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Participant
December 5, 2018
Question

How to automatically advance to next field in Adobe forms

  • December 5, 2018
  • 2 replies
  • 14545 views

I am creating a form from an existing PDF document using Adobe X Standard. How do you set it up to automatically advance from one field to the next upon entering text or selecting a radio button, etc.? For instance, the form requires entering the user's SSN. The form is set up for filling out by hand, so each number is in its own box. If I want to type 123-45-6789 as the SSN, how do I do that as one text string but have the numbers populate the individual boxes shown on the form? Thanks!

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2 replies

AkanchhaS8194121
Legend
December 11, 2018

Hi Aeenderson,

As suggested, you may go through the couple of forum threads below where similar issue has been discussed-

how to set auto tab (PDF Forms) 

https://acrobatusers.com/forum/forms-acrobat/auto-advancing-form-fields-adobe-acrobat-9-standard/

Can you auto tab from one field to another in a form when complete?

-Akanchha

Legend
December 11, 2018

Be sure to run extensive usability tests. Especially with users who already use the Tab key extensively for form filling.

Overheard many times - "hey, why did it skip over part of my SSN". The user, without looking at the screen as they type, hits 1 2 3 TAB 4 5 TAB 6 7 8 9. After the 3 it autotabs. Then the user hits tab, moving to the third point.

Be sure you aren't annoying the users more than helping!

try67
Community Expert
Community Expert
December 5, 2018

This issue was discussed here many times. Try searching the Acrobat forums for "auto tab".