One of the best ways to gauge user responses and collect data is with a survey.

In this Word
tip, Mary Ann Richardson explains how to create a customized survey form, step by step.

Word allows you to create forms, which you then can use for online data entry, to publish on
the Web, or to print. Let's say you would like to create an evaluation form for your upcoming
seminar. You want to include a number of questions that your attendees can answer online or
on the printed form by selecting check boxes. Follow these steps:

1. Open a blank Word document.

2. Enter your first survey question, for example:
I would recommend this seminar to a colleague.
3. Right-click a blank area of the Standard or Formatting toolbar and select Forms.
4. Position the cursor on the next line where you want the first check mark to appear.
5. Click the Check Box Form Field button on the Forms toolbar and type Strongly
Agree.
6. On the next line, click the Check Box Form Field button and type Agree.
7. On the next line, click the Check Box Form Field button and type Disagree.
8. On the next line, click the Check Box Form Field button and type Strongly Disagree.
9. On the next line, click the Check Box Form Field button and type Does Not Apply.

Follow this procedure for all the questions on your form. When you have completed the form,
follow these steps:

1. Click the Protect Form button.

2. Go to File | Save As and enter Survey Form in the Filename text box.
3. Select Document Template in the Save As Type: text box.
4. Click the Save button.

To open the survey in Word 2003, open the New Document Task Pane and select On my
computer... under Templates. (For Word 2002, open the New Document Task Pane and select
General templates... under New from template.) On the General tab, select Survey Form, and
click OK. The user can save or print the survey as with any other document.

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