Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated November 14, 2019)
This tip applies to Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003
Once you have defined all the text and fields that make up your form, you are ready to save it and use it. As the final step before saving, you should make sure you click on the Protect Form button on the Forms toolbar (this is the button with a padlock on it). This protects the form from inadvertent changes, and it means that only the contents of the various fields can be changed by the user.
Now you need to save your form as a document template. To do this, follow these steps:
The template is now saved and you can close the document on your screen. When you later want to use the form, the following steps will create a blank form based on the template you just saved. Follow these steps if you are using Word 2002 or Word 2003:
If you are using Word 97 or Word 2000, the process for using the template is a bit different. Follow these steps instead:
At this point Word creates a new document based on the template you selected. You can now proceed to use the form in the following manner:
WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (1012) applies to Microsoft Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. You can find a version of this tip for the ribbon interface of Word (Word 2007 and later) here: Saving and Using a Form.
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