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<title>Form (document)</title>

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<span id="openzim-page-title" class="mw-page-title-main"><span class="mw-page-title-main">Form (document)</span></span>

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<p>A <b>form</b> is a <a href="Document" title="Document">document</a> which contains blank spaces (also named <i>fields</i> or <i>placeholders</i>) in which one can write or select an option. Forms can be distributed to several signatories at once, or made available on demand. Before being filled out, each copy of a form is usually identical, except, possibly, for a <a href="Serial_number" title="Serial number">serial number</a>. A form allows an organisation to collect a uniform set of data from many parties in a consistent manner.

</p><p>Forms, when completed, vary in their purpose; for example, a form might be a statement, a request, or an <a href="Order_(business)" title="Order (business)">order</a>. A <a href="Cheque" title="Cheque">cheque</a> may also be considered a form. In addition, there are several forms for taxes. An example is a <a href="Tax_return" title="Tax return">tax return</a>; filling one out is required in order for the amount of tax one owes to be determined. A form may also be a request for a <a href="Tax_refund" title="Tax refund">tax refund</a>.

</p><p>Forms may be filled out in duplicate (or <i>triplicate</i>, meaning three times) when the information gathered on the form needs to be distributed to several departments within an organisation. This can be done using <a href="Carbon_paper" title="Carbon paper">carbon paper</a>.

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<div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="History">History</h2></div>

<p>Forms have existed for a significant amount of time, with historians of <a href="Law" title="Law">law</a> having discovered preprinted legal forms from the early 19th century that greatly simplified the task of drafting <a href="Complaint" title="Complaint">complaints</a> and various other legal pleadings.

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<div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Advantages">Advantages</h2></div>

<p>Advantages of forms include the following:

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<ul><li>One has to write less (while the printing is almost universally done in some automatic way).</li>

<li>One is told or reminded what information has to be supplied.</li>

<li>There is <a href="https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/uniformity" class="extiw external" title="wiktionary:uniformity">uniformity</a>, for convenience in processing.</li>

<li>Information is collected in writing and so can be reexamined later (the form can also include a signature field to allow someone to take responsibility for the accuracy of the information provided).</li>

<li>Simpler tasks, such as collecting or distributing data, can be separated in the <a href="Workflow" title="Workflow">workflow</a> from more skilled processes, such as making decisions. Issuing and processing the forms may then be done by less skilled staff, or by a computer. The de-skilled task becomes issuing or completing the appropriate form for the circumstances, and then passing it on to the next step in the workflow. This might reduce costs and increase the volume of work that can be handled.</li></ul>

<p>A form on a computer allows for conveniently typing in the variable parts (the input data). It can also ensure that all placeholders are filled in properly.

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<div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Form_structure">Form structure</h2></div>

<p>Like a usual document, a form typically contains fixed content. It also contains some placeholders which are meant to be filled in. Blank forms are generally not copyrightable in the US.<sup id="cite_ref-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-1"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup>

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<div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Frame_and_fixed_content">Frame and fixed content</h3></div>

<p>The frame is the part of the document that never changes. It usually contains a title and textual instructions.

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<div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Placeholders">Placeholders</h3></div>

<p>Placeholders, or fields, are boxes or spaces where one can write or type in order to fill out the form.

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<div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Notes">Notes</h2></div>

<li id="cite_note-1"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-1">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text">37 Code of Federal Regulations § 202.1(c) (2006) ("Blank forms, such as time cards, graph paper, account books, diaries, bank checks, scorecards, address books, report forms, order forms and the like, which are designed for recording information and do not in themselves convey information [are not subject to copyright]"); <i>see also <a href="Baker_v._Selden" title="Baker v. Selden">Baker v. Selden</a></i>, 101 U.S. 99 (1880).</span>

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<ul><li><a href="Database" title="Database">Database</a></li>

<li><a href="Questionnaire" title="Questionnaire">Questionnaire</a></li>

<li><a href="XForms" title="XForms">XForms</a></li>

<li><a href="Forms_processing" title="Forms processing">Forms processing</a></li>

<li><a href="Oracle_Forms" title="Oracle Forms">Oracle Forms</a></li>

<li><a href="Master-detail" class="mw-redirect" title="Master-detail">Master-detail</a></li>

<li><a href="Enterprise_forms_automation" title="Enterprise forms automation">Enterprise forms automation</a></li></ul>

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</style><div id="Paper_products118" style="font-size:114%;margin:0 4em"><a href="Paper" title="Paper">Paper</a> products</div></th></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Containers</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em">

<li><a href="Carton" title="Carton">Carton</a></li>

<li><a href="Cigarette_pack" title="Cigarette pack">Cigarette pack</a></li>

<li><a href="Coffee_cup_sleeve" title="Coffee cup sleeve">Coffee cup sleeve</a></li>

<li><a href="Corrugated_box_design" title="Corrugated box design">Corrugated box</a></li>

<li><a href="Corrugated_fiberboard" title="Corrugated fiberboard">Corrugated fiberboard</a></li>

<li><a href="Envelope" title="Envelope">Envelope</a></li>

<li><a href="Molded_pulp" title="Molded pulp">Molded pulp</a></li>

<li><a href="Oyster_pail" title="Oyster pail">Oyster pail</a></li>

<li><a href="Paper_bag" title="Paper bag">Paper bag</a></li>

<li><a href="Paper_cup" title="Paper cup">Paper cup</a></li>

<li><a href="Paperboard" title="Paperboard">Paperboard</a></li>

<li><a href="Shipping_tube" title="Shipping tube">Shipping tube</a></li></ul>

</div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Hygiene</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em">

<ul><li><a href="Facial_tissue" title="Facial tissue">Facial tissue</a></li>

<li><a href="Napkin" title="Napkin">Napkin</a></li>

<li><a href="Paper_towel" title="Paper towel">Paper towel</a></li>

<li><a href="Toilet_paper" title="Toilet paper">Toilet paper</a></li>

</div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="Stationery" title="Stationery">Stationery</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em">

<ul><li><a href="Continuous_stationery" title="Continuous stationery">Continuous stationery</a></li>

<li><a href="Greeting_card" title="Greeting card">Greeting card</a></li>

<li><a href="Index_card" title="Index card">Index card</a></li>

<li><a href="Letter_(message)" title="Letter (message)">Letter</a></li>

<li><a href="Manila_folder" title="Manila folder">Manila folder</a></li>

<li><a href="Notebook" title="Notebook">Notebook</a></li>

<li><a href="Postage_stamp" title="Postage stamp">Postage stamp</a></li>

<li><a href="Postcard" title="Postcard">Postcard</a></li>

</div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Financial</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em">

<ul><li><a href="Banknote" title="Banknote">Banknote</a></li>

<li><a href="Business_card" title="Business card">Business card</a></li>

<li><a href="Coupon" title="Coupon">Coupon</a></li>

<li><a href="Paper_money" title="Paper money">Paper money</a></li>

<li><a href="Passbook" title="Passbook">Passbook</a></li>

<li><a href="Visiting_card" title="Visiting card">Visiting card</a></li></ul>

</div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Decorations</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em">

<ul><li><a href="Ingrain_wallpaper" title="Ingrain wallpaper">Ingrain wallpaper</a></li>

<li><a href="Wallpaper" title="Wallpaper">Wallpaper</a></li></ul>

</div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Media</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em">

<li><a href="Magazine" title="Magazine">Magazine</a></li>

<li><a href="Newspaper" title="Newspaper">Newspaper</a></li>

<li><a href="Newsprint" title="Newsprint">Newsprint</a></li>

<li><a href="Pamphlet" title="Pamphlet">Pamphlet</a></li></ul>

</div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Recreation</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em">

<ul><li><a href="Confetti" title="Confetti">Confetti</a></li>

<li><a href="Paper_craft" title="Paper craft">Paper craft</a></li>

<li><a href="Paper_toys" title="Paper toys">Paper toys</a></li>

<li><a href="Playing_card" title="Playing card">Playing card</a></li>

<li><a href="Quilling" title="Quilling">Quilling</a></li></ul>

</div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Other</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even hlist" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em">

<ul><li><a href="Drink_coaster" title="Drink coaster">Drink coaster</a></li>

<li><a href="Filter_paper" title="Filter paper">Filter paper</a></li>

<li><a href="Paper_model" title="Paper model">Paper model</a></li>

<li><a href="Sandpaper" title="Sandpaper">Sandpaper</a></li>

<li><a href="Security_paper" title="Security paper">Security paper</a></li></ul>

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This article is issued from <a class="external text" title="Last edited on 2024-10-09" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/?title=Form_(document)&oldid=1250276284">Wikipedia</a>. The text is available under <a class="external text" href="https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.en">Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0</a> unless otherwise noted. Additional terms may apply for the media files.

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