Want to make a word doc into a fillable PDF? It’s easier than you think! In just a few simple steps, you can transform your document into a professional-looking form that others can fill out electronically.
Before diving into the steps, it’s important to understand what we’re aiming to achieve. A fillable PDF is a form that allows users to enter information into designated fields. This is useful for applications, surveys, and any document that requires user input.
Open the Word document you want to convert.
This is the document that you will eventually turn into a fillable PDF. Make sure it’s the final version, as you won’t be able to edit the text after converting it.
Click on ‘File’, then ‘Save As’, and choose PDF from the dropdown menu.
By saving your Word document as a PDF, you’re essentially creating a static image of the document, which is the first step in making it fillable.
Open the saved PDF in Adobe Acrobat Pro.
Adobe Acrobat Pro is a powerful tool that adds functionality to PDFs, such as creating fillable forms. If you don’t have Acrobat Pro, there are other PDF editors that have similar capabilities.
In Acrobat Pro, click on the ‘Tools’ tab and select ‘Prepare Form’.
The ‘Prepare Form’ tool will allow you to add form fields to your PDF. You can create text boxes, check boxes, radio buttons, and more.
Manually add form fields where you want users to input information.
Acrobat Pro lets you drag and drop form fields onto your PDF. You can adjust the size and alignment of the fields to fit your layout.
Save your fillable PDF and distribute it electronically.
Once you’ve added all your form fields, save your PDF. You can now send it to others to fill out on their computer or mobile device.
After completing these steps, you’ll have a fillable PDF ready to use. You can distribute it electronically, and recipients will be able to fill it out and save their responses.
There are other PDF editing software options available that can create fillable forms, such as Foxit PhantomPDF or Nitro Pro.
Yes, but you’ll need to use OCR (Optical Character Recognition) to convert the scanned image into text first, which can then be made into a fillable form.
It shouldn’t, but you may need to adjust the layout slightly in the PDF if the conversion isn’t perfect.
Yes, you can add images in Adobe Acrobat Pro by using the ‘Add Image’ tool in the ‘Prepare Form’ mode.
Use the ‘Accessibility’ tools in Acrobat Pro to check and fix any issues. This includes adding alt text to images and ensuring form fields are properly labeled.
Making a word doc into a fillable PDF is a skill that can save time and improve the professionalism of your documents. Whether you’re creating a form for employee onboarding, customer feedback, or a personal project, the ability to create a fillable PDF is incredibly useful. With the steps outlined in this article, you can easily transform your static documents into interactive forms that can be filled out electronically. Remember to keep your Word document layout simple, and don’t forget to test your PDF before sending it out. Happy form creating!
Matt Jacobs has been working as an IT consultant for small businesses since receiving his Master’s degree in 2003. While he still does some consulting work, his primary focus now is on creating technology support content for SupportYourTech.com.
His work can be found on many websites and focuses on topics such as Microsoft Office, Apple devices, Android devices, Photoshop, and more.