Word to PDF conversion is not what most users do every day but it might prove to be incredibly useful in some situations. For example, you have some Word files that you want to be filled out by other people without editing their contents. In this case, the most obvious solution is to turn the DOCX documents into fillable PDF forms and fill them in online. Interestingly, there’s a powerful software tool that allows you not only to create and edit Word documents but also convert them into interactive PDF files — ONLYOFFICE Docs.
In this article, you will know what ONLYOFFICE Docs is, how it can make things easier for you and why converting Word documents to fillable PDF forms is best done through this program.
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ONLYOFFICE Docs, a reliable alternative to Google Docs and Microsoft Office
Unlike traditional PDF editing software, for example, Adobe Acrobat DC, ONLYOFFICE Docs is an open-source office package that allows you to work with various files in your browser, like text documents, presentations, spreadsheets and fillable forms. This suite is totally compatible with Word, Excel and PowerPoint formats and even supports ODF files, which turns it into a decent alternative solution to the already-existing applications developed by the tech giants, whether it be Google or Microsoft.
ONLYOFFICE text editor
ONLYOFFICE Docs offers flexible deployment as you can integrate it with various file-sharing platforms and document management systems, including Nextcloud, Nuxeo, ownCloud, ONLYOFFICE Workspace, SharePoint, Alfresco, Moodle, Confluence, Chamilo, etc., and create a collaborative environment on your server. Alternatively, you can access it in the cloud if you don’t want to install anything. ONLYOFFICE’s desktop and mobile apps are available for free use on the most popular operating systems, such as Windows, Linux, macOS, iOS and Android.
As for PDF files, ONLYOFFICE Docs opens them for viewing and makes it possible to save online forms into PDFs with fillable fields. To do so, you just need to use the ONLYOFFICE text editor, so the whole editing process is as simple as possible due to its tabbed interface.
How to turn a DOCX file into a fillable PDF
To convert your Word file into PDF format, you need to create a fillable form first. You can do it by opening your DOCX document in the ONLYOFFICE text editor. Alternately, you are allowed to create a blank form from scratch. If done correctly, your file will be automatically converted to DOCXF, the ONLYOFFICE’s native extension for form templates. Don’t worry, no information is lost during the conversion process, so the layout and contents of your documents will remain untouched.
Now your Word file is a form template that you can edit like any other text document. Please, feel free to insert tables and diagrams, adjust the page margins, choose between various fonts, add numbered and bulleted lists and so on. To put it in a nutshell, you can edit the document as you wish.
If necessary, you can add interactive fields that later can be filled out by other people. The feature is available on the Forms tab. Depending on your needs, ONLYOFFICE Docs allows you to choose from:
- Text fields;
- Radio buttons;
- Checkboxes;
- Drop-down list;
- Images;
- Combo boxes.
Each added field has its own properties that you can set up in the right sidebar. You can also assign a placeholder and a tip so that other users can know what they are supposed to do while filling out any given field.
When the editing process is over, and the document looks like it is supposed to, you can turn it into a fillable PDF form. For this purpose, open the File tab and select the required option from the list:
- Download as…
- Save copy as…
The first option allows you to save a copy on the hard drive of your PC or laptop. In its turn, the second one saves a digital copy of the file in the document management system. Click what suits you best and select PDFdrive or PDF/A. These formats are almost identical.
Congratulations! Your Word file has just been converted into a fillable PDF form with interactive fields. You can share it with other users, and they will be able to open it with any PDF editor, enter the required information and save the changes.
Takeaway
If you want to turn your DOCX files into PDF with fillable fields using the simplest way possible, then ONLYOFFICE Docs is the best choice. It offers much more than traditional Word to PDF conversion and allows you to create customizable online forms for a variety of purposes, including sales, scientific research, legal documentation, personal use, etc.
ONLYOFFICE Docs is a powerful solution that combines the effectiveness of an office suite and the functionality of a PDF form creation tool.. Moreover, converting Word files to fillable PDFs online with ONLYOFFICE Docs is incredibly simple and hassle-free.
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