Saving Form Data for a Database

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated December 7, 2024)
This tip applies to Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003

Word allows you to create forms into which users can enter data. Exactly how you create forms has been covered in other issues of WordTips. When users are done filling in the form, they typically save the form as a regular Word document.

If you want to later use the form data in a database, you may find this tip helpful. Follow these steps:

Open the form document saved by a user.
Choose Options from the Tools menu. Word displays the Options dialog box.
Make sure the Save tab is selected. (See Figure 1.)

Figure 1. The Save tab of the Options dialog box.

Make sure the Save Data Only for Forms check box is selected.
Click on OK to dismiss the dialog box.

Now, when you go to save the document, Word presents you with the Save As dialog box, and the TXT file format is selected. Once you supply a file name and click on OK, Word extracts the form data the user typed in the document and saves it, in a comma-delimited format, in the TXT file. You can then use that TXT file to import the form values to a database program.

WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (600) applies to Microsoft Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003.

Author Bio

Allen Wyatt

With more than 50 non-fiction books and numerous magazine articles to his credit, Allen Wyatt is an internationally recognized author. He is president of Sharon Parq Associates, a computer and publishing services company. Learn more about Allen...

MORE FROM ALLEN

Understanding WordArt

One of the small graphical features provided with Word is the ability to apply artistic treatment to words or phrases. ...

Discover More

Can't Sort Imported Data

Import information from an external database, and you'll no doubt want to use Excel's simple tools to manipulate that ...

Discover More

Dynamically Setting a Print Area

You can define, in your worksheet, an area that you want printed. If you want this print area to be dynamic, based on the ...

Discover More

Do More in Less Time! An easy-to-understand guide to the more advanced features available in the Microsoft 365 version of Word. Enhance the quality of your documents and boost productivity in any field with this in-depth resource. Complete your Word-related tasks more efficiently as you unlock lesser-known tools and learn to quickly access the features you need. Check out Microsoft 365 Word For Professionals For Dummies today!

More WordTips (menu)

Extra Document File Being Saved

You may be surprised sometime to save a document and find out that Word actually saves what appear to be two copies of ...

Discover More

Creating a Document Clone

If you need to work with a copy of a document rather than the original document, you can use Word's Open dialog box to ...

Discover More

Leading Spaces in Document File Names

If you try to add spaces to the beginning of a document's file name, Word normally strips them away. This tip examines ...

Discover More

FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."

View most recent newsletter.

Comments

If you would like to add an image to your comment (not an avatar, but an image to help in making the point of your comment), include the characters [{fig}] (all 7 characters, in the sequence shown) in your comment text. You’ll be prompted to upload your image when you submit the comment. Maximum image size is 6Mpixels. Images larger than 600px wide or 1000px tall will be reduced. Up to three images may be included in a comment. All images are subject to review. Commenting privileges may be curtailed if inappropriate images are posted.

Notify me about new comments ONLY FOR THIS TIP

Notify me about new comments ANYWHERE ON THIS SITE

Hide my email address

What is five more than 6?

There are currently no comments for this tip. (Be the first to leave your comment—just use the simple form above!)

This Site

Got a version of Word that uses the menu interface (Word 97, Word 2000, Word 2002, or Word 2003)? This site is for you! If you use a later version of Word, visit our WordTips site focusing on the ribbon interface.