The NIH Electronic Forms Users' Group will gladly accept forms created by others to place on our web site provided they meet our criteria. For your information, we are providing step by step instructions on how we create forms that meet our criteria. The same steps apply no matter what software package you use.
Official number of the form. Do not use dashes, slashes, or spaces. If a dash or slash is required, use an underline.
Extension identifying the software
.FRP - FormFlow
FileMaker Pro
Mac - Helvetica & Times
If your text contains a question number or letter, the number or letter must be in a separate text block usually sized at .15, .25, or .30 inches wide. This ensures that the question numbers and the question texts line up.
Every line of text must be in a separate text block which is then moved up against the block above. This may sound like the hard way to do it and you may ask why you can't simply type and use a return. We must insist on this method because the spacing around the letters is different between the IBM and Mac platforms and this locks your text into place so it doesn't shift on the opposite platform.
Stretch your text block at least 1/4 inch longer than the print requires. This allows space for the text to spread to the right (especially if you are creating a form on the Mac and want to use it on the IBM).
Create the fields you need and move them into place. We restrict field names to 10 characters because of truncation problems in some computers and software. We have set up a system of abbreviated words to use in our field names which is provided and updated (See Field Names).
If your field is in a page of printed text (i.e., an agreement) and needs to be underlined or is a box, use your borders, try not to draw a separate line.
If your field is in an official form with a grid pattern which has lines drawn horizontally and vertically, do not use your borders for lines unless your field is a box.
Always set the border width and drawn lines at hairline.
FileMaker Pro
Form Flow - You must have the Designer software to do this.
Header - The header is used by us to place a release date which helps the users to determine whether they have the latest version of a form. Every time a form is revised, we change the release date. The header also contains information on approval status.
Footer - The footer contains special printing instructions (i.e., print back to back, print on color paper, print 3 copies, etc.).
FileMaker Pro
FormFlow does not allow you to name the layout but lists only numbers for pages.
Do not scroll down to the next page. Different computers and printers will move the pages up and down in the printouts. The only way to ensure the pages do not move is to place them on separate layouts.
FileMaker Pro
FileMaker Pro
FileMaker Pro
FileMaker Pro