How to make and link Text boxes? 1

SuaveGato · May 10, 2010

Hello,
please pardon my interuption, I am a SUPER newb here. I tried searching but I don't even know the proper terms I should search for? I figure this is a simple question for any of you Acrobat gurus...

I have about a dozen or so forms that I have to fill out for each customer sale at work. Each form I have to HAND WRITE name, address, phone number, account number etc. I have to write it like 12 freaking times for each sale, it's nuts! What I am looking to do is scan in each one of the forms as a PDF and then make a text box in each appropriate place that then links back to 1 master sheet. So when I type in the info. it auto propagates into the appropriate text box on each document. Would be nice if I could link the PDF text boxes to an Excel master, but an Adobe master would work too.

I have a full version of Adobe Acrobat 5.0. If that is too old, I could by a current copy to use if nec.

Any and all help is much appricated,
Thank you.

FredWagner · May 11, 2010

Suggest you use a Spreadsheet like Excel to create all of the forms, with formulas to echo the information from the first sheet to the rest of the pages. then print all of the forms.
for the long term, it sounds like you need a program solution, where you enter the info on a screen, and it takes care of printing the various necessary forms. The Excel idea will get you started, and you can later work out how to do it using VBA (Visual Basic for Applications). If someone else has better ideas, please jump in!

Fred Wagner

IMacQuarker · May 11, 2010

Hi SuaveGato
Using Acrobat 9 Pro here on the Mac.

If you create a PDF form with 12 or so pages and each page has a "Name" field, then name the Name field exactly the same on all pages.
If page one has Name1 and page two has Name2, etc. then it won't work.
Note: the same applies to Phone, Date, etc.
So as long as the fields on each page have the exact name, then you fill in one and all will be filled in.

Hope this helps
IMacQuarker

marathon62 · May 11, 2010

I have been trying to do the same thing. I have a report that has 4 or 5 pages to it. The persons, name, address, certain ID numbners etc are redundant on the forms. I have Adobe 8 professional. If I understand you correct just keep the text boxes named the same like NAME on page one would be NAME on page 2 , 3 etc. When I enter in the name on page 1 it will auto fill it on page 2 and 3? I assume this would work in my version too? Thanks again for your help, I have looked all over the internet for this and in the help file and found nothing other than your post.

IMacQuarker · May 12, 2010

Hi marathon62,
Try this

This example uses 3 pages with Name, Phone, Address.
If you use form wizard it will automatically name them as shown.
Name
Name_1
Name_2
When you change it to just Name the program will rename them like this.
Name#
Name#1
Name#2
You can change that on the left in the fields window or Click the field and show Properties/General/Name and change there.
Another way is to copy and paste the Name Field, that also should work
Click here;

http://nixmailmac.com/name.html

SuaveGato · May 13, 2010

Sounds good folks, THANKS FOR THE SCOOP! I'llhave to round up a copy of Adobe Pro.
Thanks!

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How to make and link Text boxes? 1

SuaveGato

Technical User

FredWagner

MIS

IMacQuarker

Technical User

marathon62

Technical User

IMacQuarker

Technical User

SuaveGato

Technical User

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