How to Create Fillable Forms in Google Docs? (2 ways to create forms)

We are going to discuss with you how to create fillable forms in google docs, as well as in google forms. Google Docs is one of the most popular tools of Google to create documents online. Besides, despite being a simple document editor, you can use it to create brochures, resumes, or other work-related templates.

Though Google Docs doesn’t have many features like Google Forms or other form builders to create a form. However, it can anyway be helpful to some extent to create fillable forms in google docs. Basically, you can create fillable forms in google docs for two use cases. Like you can create a basic employment contract form, employee feedback, or non-disclosure agreement.  

You can convert google docs into any format (like PDF, Word, etc) for better presentation while sending it to your contacts or anyone. Later, we will discuss the steps to create a fillable form in google forms, so that you have both apps understand and create forms according to you.

1. Method 1 – The native way (with table field, checkboxes, & text fields)
2. Method 2 – Convert PDF file
3. Create a fillable form in Google Forms
4. FAQs

How to create fillable forms in Google Docs?

There are different ways to create fillable forms in Google Docs, you can use it the native way, convert PDF files, or even with the help of an add-on. Note that, this is to replicate a printable form or a PDF. If you are looking for creating a form for a survey or quiz then Google Forms offers an easier and simpler way to manage the process. 

Unlike Word, Google Docs offers very limited options, at best you can make Google Docs fillable forms for offline usage, or even online filled out by people with any PDF editor. You can provide people access to your docs, but it doesn’t have the feature to store data in sheets or excel. 

Method 1 – The Native Way (with table field, checkboxes, and text fields)

Step 1: Open a new document or you can select a template from the ‘Template gallery.’ Besides, you can also make a copy of your original document and place it in a new folder (to know which one is a clone and which is original). Right-click on the document and select the ‘Make a copy’ option and move it to a new folder. 

Step 2: Add a title to your form or introductory information, then click on Insert > Table, and you’ll be able to select a number of rows and columns. You can choose one row and two columns (per question field), or you can choose 4-5 columns and rows or more based on your preference. Add field labels in one column and leave another column for the responses. 

Step 3: Besides, if you want to add a large text box field for a question then with the help of tables you can do so. Just select one cell table from the option and enlarge it. You’ll get a fillable text box in google docs to write short or long paragraphs. That doesn’t mean you can’t create a text box with multiple cells, you can and it’s totally up to you.

Hence, with help of tables, you can easily create formatted and aligned sections or various question fields. You can edit rows and columns accordingly to suit your idea.

In the first section, you can add questions like – Name, Address, Contact Details, and other basic respondents’ information. Then, add another section for specific purpose question fields to likely make it a better formatted fillable form. 

Note* if you want to add underlines for fill-in-the-blank type questions. Then, click on the cell of the table you’ve added, and you’ll see this symbol 🇻for border selection. Click on the symbol and you’ll get different border options, select a border, and then you’ll see the border color & width option at the top bar. 

You can either color it white so that it becomes invisible or make the width 0. Besides at once you want to remove borders, so that you can just keep the bottom line for blanks then Shift + select all lines you want to make invisible. 

Step 4: Google Docs has a checklist option that you can use to add multiple select questions. First, add a question, then write options for it, and select all the options. Go to the ‘bulleted list’ at the top right corner, click on the dropdown and select the ‘Checklist’ option. 

Step 5: If you want to add an image, you can do so by navigating to the ‘Insert > Image >  option from where to upload. Besides, you can also add drawings to your document by creating shapes and all or uploading it from the Drive. Go to Insert > Drawing. 

Besides, you can add a dropdown option as well, go to Insert > Dropdown > New Dropdown, and add all options categories. Write a question and then drop down it. 

And this is how you can create a fillable form in google docs. 

Method 2 – Convert PDF file 

So, another way you can create a fillable form in Google Docs is by converting PDF files. So, if you have a sample form as a PDF you can convert it to docs and modify it.

Step 1: Upload PDF on your G-Drive, go to New > File Upload, and upload it.

Step 2: Right-click on the file and select Open with Google Docs.

Step 3: It will be converted into an editable document, though it will not fully convert into a form. You’ve to make it into form by following the above steps.

How to create a fillable form in Google Forms?

Moving onto the next part of this article, we are going to discuss how you can create fillable forms in Google Forms. Hands down, Google forms is the best way to create a survey, quiz, assessments, recruitment, feedback forms, and more.

Create a Fillable Form in Google Forms

STEP 1: To start with, first ‘Create your Google Forms,’ go to Google Forms directly through the web browser – you can click here or choose to visit via G-Drive. 

To customize it more to your needs, you can select a form from the ‘template gallery’ based on what you’re using the form for. 

STEP 2: Then, to add fillable fields in google forms – you can add different question types like MCQs, checkboxes, dropdown, and short/long paras, click on the ‘+’ button to add questions. Further, able to import Q&As, add images or videos, add different sections to make them more engaging, or even use the ‘file upload question’ to let people upload specific file types in the form. 

STEP 3: Then, configure the ‘Settings’ before moving forward to customize google forms. Like configuring, ‘Respondent Settings’ (if you make the form a quiz) – you can choose how to release marks whether immediately once the form is submitted or manually afterward. Other than that, you can add default point values. 

Apart from that, configure the ‘Responses Settings,’ ‘Presentation’ tab, and Defaults settings.’ Like, you can collect email addresses, limit responses, show a progress bar, enable default questions, customize confirmation messages, etc.

Step 4: Further, you can connect forms with google sheets to collect data other than in forms. Go to the ‘Responses’ tab, Click on the spreadsheet icon and a new sheet will be made. You can also select the response destination, click on three dots, navigate to the ‘select response destination,’ create a new sheet or add it to any previous ones. 

Step 5: To customize themes, click on the ‘Customise Theme’ at the top bar in the color palette icon. A theme dialogue box will appear on the right side, from there change the header image, fonts, font size, and theme color. 

Configure it with Add-on

Once you have created your fillable form, google forms further allows you to customize it with add-ons. So, we are going to add a timer to the forms. ExtendedForms is the add-on we are going to install and configure to make the form better, especially if you are using forms for tests, quizzes, or even for recruitment, registrations, etc. 

Step 6: Install the add-on, go to ‘More’ at the top right corner, go to add-ons and search ExtendedForms. Install it, you’ll see a puzzle shape icon in the form, click on it and then configure. 

Step 7: A pop-up settings box will appear on the right side, from there you can configure the timer, restricted attempts, and share form option. Then, ‘Save’ the settings. Once that is done, you can go through the ‘Responses’ to the main page of ExtendedForms.

Step 8: It will directly take you to the ExtendedForms page of that form. There you’ll see all the responses that’ll be collected and pending invitations of the form after you send the form. 

This is how you can create a fillable form with google forms. It is a very easy and quick way to create attractive forms. Thanks to the ExtendedForms add-on, you get the feature of a countdown timer, custom deadlines, and so much more.

Frequently Asked Questions

Wrap Up

Creating fillable forms for Google Docs requires a little bit of effort but it surely creates a good, workable form (especially for a few use cases). However, no doubt that Google Forms are way better than Docs when it comes to creating forms, surveys, or anything related to that. You can try both ways and explore the options available in both, google docs even have many professional document templates you can look into. Further, you can also use add-ons in Google Docs like the Fillable Document add-on to create a live fillable form, do let us know your experience in the comments.

Besides, when it comes to Google Forms, ExtendedForms is a good timer add-on that you can within minutes install & configure. Apart from the timer feature, you get other features to set like – sending invites with a customized invitation message, adding a welcome message in different languages to be shown before users start attempting forms, setting a specific date/time for forms deadline, Classroom Integration ( auto-grade and submit your classwork directly from extended forms dashboard), and more. 

You can check out the website and try its free version that will not include every feature but you can always upgrade the plans.