Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003. If you are using a later version (Word 2007 or later), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for later versions of Word, click here: Entering Calculations in a Form Field.

Entering Calculations in a Form Field

Written by Allen Wyatt (last updated July 28, 2021)
This tip applies to Word 97, 2000, 2002, and 2003

Word allows you to create all sorts of forms, and even provides form fields that you can add to your documents. Exactly how you add form fields has been covered in past issues of WordTips.

You may want to define a form field to contain a calculation. For instance, you might want a particular form field to contain the sum or the product of two other fields. Let's say you have two fields in your document; one of them is named Principal and the other is named Interest. If you wanted to create another field that shows the result of the two fields when multiplied by each other, you can follow these steps:

Make sure the Forms toolbar is displayed.
Insert the result field as you normally would. (You would use the Text Form Field tool.)
Select the form field you just entered and click on the Form Field Options tool on the Forms toolbar. Word displays the Text Form Field Options dialog box. (See Figure 1.)

Figure 1. The Text Form Field Options dialog box.

Using the Type drop-down list, choose Calculation.
In the Expression field of the dialog box, enter the following expression:

     =Principal * Interest

In the Bookmark field of the dialog box, enter the name for this field (Result).
Click on OK.

Now, whenever the form fields are updated, the Result field will contain the result of your principal multiplied by your interest.

WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (1455) 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: Entering Calculations in a Form Field.

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 MRU Files

Don't you love all the acronyms used in computer terminology? One such acronym—pertinent to Word users—is ...

Discover More

Automatic Numbers with Leading Zeroes

Word's automatic numbering formats allow you to easily create lists that have one leading zero. If you want more than one ...

Discover More

Printing Multiple Documents in a Sorted Order

Both Word and Windows provide ways you can print multiple documents in a single batch. Getting those documents printed in ...

Discover More

Comprehensive VBA Guide Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) is the language used for writing macros in all Office programs. This complete guide shows both professionals and novices how to master VBA in order to customize the entire Office suite for their needs. Check out Mastering VBA for Office 2010 today!

More WordTips (menu)

Tools to View Field Codes

Fields can be used to add all sorts of dynamic data to your documents. Viewing the field codes, at times, is desirable. ...

Discover More

Limiting Directories in the FILENAME Field

When you use the FILENAME field in a document, it can include the full path name that leads to your file. This might be ...

Discover More

Setting Up an Array with Fields

One of the more esoteric ways to display data is with an "array," which is like a miniature inline table. This tip ...

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 two more than 7?

2017-02-14 05:55:07

Naeemah

How can I apply this to calculate number of days form Date field?
for example each field got a date
the calculation field to count the days.

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.