Interactive forms can be particularly useful for the user when entering and verifying data. We show you how to create a PDF form with Ez Convert and various online tools, and how to adapt it to your needs.
Interactive PDF documents such as forms are extremely convenient for the user as they greatly facilitate the transfer of data. To complete an online application for membership, an expense report or an order form, you need PDF forms with fields to be completed in digital form. Such a PDF form can be printed or sent by the user with a single click. Automatic reading of form data is also possible. To help you take advantage of interactive forms, we show you the easiest way to create a PDF form.
Creating a PDF Form with Word Processing Programs
Preparing the layout with Microsoft Word
If you want to create an interactive PDF form, several solutions are available to you. Let’s start with Microsoft Word, the universal software. The program has form functions and allows to build interactive forms using development tools. However, after the export comes the time of disillusionment: the interactivity was lost when exporting to PDF format. Thus, Word only allows to prepare the layout. The fields of the form must be added again in Acrobat or in another software, generally paying.
Export from OpenOffice and LibreOffice
The free word processing programs OpenOffice and LibreOffice also allow you to create form fields. Unlike Word, these programs manage to preserve interactivity when exporting to PDF. So, if you have created a beautiful PDF form with one of these programs, nothing stands in the way of using it interactively.
Create a PDF form with Adobe InDesign
Adobe InDesign proves to be more useful: it allows you to prepare not only the layout but also the appearance of the form. The program also allows you to add interactive form fields that are preserved when the document is converted to PDF format. By adding and modifying form fields, you can thus create a suitable PDF form. Use the Buttons and Forms palette, found in the Window menu under Interactive.
If you are satisfied with the result, export the document. But beware, this is not done as usual via the default Adobe PDF file. You can save the interactive document using the Export command. Simply select Adobe PDF (interactive) as Format. If you now open the PDF in Acrobat or Reader, the functionality of the format fields is retained.
Adobe Acrobat: How to Turn a PDF into an Interactive PDF Form
Of course, you can also create an interactive PDF form from an existing PDF. If you have completed the layout you want in PDF format, but without interactive fields, or if you want to add or modify other form fields in PDF format, you need software to modify form fields in PDF format. PDF Format. The full version of Adobe Acrobat is certainly a good choice – when it comes to interactivity, it’s a goldmine.
Acrobat allows the insertion of all types of form fields: from normal text fields to date fields, including buttons, digital signatures and barcode fields. Fields can be generated in such a way that user input can be validated in several ways. Thus, the entry can be limited to numbers or digits or to a certain unit of measurement. The values entered can be calculated and certain fields can be defined as mandatory.
Automatic recognition of form fields
Acrobat has automatic form field recognition. To use it, export the authoring program document to PDF. Now open Acrobat full version and click on the Tools tab . In the Forms and signatures category you will find the Prepare the form tool . To speed up the work, you can select under Open command Add shortcut. If you now return to your open PDF, the form tool will automatically appear in the right column. If you click on it, a dialog box opens in which your already open PDF is displayed and activated automatically. To automatically add interactive form fields, click the Start command .
