Online forms

Everyday we use forms to apply for things like courses, jobs or loans.

Many forms ask you to tick boxes, or expect you to fill in a circle or box to show something.

Forms often ask you for personal information like your name and address, and ask you to fill boxes with text.

Online forms are just like paper forms because they require exactly the same types of information.

The only difference is that online forms need to be typed with a keyboard not handwritten with a pen.

Submitting a form

After filling in a paper or online form you then have to submit it.

Often when you submit a form, the person you give it to will check it and then return it to you if it is incomplete.

You can then correct the error or include the missing information. The same happens online, but this time the form will just not process and it will tell you exactly what information you are missing.

After you submit the form it can then be processed.

Where the form goes?

When you enter a web address or click a link on a page, your browser asks the website's computer to send the web page you want.

The computer, often called a web server, will then send the web page to your browser.

After you've filled in an online form using your keyboard and mouse, you submit it over the internet.

This means your online form and the information you type on it, will be sent to the website's server.

What's on an online form?

Online forms have a number of different parts to them. Different forms require you to enter a range of information, so we can only point to the types of features an online form may have - it will vary online.

They can include 'pull-down menus' which you open by clicking on the arrow next to them; 'text boxes' where you type information; and 'radio buttons' that you can only click one of.

They might also include 'check boxes' which you can generally click more than one of to make a choice; and the 'Submit button' which is used to send the completed form off to be processed.

Send for processing

Once you have filled in the variety of different parts of the online form with all the relevant information, just click 'Submit' and the form will then be sent off.

You will usually receive a message telling you that your form has been submitted. If you don't, you may need to try submitting it again.

Well done! You've just completed your first online form!