Creating a fillable form in Word that includes a working submit button can be a game-changer for gathering employee feedback, collecting event RSVPs, or even automating internal processes. Don’t worry, it’s not as tricky as it sounds. In this blog, I’ll walk you through each key step to help you create fillable forms with text fields, dropdowns, checkboxes, and a submit button that sends the form via email.

Let’s get started. Below is a video tutorial for those who prefer following along visually:

Enabling the Developer Tab in Word

To start building your form, you need access to the Developer tab, which isn’t always visible by default in Word.

  1. Go to File > Options.
  2. In the Word Options dialog box, choose Customize Ribbon.
  3. On the right side, under Main Tabs, find Developer and check the box next to it.
  4. Click OK.

You should now see the Developer tab in your ribbon at the top of Word. This is where all the magic happens.

Adding Fillable Fields for Names and Departments

We’ll begin by adding text boxes to the fillable form in Word where the users can enter their First Name, Last Name, and Department.

  1. Under the Developer tab, go to Legacy Tools (icon with a wrench and a hammer) and click on the Text Form Field. Add this to the document where you want the participants to input their names or text-based info.
  2. If you want, you can double-click the text box to customize settings:
    • Default text can be added (this will show up inside the box).
    • You can limit the length of the input or allow specific characters (letters, numbers, etc.).

Once you’ve configured it for one field, you can easily copy and paste it for multiple fields like First Name, Last Name, and Department.

RELATED TOPIC: How to Calculate Form Fields in Microsoft Word

Adding Dropdown Menus for Meal Selection

When collecting specific information like meal preferences, it’s a good idea to limit options using a dropdown. In our case, we’ll provide an option to choose between Chicken, Fish, or None.

  1. Go to Legacy Tools and select the Drop Down Form Field.
  2. Double-click the dropdown to open the Drop-Down Form Field Options dialog box.

In this menu, you can add pre-set options:

  • The first option should be Please Select as a placeholder.
  • Add other choices like “Chicken,” “Fish,” and “None.”

Repeat the same for the Sides section. You can offer options such as Mac and Cheese and Baked Potatoes.

Using Checkboxes for Simple Selections

If you need participants to tick options, such as which session they’ll attend, checkboxes are the simplest way to go.

  1. Head to Legacy Tools again and select the Check Box Form Field.
  2. Place it next to the options for time choices.

Just like with text fields, you can copy and paste this checkbox as many times as you need for additional options.

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Handling Open-Ended Answers With Text Boxes

For sections that require longer responses, like food allergies or other special requirements, use simple text boxes where users can type freely.

  1. Go to Legacy Tools and insert another Text Form Field.
  2. Position it where users should enter their detailed answers, like food allergies.

Adding the Submit Button

Here comes the fun part — adding the Submit button to the fillable form. This button can automatically send the filled-out form via email once clicked.

  1. Go back to the Developer tab and select Legacy Tools. Under ActiveX Controls (found toward the bottom), select the Command Button.
  2. Place the button at the bottom of your form.

To adjust the label:

  • Right-click the button, go to Properties, and change the Caption to something like Click to Submit.
  • You can also change the button color, font, and size in the Properties section. For example, a green button might stand out better.

Adding Necessary Visual Basic Script

Now you need to link the submit button with a basic email function so that it sends the completed form upon click.

  1. Double-click the submit button to open the Visual Basic window.
  2. Paste the following script (which I’ve referenced in the video comments):
Dim xOutlookObj As Object
Dim xEmail As Object
Dim xDoc As Document
Application.ScreenUpdating = False
Set xOutlookObj = CreateObject("Outlook.Application")
Set xEmail = xOutlookObj.CreateItem(olMailItem)
Set xDoc = ActiveDocument
xDoc.Save
With xEmail
    .Subject = "Test Email"
    .Body = "This is a test email for submit button"
    .To = "youremail@email.com"
    .Importance = olImportanceNormal
    .Attachments.Add xDoc.FullName
    .Display
End With
Set xDoc = Nothing
Set xEmail = Nothing
Set xOutlookObj = Nothing
Application.ScreenUpdating = True
  1. Make sure to change the .To field and Subject in the code with your required values; otherwise, the email won’t reach the right person.
  2. After editing the script, save the file as a Macro-Enabled Word Document (.docm extension) to keep the scripting intact.

Restricting Editing for the Form

Finally, you’ll want to restrict the editing capabilities of your Word document. This allows users to only fill out the designated form fields without messing with your format.

  1. From the Developer tab, click Restrict Editing.
  2. Under Editing Restrictions, check the box for Filling in forms.
  3. Click Yes, Start Enforcing Protection. You can even add a password to protect the file further. Just make sure you don’t forget it!

This ensures that users can only interact with the fillable form fields before clicking the submit button in Word. They won’t be able to delete or modify the form layout.

RELATED TOPIC: How to Perform Basic Calculations in Word

Test the Form and Submit Button

Before distributing your form to others, test it thoroughly:

  • Fill out the text boxes, dropdowns, and checkboxes.
  • Hit Submit to make sure the form sends as intended.

When the button is pressed, an email draft will open up with the submitted form as an attachment, including the subject and body you defined in the Visual Basic script.

Conclusion

That’s it! You’ve successfully created a fillable form with a submit button in Word. This setup is perfect for gathering feedback, employee RSVPs, or any specific data you need for internal purposes. Just follow these steps, and you’ll have a functional, automated form ready to go in no time.

If this tutorial helped you, don’t forget to like, subscribe, and join me for more helpful tips.

Let me know in the comments how your form functioned, or feel free to ask any questions you may have!

✓ Bonus Tip: Don’t forget to keep experimenting. The more you try these options, the more customization you’ll discover inside Word.

Happy form-building!

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