How to restrict editing of smart fields in a document

This article explains how smart fields in a Word document can be restricted from editing by the end-user.

Locking content controls

To insert dynamic elements, coming from e.g. the User Profile, response form, data sources, smart fields are used. These smart fields have an entry on the Template tab of Template Designer and are inserted as content controls in the template.
By default, these content controls are editable and can be deleted by the end-user after the document is created. To prevent the content controls from being edited or deleted, they can be locked: 

1. Open the Content Control Properties of the selected content control (Developer tab in Word and then click Properties).
2. Enable the options in the Locking section, so the Content control cannot be deleted and/or Contents cannot be edited.
   
   

Behavior of locked content controls

Locking can be applied to all smart field content controls. When locking is enabled, the value in the content control cannot be edited by typing in the content control itself. To update the value in the content control, the user must select Update document, when enabled:

• All form response fields are updated.
• A text element is updated, if Replace on Update is enabled in the smart field. Form response fields in a text element, regardless of Replace on Update is enabled, are updated.