Changing individual column widths/locking areas

[les361800]

Hey all!
I am attempting to make a (simple?) form but I'm failing miserably.

This form needs to be editable so that I can remove either the maintenance/rental/purchase columns depending on the job, and also resize the description column depending on what is getting written in the box. The height of these rows could change too.

Is it possible to have this part (in orange) editable without it messing up the widths of the columns above and below? Currently, if I delete the maintenance column for example, it messes up the delivery address box.

I have attached an image of the form we currently use that is made up in powerpoint for you to see what one option for a purchase customer would need to look like.

I hope that makes sense!

 

[6StringJazzer]

Are you using Excel to just fill in a lot of text for this form so you can print it? Or are you capturing the data in a database?

If all you want to do is fill out a form, Word would be a much better choice because of how tables can be formatted. Trying to create a form in Excel using merged cells leads to many nightmare scenarios. (Why would you delete the Maintenance column? Wouldn't you just leave the data blank?)

Please give more details on how you will use this form and the data that you put on it, and maybe we can give a good overall solution.

 

[les361800]

Are you using Excel to just fill in a lot of text for this form so you can print it? Or are you capturing the data in a database?

If all you want to do is fill out a form, Word would be a much better choice because of how tables can be formatted. Trying to create a form in Excel using merged cells leads to many nightmare scenarios. (Why would you delete the Maintenance column? Wouldn't you just leave the data blank?)

Please give more details on how you will use this form and the data that you put on it, and maybe we can give a good overall solution.

thanks for your reply!
The reason we want to use excel is to use a formula to add up all of the costs in a total at the bottom of whatever column we are using, too many mistakes doing it manually. I totally agree this is not the easiest way! The form gets filled in, then saved as a pdf either to send or to print. It's really just the formulas we are after here - can we use formulas on word?

We delete one or two of the columns that arent being used to give us more space in the description box, we wouldnt fit in all we need to if we kept the three columns.

 

[6StringJazzer]

Sample Word file based on your PP form. Word has a SUM formula. To update the total, press F9.

les361800=Order Form.docx

docs.google.com

 

[les361800]

Sample Word file based on your PP form. Word has a SUM formula. To update the total, press F9.

les361800=Order Form.docx

docs.google.com

Ah it doesnt adjust the total if the values are changed though? It was actually this exact problem that prompted the need for a form like this.
Thank you very much for making this for me but I don't think it is suitable.

I have used forms like this on excel before but I just dont have the knowledge to create one myself. Is it just not possible with this?

 

[6StringJazzer]

To update the total, press F9.

 

[6StringJazzer]

You can't solve the problem you described using Excel. You will have to redesign your form. If you remove a column, it removes everything in the column. In Word you have much more flexibility.

 

[les361800]

You can't solve the problem you described using Excel. You will have to redesign your form. If you remove a column, it removes everything in the column. In Word you have much more flexibility.

I think I will have to admit defeat! Thank you for your help though, I will make a word doc and see how the boss likes it!