Please Note: This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 2007, 2010, and 2013. If you are using an earlier version (Word 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Word, click here: Converting Forms to Regular Documents.
As you are working with forms in Word, there may be times when you want to convert the responses to your form back to regular text. (There are many times when regular text is much easier to work with than answers in forms.) To do the conversion, follow these steps:
Now all the fields in the document have been changed to unlinked, regular text. You can now edit the document as you normally would.
The caveat here, of course, is that all of your fields are changed to regular text. Thus, if you had other fields in the document (such as fields for dates or sequential numbers), these are also changed to regular text by this process.
WordTips is your source for cost-effective Microsoft Word training. (Microsoft Word is the most popular word processing software in the world.) This tip (13390) applies to Microsoft Word 2007, 2010, and 2013. You can find a version of this tip for the older menu interface of Word here: Converting Forms to Regular Documents.
Create Custom Apps with VBA! Discover how to extend the capabilities of Office 2013 (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Access) with VBA programming, using it for writing macros, automating Office applications, and creating custom applications. Check out Mastering VBA for Office 2013 today!
If you have ever created several documents that contain the same basic information with only a few minor differences, ...
Discover MoreOne of the many uses for Word is to create forms that can be easily filled in by other people. This is made possible by ...
Discover MoreUse Word to create a form, and you can easily collect standardized data from a large number of users. When it comes time ...
Discover MoreFREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
2015-06-29 11:32:33
Not sure if my message last Monday got to you. I didn't notice this "leave your own comment" section before today, so I'm resending my message from last week:
Dear Allen,
I always look forward to opening your messages and finding useful nuggets that help me work faster and, equally as important, feel smarter!
Regarding the information in your article below on “Converting Forms to Regular Documents” where you state:
The caveat here, of course, is that all of your fields are changed to regular text. Thus, if you had other fields in the document (such as fields for dates or sequential numbers), these are also changed to regular text by this process.
The workaround this is to highlight only those fields you’d like to convert to hard text, and then Press Ctrl+Shift+F9. The rest of the fields in the document remain linked.
I appreciate all the help you’ve given me over the years, and I feel such pleasure in being able to contribute something in this info-sharing community. Enjoy your summer.
Best regards,
Morgan
Got a version of Word that uses the ribbon interface (Word 2007 or later)? This site is for you! If you use an earlier version of Word, visit our WordTips site focusing on the menu interface.
FREE SERVICE: Get tips like this every week in WordTips, a free productivity newsletter. Enter your address and click "Subscribe."
Copyright © 2019 Sharon Parq Associates, Inc.
Please Note:
This article is written for users of the following Microsoft Word versions: 2007, 2010, and 2013. If you are using an earlier version (Word 2003 or earlier), this tip may not work for you. For a version of this tip written specifically for earlier versions of Word, click here: 
Comments