This document provides instructions for creating a fillable PDF form from a Word document or existing PDF. It outlines converting the file to PDF, using the Adobe PDF form creation tool to make fields editable, adjusting field properties, and distributing the form for responses. Key steps include creating the form, editing fields, checking properties, previewing the form, saving it, and options for compiling and managing response data. An example thesis checklist document is provided to demonstrate the process.

1. 1
THESIS CHECK LIST
Author Information Pack
1. Thesis Title: ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
2. Author: _________________________________ Degree: _________________________________ Session: ___________________________
3. Work Email: _____________________________________________ Work Telephone (with city code, if any): ___________________________
4. Author Affiliation (Dpt/Inst/Uni): _______________________________________________________________________________________________
5. Supervisor and Affiliation: _____________________________________________________________________________________________________
6. Co-supervisor and Affiliation (if any): ____________________________________________________________________________________________
7. Expected Competition Date (dd-mm-yy): ___________ Publication Plan (Y/N): _____ Journal Name (if any): _____________________________
8. Study Area: ______________________________________ Research Type (Qualitative/Quantitative): ________________________________________
9. Academic Discipline: __________________________________________ Historical Coverage (i.e. 1999-2009): _______________________________
10. Keywords: ________________________________________________________________ Language: _______________________________________
Dataset Overview
1. Vector Layers (Y/N): ______________________ Layer Count (n): _______________________ Open Source (Y/N): _________________________
2. Raster Layer (Y/N): _______________________
a. Imagery Type: _______________________________________________ Source: ________________________________________________
b. Resolution (L/M/H/VH): _______________________________________ With Unit: ______________________________________________
c. DEM (Y/N): __________________ Type: _______________ Resolution: ________________ Source: ______________
d. TIN (Y/N): ___________________ Type: _______________ Resolution: ________________ Source: ______________
e. Contours (Y/N): _______________ Type: _______________ Resolution: ________________ Source: ______________
f. Toposheet (Y/N): ______________ Type: _______________ Resolution: ________________ Source: ______________

2. 2
HOW TO CREATE A FILLABLE FORM
For this to work on, you must have Adobe PDF reader installed in your system.
This procedure is tested on Adobe PDF 9.0
Word to PDF
1. Create the required document in MS word.
2. Save it as doc or docx.
3. Go to File > Print > Adobe PDF > Print.
a. It won’t print the file but save is as PDF.
b. Adjust the “Printer Properties” (Example: Uncheck the Rely on system font and Delete
the log file).

3. 3
Adobe PDF Procedure
4. Open that PDF file into Adobe reader.
5. Create Form from PDF. Depending upon the version of Adobe, options will be adjusted
accordingly.
a. Generally: Adobe > Tools > Format > Create > An existing File > next > Current Document
> Next
b. Adobe 9.0: > Menu bar > Forms > Start from Wizard > An existing electronic document >
c. It will display a message window after creation of fillable form or editable form.
d. It will highlight all those fields that are editable. Carefully check them. After saving, it
won’t change.
i. Font size and type for fillable fields can also be adjusted.

4. 4
e. If something is selected incorrectly, then Right click on it and Delete.
f. Go to Preview button, to see how it appears to a user (shown in red highlighted box above).
i. Select the required field, and start fill in to verify.
g. If editing is complete, then go to “Close Form Editing” (as shown in yellow highlighted
box above) and Save the file.
h. It will look like as following.
i. Uncheck the “Highlight fields” (as shown in red highlighted box below) to hide the
highlighted blue color boxes for fill in fields (as shown in last image).

5. 5
Editing the Form
6. To edit the saved form, go to Menu bar > Forms > Add or Edit Fields.
7. To check any of the properties, like font style size etc., select all fields, right click and select
properties. It has following options:
a. General
b. Appearance
c. Options
d. Actions
e. Format
f. Validate
g. Calculate

6. 6
Distributing the Form
8. Forms can be distributed directly through Adobe reader by clicking “Distribute Form”, on Menu
Bar > Forms > Distribute Form.
9. It has following options:
a. Automatically download and organize responses with Acrobat.com
b. Manually collect responses in my email box.

7. 7
c. Automatically collect response on my own internal server.
Other Options
10. Responses can be complied by using “Complied Returned Forms”.
11. By using “Managing Form Data”, data can be managed as: Import, Export and in Spreadsheet.
12. By using “Tracker”, responses can be easily being tracked and updated.

8. 8
Sample
 Use the above-mentioned form of “Thesis Check List” as a sample. Specially prepared for this
particular assignment.
 Convert this file into PDF, if already in MS word format, completely or just 1st
page.
 Repeat the whole procedure from steps 1 – 7.
 Other steps are optional or as per requirement.
Sources:
 https://langlit.ucdavis.edu/technical-support/create-fill-able-pdf-word-document