One of the many uses of PDF documents is to provide us with a way for people to harvest information via an interactive form. Adobe Acrobat has some nifty features for creating such forms, distributing them and tracking responses.
The PDF format is a great option for forms since it will allow the user to see the form exactly as it was created. Web forms, by contrast, can vary depending on the operating system and browser software being used.
There is furthermore immediacy and flexibility of distribution. The form can be emailed to a collection of users at the same time. The conveyance of the form then becomes a single process. PDF forms can also be distributed via CDs and DVDs.
The capacity to create forms has long been a feature of Acrobat 9. However, Acrobat 9 Professional takes form creation to a new level in terms of simplicity and refinement.
Adobe Acrobat has traditionally been a "magpie" application, relying on other applications to create all of its content. Now, however, forms can be fashioned in Acrobat based on a wide variety of pre-created templates: Invoices, timesheet, expenses etc.
As with previous versions of Acrobat, forms created in other packages can be used as the starting point for an Acrobat form. Acrobat 9 will even automatically recognise the form layout and generate form fields automatically.
You can also utilize a printed form as the basis for an interactive PDF form. Simply choose the Scan From Paper option when creating the fresh form.
Once you have the essential form created, you can add in all the standard form controls. In addition to text fields, PDF forms support combo boxes, option buttons, checkboxes and, of course, submit buttons.
One more great feature in Acrobat 9 is to create a form which allows Acrobat Reader users to save form data when they have filled in the form. (This feature is normally only available with a full version of Acrobat.) To activate this facility, just choose "Enable Usage Rights in Acrobat Reader" from the "Advanced" menu.
To transmit the form to group of recipients via email, simply choose "Distribute Form" from the "Form" menu. A Microsoft Outlook address book can be used to generate a mailing list or you can just type or paste in a list of recipients.
Returned forms are saved within a special Acrobat file referred to a dataset. When users complete the form and email it back to you, you simply do a double-click on the attached form. Adobe Acrobat opens a special window marked "Add Completed Form to Data Set".
Once all the forms have been returned and the data added to the dataset, you just open the dataset and export it as a CSV (comma separated values) file. This format is compatible with programs like Microsoft Excel and Access which can subsequently be used to store and analyse responses to your forms. - 32522
The PDF format is a great option for forms since it will allow the user to see the form exactly as it was created. Web forms, by contrast, can vary depending on the operating system and browser software being used.
There is furthermore immediacy and flexibility of distribution. The form can be emailed to a collection of users at the same time. The conveyance of the form then becomes a single process. PDF forms can also be distributed via CDs and DVDs.
The capacity to create forms has long been a feature of Acrobat 9. However, Acrobat 9 Professional takes form creation to a new level in terms of simplicity and refinement.
Adobe Acrobat has traditionally been a "magpie" application, relying on other applications to create all of its content. Now, however, forms can be fashioned in Acrobat based on a wide variety of pre-created templates: Invoices, timesheet, expenses etc.
As with previous versions of Acrobat, forms created in other packages can be used as the starting point for an Acrobat form. Acrobat 9 will even automatically recognise the form layout and generate form fields automatically.
You can also utilize a printed form as the basis for an interactive PDF form. Simply choose the Scan From Paper option when creating the fresh form.
Once you have the essential form created, you can add in all the standard form controls. In addition to text fields, PDF forms support combo boxes, option buttons, checkboxes and, of course, submit buttons.
One more great feature in Acrobat 9 is to create a form which allows Acrobat Reader users to save form data when they have filled in the form. (This feature is normally only available with a full version of Acrobat.) To activate this facility, just choose "Enable Usage Rights in Acrobat Reader" from the "Advanced" menu.
To transmit the form to group of recipients via email, simply choose "Distribute Form" from the "Form" menu. A Microsoft Outlook address book can be used to generate a mailing list or you can just type or paste in a list of recipients.
Returned forms are saved within a special Acrobat file referred to a dataset. When users complete the form and email it back to you, you simply do a double-click on the attached form. Adobe Acrobat opens a special window marked "Add Completed Form to Data Set".
Once all the forms have been returned and the data added to the dataset, you just open the dataset and export it as a CSV (comma separated values) file. This format is compatible with programs like Microsoft Excel and Access which can subsequently be used to store and analyse responses to your forms. - 32522
About the Author:
Author is a developer and trainer with an independent computer training company offering Adobe Acrobat Classes at their central London training centre.
