the same. I know of the date validation option for the text field. But I wanted to have the option to provide the user with a date picker option. But I guess the validation option will be the solution in this case. But is there no specific file format options when the user saves it that would convert it to a read only format (locking down all fields and only allow the reviewer to use the responses to copy and paste on an external online application form?

As regards the subsequent use of this data, a database would have been good to have, but the form will be used for completing an online application form for our clients.

To go a step further, would you know of a way how that process can be automated? basically this form is designed based on the online application form. And the reviewer actually copies and pastes the data in to the online form. Is there a way to automate that process?? The online form is an external source (Government application form) we cannot simply upload this form in to that system.

Thank you.

That still doesn't address the possibility of people checking both options (or none)
As I've already told you twice now, locking the form requires a macro.
The database doesn't have to exit yet. What matters is that the form is designed in a way that facilitates data extraction from the completed forms. Provided you keep them, that could be done in 6 months, two years, 10 years, or whatever. Word is designed with some of that functionality built in and, in any event, once the data are in an appropriately-deigned form, it's a trivial programming exercise to extract. However, aggregating the data in a single field as you've done for the addresses, militates against exporting to a database in a useful format and splitting the data at that time isn't straightforward.
If you already have an online form, the data from that has to be going somewhere already - a database. I suspect too, that your online form uses radio buttons rather than checkboxes, which means they'd be mutually exclusive and may already have default options selected.

It may be possible to automate the transfer of the data to the on-line form, but doing so would require specific knowledge of how the on-line form works. Even so, it would be far more efficient to export the data directly to the database that the on-line form populates.

__________________
Cheers,
Paul Edstein
[Fmr MS MVP - Word]

Thanks again, Paul.

I understand your suggestion on using macro as the option to lock data and I will try and explore the option. However, as I've told you earlier, most of the clients will face security issues in their internal systems due to the macro enabled document. Maybe the drop down can be a replacement for it.

is there as macro free way to ensure that the users complete all fields in the form?

Thanks.

Your clients do not need a macro-enabled document unless (a) you don't provide them with a macro-enabled template; and (b) you expect them to do the locking. A dropdown is no substitute for locking.
No.

__________________
Cheers,
Paul Edstein
[Fmr MS MVP - Word]