Word forms output to InDesign

[chandasz]

Has anyone built a form in Word where they are able to output the fields into InDesign?

I'd like to design a word form to send out and have people fill in. Then I'd like to take what they filled in and dump into a template I've made in InDesign.

Trying to see if this is possible for a time saver on building a layout. Thanks!

[Derek Cross]

The normal procedure is to create the form in InDesign using the facilities of the buttons and forms panel, then export it as an Interactive PDF. You can then open the PDF in Acrobat Pro where the form can be fine-tuned, such as changing the field fonts, size, alignment, colour and more.

[Bevi Chagnon - PubCom.com]

Word forms don't convert to PDF; they are intended to be filled in with Word.

They also don't import into InDesign, either. Well, the text portions can be imported into InDesign, but the form fields are lost in the translation.

Seconding Derek Cross' advice to use InDesign. It's a much better tool for form design than Word or Acrobat itself.

Suggestion, based on my firm's extensive work on forms of all kinds:

1. Create the visible text portions of the form in Word. That is, the instructions, headings, and lables for the form fields. But leave out Word's form fields.
2. Import (place) the Word file into InDesign and lay out the form's design.
3. Add InDesign's form fields to the layout, anchoring each form field next to its visible label.
4. Add the tool tip instructions to each form field (this helps make it accessible to all technologies and users).
5. Export to PDF and fine tune the form in Acrobat.