Hello,



Using Word 365

I need to insert a text form field in a document. Is there a way to create one text form field on more than one line or is it limited to one line?

Thank you in advance,
Karen

Word has two classes of 'text form fields' - both of which allow multiple lines. You need to display your Developer Tab on the Ribbon to work with these. All these text data entry fields will wrap to multiple lines so perhaps you are thinking of multiple 'paragraphs' rather than multiple 'lines'.

The old way is using legacy form fields. Hopefully you aren't using these.

The preferred way is to use Content Controls. If you don't require varied formatting inside the Content Control (CC) then you can specify the Plain Text CC. There is a properties dialog for each Content Control and with a Plain Text CC that includes a setting for 'Allow carriage returns (multiple paragraphs)'. If you do require variable formatting inside the CC then you can choose a Rich Text CC which automatically allows paragraphs.

Side Note: The Plain text CC with multiple paragraphs is a misnomer by Microsoft. You type a paragraph mark but it is inserted as a new line break. If you were expecting the new paragraphs to show space before/after and automatic numbers or bullets then you will need to use a Rich Text CC.

__________________
Andrew Lockton
Chrysalis Design, Melbourne Australia

Thank you so much for your help. I'm so accustomed to using the legacy fields and wasn't very familiar with the CC's. Extremely helpful for the text I'm entering.

In the attached, I used two text form fields to enter a dollar amount.
Table 1: Before any data is entered.
Table 2: I entered $1,200 & $1,300 (including the commas & dollar signs) I want to be able to click in the table cell below those values, click AutoSum and have the answer produce zero decimal places and not two. Can this be done using the legacy fields I have used or is there a better way to do this?

Just curious about this: Is there a way of changing the shading in the text form field to a lighter gray?

Your help is greatly appreciated.

Thank you,
Karen

Attached Files

Fields.docx (16.6 KB, 2 views)

Yes, you can change the fill shade of a text box in Microsoft Word to a light gray color. Here's how to do it:

Highlight the text box where you want to change the fill shade.
Click the Design tab (may be called Formatting in some versions of Word) on the tool ribbon.
On this tab, find the Fill Color or Shape Fill section (depending on your version of Word) and click on it.
From the drop-down menu, select the light gray color. It is usually found under "Light Colors" or "Gray".
Once the color is selected, the fill shade of the text box will change to light gray.

Hi Tessa,

Thank you so much for your help.

I’m using a Legacy Text Form Field. My employer will not allow us to use Content Controls. Anyway, I followed your instructions and don’t see a way to change the fill color or shape fill. Is it because it’s a legacy text form field?

Thank you,
Karen

Hi Karen,

Try to persuade your employer to move into this decade and use Content Controls. The protection needed to use legacy formfields is extreme and can make documents much harder to use. Mapped content controls can provide a very easy way to repeat information throughout a form. There are free tools available to convert a form using legacy formfields to Content Controls.

• Word Content Controls by Greg Maxey
• Create a Form Using Word Content Controls by Greg Maxey
• Repeating Data Using Document Property Content Controls and Other Mapped Content Controls

As far as I can tell, there is no option you can change for the color of Legacy Formfields. The Color options under the Design tab do not change it and trying may mess up other color settings. Those are Theme color settings.

• [Quick] Style Sets and Word Themes in Microsoft Word
• Can somone explain the Create New Theme Colors diaglog box?

Tessa:

What you are talking about here is a graphic Text Box (a shape) not the shading of a Text Formfield.
(Although such a formfield can be placed inside a Text Box, doing so is not a very good practice. Changing the shade of a text box that contains a text formfield will not change the formfield's shading from gray.)


People sometimes talk about text formfields as being Text Boxes, but these are different things in the sometimes confusing world of Word jargon.