Word 2003 forms check boxes

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Good Day To All,

I have created a customer survey (as a template) 1- 5 form in Word 2003, using the forms tool bar, specifically I have used a combination of check box form fields and text box form fields, all is well until I attempt to fill out the form, the check boxes do not work, but the text boxes do…any suggestions??

the form is attached…

Thanks for your assistance.
Marty

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Hi Marty,

This is my first post, but since I’ve run into your problem many times before, I thought I’d jump right in and offer to help.

As I said in the title of my reply, I don’t know the cause of this problem, and what is more mysterious, when I have sent out surveys in the past, some recepients said the check boxes worked while others reported they didn’t.

One way I solved the problem is to add a statement in the cover letter that I sent out with the survey. I tried to act nonchalant about it and just stated that some people may find that they check boxes wouldn’t automatically check.

I added a sentence similar to this one. “Some respondents have reported that the check boxes won’t work on their computer. If you find the boxes will not check, place the cursor immediately to the left of the check box and double click. When the Form Fields Options dialog box opens, in the ‘Default Value’ section, click on ‘Checked’, then click OK. That check box will then be filled. You may have to repeat the process for other check boxes that do not fill automatically.”

I never had an objectionable response, and some customers have even thanked me for teaching them how to get the uncooperative box to fill. It may or may not meet your needs, but this technique will work when other methods won’t.

Good Luck,

Owl

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Your document needs to be “protected for forms.” There is a lock button on the forms toolbar that does this. See Please Fill Out This Form.

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Thanks Night Owl and Charles,

I can get to the protect form part, yet how does one unlock or unprotect the drop down and check boxes allowing the customer to enter their data? I”’ check out the link Charles…thanks again…One can only hope that when I do upgrade to Office 2010 it is a bit more intuitive!!

Regards,
Marty

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Hi Charles,

who would have thought….for the form to function one must first lock/protect it…..sure would be nice if this info appeared in MS’s help page!!!

Thanks again…
Marty

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