Forum Home
Press F1
 
Thread ID: 107250 2010-02-09 23:40:00 Facsimile IRD forms in Excel 2003 tinakarori (5695) Press F1
Post ID Timestamp Content User
856782 2010-02-09 23:40:00 I want to create a facsimile of an IRD return form in Excel 2003, to facilitate my Small Business client accounting work. So far, I have inserted a full-size picture of the form on a worksheet page, and resized the columns and rows of the worksheet to coincide with those in the form. Now I want to insert "holes" in the superimposed picture at the relevant positions so that information in the cells behind/beneath show through, both on-screen and when the form is printed out.

I have tried various ways to do this using the tools in Excel such as those in the Drawing and Forms toolbars, but with absolutely no success whatever. Actually, I experimented with this a year or so ago with no success and much frustration, gave up, and have just returned to it in preparation for the 31 March 2010 year-end. At this point, my efforts haven't got much further than last time. Can anyone help?
tinakarori (5695)
856783 2010-02-10 00:09:00 Not sure about Excel 2003 but in 2007 I would go to page layout and insert the form as a background image. I assume you have got your image in the foreground.

Something that might give you a start I hope.
Sweep (90)
856784 2010-02-10 01:03:00 Thanks for the suggestion, Sweep. I had tried this, but if the form is inserted as a background = wallpaper, it is not included when the sheet is printed - which rather defeats my purpose. This is the case with Excel 2003 anyway - I'm not sure whether 2007 is any different. tinakarori (5695)
856785 2010-02-10 01:14:00 Hmmmm. You are correct. The background does not print in 2007 either. Sweep (90)
856786 2010-02-10 01:36:00 Looks like the ird have interactive PDF TAX forms online now too so this maybe a better prospect depending on what you want to do.

www.ird.govt.nz
Sweep (90)
856787 2010-02-10 03:18:00 I think you may have to use ActiveX controls/visual basic within excel to achieve image/spreadsheet editing. Or search online for an excel/image editor addon/Plugin to convert to what you require. Plugin examples at excel software informer... (excel.software.informer.com) kahawai chaser (3545)
856788 2010-02-15 03:13:00 Thanks to all contributors, and especially to Sweep: as he/she quite correctly noted, the IR10A form is now among the online IRD forms available. It must be a relatively recent addition, because it wasn't there a few months ago when I last wanted an IR10A. Just shows, I should have checked again instead of immediately diving into Excel! tinakarori (5695)
856789 2010-02-15 03:15:00 Good to hear. I thought that may be the best way to go. Saves reinventing the wheel as it were. :-) Sweep (90)
1