creating fillable forms in Excel

**Phase1** · 05-06-2009, 12:55 PM

Hi! I am new to Excel and I am creating fillable forms in excel which are protected so that users canonly input data in certain cells. I am using Excel 2003. The users told me that they do not want text to go beyond the edge of the page when they are inputting data. They also want the words to wrap when they reach the end of the sentence. I am also using check boxes(yes/no) and Ifind it difficult to make the adjacent cells fillable only Thanks for your help and correct me if I am wrong as I am new to this board.

**kellyfspringer** · 05-07-2009, 09:15 PM

1. Format the cells to "wrap text":
a. Highlight the cells that need to wrap
b. Right-Click, choose "Format Cells"
c. Go to the "Alignment" Tab
d. The second section on the left will be "Text Control"
e. Check "Wrap Text"
f. Click "OK"
2. Lock the cells they do not want to be able to click.
a. Select the cells which the users will need to access.
b. Right-Click, choose "Format Cells"
c. Go to the "Protection" Tab
d. Uncheck "Locked"
**do this next step when you are ready to complete template**
e. Go to the "Tools" menu
f. Choose "Protection"
g. Choose "Protect Sheet"
h. Make sure that only "Selected Unlocked Cells" is checked
i. Click "OK"
3.--if they need it to print only on one page:
a. Go to the "File" Menu
b. Choose "Page Set-up"
c. On the "Page" tab, choose the check circle that says, "Fit to:"- the default is 1X1 page, but you can see that this can be changed, if need be, you just need to check it.
d. Click OK

I hope this helps!!

**lilmisstexas** · 05-11-2009, 08:12 PM

Kelly covered most of it. Also remember to lock all the cells, and THEN highlight each cell the user will use and 'unlock' them. When you protect your sheet, and depending on the version of Excel the user is running, they will simply tab through to each cell.

I love making all my forms in excel (much better than Word). I find that for generic answers/replies you can 'validate' a cell and give the user a few choices from which to pick. This leads me to my next and last comment which is that I have pretty much stopped using Checkboxes in most of my forms. I prefer to format a cell with a validated list (yes, no, or even an "X"). In my opinion, it is much "prettier" and user-friendly.

**Phase1** · 05-12-2009, 10:35 AM

Hi , thanks for your help. If it is not too much trouble can you please give me the steps that I should take in order to validate a cell(s) Thank you!

**Phase1** · 05-27-2009, 11:26 AM

A registered user sent me instructions on how to wrap the cells, I need the cells wrapped only at the end of the page/line but it wraps in each cell, I need help to fix this, can someone help me please!