How to Create a Fillable Form in Google Docs

Key Takeaways

• Google Docs fillable forms do not offer the most flexibility, but are ideal for simple form creation.
• If you have a PDF form sample, you may modify it with Google Docs.

Method 1: The Native Way Using Tables and Other Form Elements

One of the best methods to create a form in Google Docs is to use Tables. They make your fields appear uniform and remove the hassle of adding space. You can add interactive form fields like dropdowns, text boxes, checkboxes, and text areas. While this will not create the most robust form, it serves for simple forms and surveys.

Step 1: Open a new document on Docs, click on Insert, then select Table; select the number of rows and columns.

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

Step 3: To create checkboxes, select the desired text, click on the little arrow icon next to the Bullet list options, and then choose Checklist, the third option from the list.

So, there you have it—a basic form’s skeleton. The good thing about this method is that you can add two to 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.

Optionally, you may remove table outlines as shown below.

Step 1: Right-click on your table and select Table Properties.

Step 2: Click on Color, and under Table border, select 0 pt.

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

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

It’s worth mentioning that forms created from scratch in Google Docs can be printed and distributed. In the absence of field validations, using them for online submissions will involve a lot of manual validations.

Method 2: Converting a PDF File to a Fillable Form

As mentioned above, Docs lets you convert PDF files to Google Docs. So, if you have a sample form in PDF format, you can convert it to Docs and then modify it.

Step 1: Open Google Drive and click the New button at the top-left corner, then select File Upload.

Step 2: Once the upload is complete, right-click on the file and select Open with, then Google Docs. This will convert the document into editable text. Of course, it won’t convert into a fillable form right away, but you will have a rough structure.

Step 3: Add the necessary formatting to complete the circle.

Note that if your sample form has text boxes, they will be removed, leaving you with only the text to edit. This is a major limitation. But that’s the only way to upload a form to Google Docs.