How to Create a Fillable Form in Google Docs

Google Docs is a popular online document creation tool. Despite being a simple document editor, it can be used to create templates, brochures, and cover letters. You can also create fillable forms in Google Form, though they may not be as dynamic as those created using Microsoft Word or Google Forms.

Unlike Word, Google Docs has limited options for creating forms. At most, you can create a basic form for offline use, which can be printed and distributed later.

Currently, if you want a fillable form in Google Docs, you will have to create it from scratch. However, if you have a PDF form sample, you can modify it in Docs.

Regardless of the method you choose, the process is easy and shouldn’t take much time once you are familiar with it. However, be aware that creating a form from scratch is time-consuming.

With that said, here’s how to create a fillable form in Google Docs.

Method 1: Native Way

One of the best methods to create a form in Google Docs is to use Tables. They make your fields uniform and eliminate unnecessary space. However, interactive form fields like dropdowns are not available. You can only use text boxes, checkboxes, and text areas. So, this limits your options.

To create a form with text fields, follow these steps:

Step 1: Open a new document on Docs and click on Insert > Table. Choose the number of rows and columns. In our case, we chose 4 columns and 5 rows. Adjust the size of the table by pulling at the rows.

Step 2: Add the first text field like First Name and Last name. Leave the cell blank for those you want the user’s input.

Select the text and click on the Arrow-icon next to the Bullet list options to add a checklist. Pick the third option from the list to put a small checkbox next to every entry.

So, there you have it, a basic form’s skeleton. The good thing about this method is that you can add two-three tables per the design you have in mind. For instance, if you want to add a large text area option, you need to add a single-cell table and enlarge it. Simple, see.

Step 3: Next, right-click on your table and select Table Properties.

Next, click on Color, and under Table border, select 0 pt.

This will make the borders invisible, and you’ll have a better-looking form.

Alternatively, you can highlight the cells with a light color or add dashes to make them more interactive. We created the following form using Google Docs elements.

Forms created in Google Docs can be printed and distributed. However, without field validations, manual validations will be needed for online submissions. If you plan to use the form in the future, save it. When modifications are necessary, make a copy and modify it as needed.

Method 2: Convert a PDF File

Docs allows you to convert PDF files to Google Docs. If you have a sample form in PDF format, you can convert and modify it. Here’s how:

Step 1: Open Google Drive and click on the New button.

Upload the file once you select it. Once the upload is complete, open the file by right-clicking on it and selecting Open with Google Docs.

This will convert the document into editable text. It won’t convert into a fillable form right away, but you will have a rough structure.

To complete the circle, add necessary formatting to your sample form. Note that if there are text boxes in your form, they will be removed, leaving only the text to edit.

This is a major limitation. For now, it’s the only way to upload a form to Google Docs.

Google Docs has limitations in creating offline fillable forms. To create online forms, the safest method is to use Google Forms. It comes with features that make form building easy.