Plan the form design

Keep these considerations in mind when planning a form design:

Data capture requirements
Consider the data you hope to gather or distribute and how you will capture and process it. Will users manually enter all data, or can any data be prepopulated in the form?

Calculations or scripts to associate with the data and where they will be run (client, server, or client and server)
Script will only run on a server if you are deploying forms through Forms and/or Adobe® LiveCycle® Output 10.

Security requirements.
Will users require a password for such things as opening, printing, copying text or applying signatures? See Setting Security, Using password fields, and Using signature fields.

Determining user needs
Your primary design objective should be to satisfy the needs of the people who use your forms. The clearer your goals, the better the form design.

Create a library of fragments
Consider creating fragments for logos, headers, address blocks, and footers that can be shared among form designs.
  • Decide whether you will use the FormCalc or JavaScript language.

  • Examine which security options you will apply to the form.

  • Set accessibility standards, if needed.

Considering form usability
When planning a form, remember to build usability into the design. Here are a few points to consider:
  • A form should be easy to use. A simple layout with clear, meaningful captions will make the form easier to understand. Forms can validate user input and supply prompts to assist users who enter data. If Forms is available, some of the information can be filled in ahead of time through merged data. If you are adept at scripting, you can also develop scripts to process or route data and forms automatically from the click of a button.

  • A form should be accessible to users with disabilities.

    See About accessible forms and Tabbing order.

// Ethnio survey code removed