Create forms that users complete or print in Excel

You can create a form in Excel by adding content controls, such as buttons, check boxes, list boxes, and combo boxes to a workbook. Other people can use Excel to fill out the form and then print it if they choose to.

Step 1: Show the Developer tab

  1. On the Excel menu, click Preferences.
  2. Under Authoring, click View.
  3. Under In Ribbon, Show, select Developer tab.

Step 2: Add and format content controls

  1. On the Developer tab, click the control that you want to add.
  2. In the worksheet, click where you want to insert the control.
  3. To set specific properties for the control, hold down CONTROL and click the control, and then click Format Control.
  4. In the Format Control box, set the properties that you want, such as font, alignment, and color.
  5. Repeat steps 1 through 4 for each control that you want to add.

Step 3: Protect the sheet that contains the form

  1. On the Tools menu, point to Protection, and then click Protect Sheet.
  2. Select the protection options that you want.
  3. Save and close the workbook.

Tip: To continue editing after you have protected the form, on the Tools menu, point to Protect Sheet, and then click Unprotect Sheet.

Step 4: Test the form (optional)

If you want, you can test the form before you distribute it.

  1. Protect the form as described in step 3.
  2. Reopen the form, fill it out as the user would, and then save a copy.