Template to print on a pre-printed form

[gnrboyd]

I have a few Excel templates that I have created in the past that I use to print to pre-printed forms. To create the templates, I will start with a blank sheet and then resize all of the rows/columns to a relatively small size so the cells are all square like graph paper. I format the sheet to print the outline grids and then number the rows and columns along the side and top of the sheet. I then print this form on top of one of my pre-printed forms so that I can figure out exactly which cells will print where. I then merge the cells for each field in the right size and location so that when I populate those fields they will print on the right place within the form.

Depending upon the form, this process can take a while due to all of the tweaking and adjusting. I eventually get it the way I want it but I am not sure this is the most efficient way to do this. Does anyone have any better ideas on this? Also, if I use a different type of printer, I sometimes have to make adjustments because each printer has different margins.

If anyone has any better methods for doing this, I would love to hear them.
(I have thought of trying to just reproduce the entire form in Excel, but I really don't want to do that.)

Thanks for your input!

 

[p45cal]

I had a play with this, but have never done it in earnest.
I scanned the form and inserted it into excel. I wasn't worried about the size, but I made sure the aspect ratio was locked and brought it to a workable size.
Then I started inserting text boxes on top to match the form's boxes/fields. When that was done I moved the image away from under the textboxes, grouped the text boxes together, then locked the group's aspect ratio. Now you have a choice; use the text boxes as a template to re-arrange column widths/row heights, or adjust the properties of the text boxes with a view to using them directly (without printing their borders of course). Then you have the task of getting the overall size right and the positioning, but as long as they remain grouped you shouldn't have too much difficulty.

Any good?

I also played with putting the scanned form as a sheet background - it worked, but the background stayed the same size while you zoomed in/out, so it wasn't very good.

 

[Smitty]

Unfortunately, this is one of those things that just takes time, but it usually works fairly well as your data and template can be in the same place. An alternative is to use a form building software, like Acrobat, InfoPath, OmniForm, Web designer, etc., but then you have to feed the form a data source (and you still have to build it, but it's easier).

 

[gnrboyd]

Ok, thanks for the tips. I never thought about scanning the form and using text boxes. I'm not sure it would be any easier but might be worth a try. Thanks to both of you.