# Word help - Forms Check Boxes and Drop Down Lists

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-help-forms-check-boxes-and-drop-down-lists/407894>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [June 13, 2007, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-help-forms-check-boxes-and-drop-down-lists/407894 "2007-06-13T19:52:12Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\
**Post date:** [June 13, 2007, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-help-forms-check-boxes-and-drop-down-lists/407894/1 "2007-06-13T19:52:12Z")

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When I create a form in Word, and insert a check box or drop down list, there doesn’t appear to be any easy way to check the box, or select the drop down list when editing the saved form.

In order to do this I need to double-click the box or the list field and then modify the contents via the field’s Options box, or right click select Properties and then change the default value.

This can’t be right? I can create a data validation drop down list in Excel that uses a single click and select method. What am I missing?

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**Author:** ![EmAnJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d2c977/32.png) [@EmAnJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmAnJ)\
**Post date:** [June 13, 2007, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-help-forms-check-boxes-and-drop-down-lists/407894/2 "2007-06-13T19:57:18Z")

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Have you tried using Help?

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**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\
**Post date:** [June 13, 2007, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-help-forms-check-boxes-and-drop-down-lists/407894/3 "2007-06-13T20:03:38Z")

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[QUOTE=EmAnJ]  
Have you tried using Help?  
[/QUOTE]

Yep.

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**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\
**Post date:** [June 13, 2007, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-help-forms-check-boxes-and-drop-down-lists/407894/4 "2007-06-13T20:09:21Z")

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[QUOTE=Leaffan]

In order to do this I need to double-click the box or the list field and then modify the contents via the field’s Options box, or right click select Properties and then change the default value.

[/QUOTE]

That’s the way I do it. Figured I was to lazy to learn the easy way, so I’ll lurk and hope to find out.

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**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\
**Post date:** [June 13, 2007, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-help-forms-check-boxes-and-drop-down-lists/407894/5 "2007-06-13T20:31:50Z")

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[QUOTE=carnivorousplant]  
That’s the way I do it. Figured I was to lazy to learn the easy way, so I’ll lurk and hope to find out.  
[/QUOTE]

After much Googling I discovered that the newly created form must be “locked” before everything works properly. The lock button is on the forms toolbar also.

Help mentions nothing about this.

> [@](#):
>
> Fields for use with forms
> 
> { FORMCHECKBOX }  
> { FORMDROPDOWN }  
> { FORMTEXT }
> 
> These fields insert a check box, a drop-down list, or a text box in a form. You cannot insert or modify these fields directly. They’re inserted by the Check Box Form Field , Text Form Field , and Drop-Down Form Field buttons on the Forms toolbar. To edit these fields, you must use the Form Field Options button on the Forms toolbar.

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**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\
**Post date:** [June 13, 2007, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/word-help-forms-check-boxes-and-drop-down-lists/407894/6 "2007-06-13T20:43:06Z")

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[QUOTE=Leaffan]  
After much Googling I discovered that the newly created form must be “locked” before everything works properly. The lock button is on the forms toolbar also.

[/QUOTE]

It works! Outstanding!