Q:

A: Ah, the simple, noble form. Most folks create a form by typing a label like "first name," pressing the spacebar, and then typing some underline characters. Voilá-a form is born. It works, but it doesn't look very good and it's hell to manipulate later.

But use a few Word tools, such as tabs and borders, and you can knock out a professional-looking form that's easy to change later.

Don't create underlines (the blanks people will fill in) using the underline character or Word's graphics. Instead, create underlines and spacing using tabs. Let's say the first line of the form will ask for a first name, last name, and initial, with each item getting its own blank underline. Here's what you would do.

1. 1. Type Last name: and press Tab, type First name: and press Tab, and type Initial: and press Tab. Press Enter. Word now considers the entire line a paragraph, which means you can set distinct Tab stops for other lines you may enter later.
2. 2. Select the line of text you just entered. Set the tab stops by moving the pointer into the ruler area just above the document window and click the three points along the ruler where each blank should end and the next label should start. Each click sets a left-aligned tab stop, which appears as an L-shaped bracket on the ruler. Naturally, make sure each tab stop leaves enough room for information that must be entered.
3. 3. Now you're ready to create the underlines for each blank. One method is to double-click the space to the right of a label, select Format*Font, then choose Single in the Underline box.

Another approach is to use tab leaders. Place the cursor anywhere in the text and then select Format*Tabs. Select the first item in the Tab Stop Position box, click option 4 in the Leader box, then click the Set button and OK. This creates an underline after the Last name: label. Repeat the process for the other tab stops, selecting the appropriate item in the Tab Stop Position box. Use this approach so you can later incorporate the tab leader settings into a Word paragraph style.

Do you need some space between a label and its line? Just place the pointer between the two and press the spacebar. Do you need to change the spacing of the labels? Just change the tabs by dragging the L-shaped brackets on the ruler. If a line looks too heavy, simply double-click it and pick a smaller point size.

More Form Tips
Font choice. Forms should be functional, not fancy. I use a 10-point, sans serif face for most label text and eight-point sans serif for disclaimers and other fine print. Important instructions, however, should be big and bold, at least 12 to 14 points. To make sure there's room to write on the form, use 14-point leading in data-entry areas, as described below.

Borders. Long forms are easier to fill in if information is broken into different classes and visually set off. So enter extra blank lines between sections and wrap a border around them as well.

To create a border, select the paragraphs you want to cordon off. Click the Border tool at the end of Word's Formatting Toolbar, which opens the Border Toolbar. Click the second icon from the right for an Outside Border. A border should wrap around the selected text.

Typewriter-compatible spacing is a cinch if you follow a couple of rules. Select Tools*Options*General and select Picas from the Measurement Units box and click OK. Then make sure your form's top margin in the File*Page Setup dialog box is an even number of picas. (One inch equals six picas.) Then set the leading of each line to a multiple of one pica (which is 12 points), such as 24 points or 48 points. Simply select Format *Paragraph, click Exactly in the Line Spacing box, and enter the precise point size. Make sure that the Before and After paragraph Spacing entries are set to zero.

Check boxes. Culling data from a completed form--especially yes/no answers--is easier if you use check boxes as shown below.

Male n Female n