How to Make a Fillable Form Adobe Acrobat

Creating a Fillable Form from Scratch

1. Open Adobe Acrobat Pro. Start by launching the Adobe Acrobat Pro application on your computer.
2. Navigate to "Tools" and select "Prepare Form." This option will initiate the form creation process within Acrobat.
3. Select "Start from blank page" and click "Create form." This will provide you with a clean slate to design your fillable form from the ground up.
4. Add text and labels using the "Text" option in the toolbar. Incorporate all necessary fields to collect the required information, such as name, address, and contact details.
5. Add form fields (text fields, checkboxes, dropdowns, etc.) from the "ADD FORM COMPONENTS" pane. Adobe Acrobat Pro provides a variety of form field types to suit different data input needs.
6. Customize field properties (name, appearance, validation). Ensure that each field is correctly named and has appropriate validation rules to maintain data integrity.
7. Preview the form. Before finalizing the fillable form, preview to see how the end user will interact with it.
8. Save the fillable PDF. Remember to save the finalized fillable PDF to your desired location.

Converting an Existing PDF to a Fillable Form

1. Open Adobe Acrobat Pro. Begin by launching Adobe Acrobat Pro on your computer.
2. Navigate to "Tools" and select "Prepare Form." This initiates the process of converting the PDF into a fillable form.
3. Select the existing PDF document. Choose the PDF file you want to convert into a fillable form.
4. Acrobat automatically analyzes the document and adds form fields. Acrobat will attempt to automatically detect and add form fields to the document.
5. Add new fields, adjust layout, and set field names as needed. You can fine-tune the form by adding, adjusting, or naming the fields Acrobat created.
6. Save the fillable PDF. Save the updated, fillable PDF document.

Creating a Fillable Form from a Scanned Document or Image

1. Open Adobe Acrobat Pro. Start by launching Adobe Acrobat Pro.
2. Navigate to "Tools" and select “Prepare Form.” Then, select “Prepare Form” from the Tools menu.
3. Scan a document or upload a smartphone image. Scan your physical document, or upload the scanned document from your computer.
4. Acrobat uses OCR to extract text and convert it into an editable PDF. This allows you to interact with the text within the scanned document.
5. Add form fields and customize as needed. Incorporate the necessary fields for collecting required information, such as name and contact details.
6. Save the fillable PDF. Remember to save the finalized fillable PDF to your desired location.

Creating a Fillable Form from Microsoft Word, Excel, or other Applications

1. Open Adobe Acrobat Pro. Open Adobe Acrobat Pro to begin the process.
2. Navigate to "Tools" and select “Prepare Form.” Select the prepare form option in the application.
3. Select a file, like a Word document or Excel sheet. Find and select the Word document or Excel sheet that you want to make fillable.
4. Add new form fields and customize as needed. Incorporate the necessary fields for collecting required information, such as name and contact details.
5. Save your fillable PDF document. Click “Save” to save the changes to the fillable PDF document.

Types of Form Fields

• Text fields (for name, address, etc.): These allow users to type in alphanumeric data, such as names, addresses, and descriptions.
• Checkboxes (for selecting options): These allow users to select one or more options from a predefined list.
• Radio buttons (for exclusive choices): These allow users to select only one option from a group of mutually exclusive choices.
• Drop-down menus (for lists of options): These provide a compact way to present a list of options for users to choose from.
• Signature fields (for digital signatures): These fields enable users to add their digital signatures to the form, ensuring authenticity and consent.
• Image fields Allow users to upload their pictures to the form for identification purposes.

Adjusting Field Properties

• Field name and tooltip. Assign a clear and descriptive name to each field, and provide a helpful tooltip to guide users on what information to enter.
• Appearance (font, size, color, border). Customize the appearance of each field to match the overall design of the form and improve readability.
• Validation rules (e.g., required fields, data format). Implement validation rules to ensure that users enter data in the correct format and that all required fields are completed.
• Calculations and assigned action buttons using Javascript. You can enhance the functionality of your forms by adding calculations and action buttons using Javascript.

Distributing Forms

• Email distribution. Attach the fillable form to an email and send it directly to recipients.
• Sharing via a link. Generate a shareable link to the form and distribute it through various channels.
• Embedding on a website. Embed the fillable form directly onto a website for easy access.

Collecting Responses

• Using Adobe's online services for automated data collection. Adobe offers online services to automate the process of collecting and organizing data from fillable forms.
• Saving filled forms digitally. Instruct users to save the filled forms and return them via email or other digital channels.
• Using an internal server. For organizations with internal servers, you can set up a system to automatically collect and store data from fillable forms.