How to edit a Word Document without changing original content

[AkAlan]

I need to create a template that I can edit without changing any of the
original content. The form I am using now has lines/underlines that I want
to be able to type on top of then save the form. When I type on the lines now
the text is inserted and the line is either replaced or overwritten depending
on how I have the insert mode selected. Is there a way to create a form with
lines/underlines so that I can type on top of them. Thanks.

 

[Suzanne S. Barnhill]

See http://word.mvps.org/FAQs/TblsFldsFms/LinesInForms.htm and especially
the forms tutorials by Dian Chapman that this article links to.

--
Suzanne S. Barnhill
Microsoft MVP (Word)
Words into Type
Fairhope, Alabama USA
http://word.mvps.org

 

[Herb Tyson [MVP]]

I suspect you need to investigate protected forms. In Word, press F1, type
"forms" and press Enter. In Word 2007 (at least), the first hit is "Create
forms that users complete in Word".

 

[Ned23]

You can also do this by using tables. This is the basic process:

1. Build your document inside of a large table that is one column wide and
many rows long.

2. Use the "Split cells" function to add cells to a particular row.
(right-click in a row of the table and split cells).

3. Where you want an underline in a row, add a cell by splitting that row
into multiple columns. For example if you wanted:

First Name: ______________ Last Name: __________________

then divide that row into 4 columns. One for "First name" one for the
underline, one for "last name" and one for the second underline... (etc.)

4. When you are done, select the entire table and turn off all of the table
borders.

5. Go back to the cells where you want the underline to appear and turn on
the bottom border of those cells only.

6. Now, when you type into those cells, the words will appear above the
bottom cell border.

7. The rest of your document can be typed inside of single rows. You can
put two paragraphs in a high row, then have a short row with the underlines,
then go back to high rows again.

I know this is hard to visualize, so if you'd like any clarifcation, just
let me know.