Tip: Use Word to Fill in Scanned Documents

Have you ever got stuck having to fill out a paper document, only to butcher it with your handwriting? Paper forms filled out with sloppy handwriting are unprofessional and may even miscommunicate an important detail. To help your paper forms look professional, Microsoft Word allows you to scan the doc and then enter text; we'll show you how!

The first step that you'll take is to fire up the scanner and then scan your paper form. You will want to save your scan as a graphics file, preferably one that Word commonly uses like .jpg, .png, or .bmp. With your paper form scanned and saved in an accessible file, you will now want open Word and insert it into a blank document.

At the top of Word you will see the Insert tab, click on this tab to display the Insert menu options. In the Illustrations group, you will see an icon labeled Picture, it looks like a Polaroid pic of some mountains, click on it and then navigate your way to the file folder that contains your scanned form, and now double-click your graphic.

Word will have your picture file selected, as distinguished by white circles displayed on the corners of your scanned document. You will see at the top of Word a Picture Tools tab that is automatically opened up to Format. To the right of Picture Styles you will see the Arrange section, go ahead and click on Wrap Text. A drop down menu will now appear. From here, find and click on Behind Text.

Your graphic should now fade because it's in the background. You will now be able to type as you would normally, just use your graphic as template and be sure not to move it. You may have to adjust the font, font size, and tab stops in order to get your cursor right where you want it. With your form typed up just how like it, go ahead and print off your document and impress everyone with your professional looking forms!