Microsoft Internet Explorer is open, showing a Web page that contains a form with the headline "Travel itinerary." The pointer scrolls to the Additional Info field, which contains the phrase, "I wish I could show you a photo of the hotel...."

Tired of dull forms that all seem to look the same? Now you can give them style and flair. What's more, they're easier for people to use.

Let people enter their information with style.

The scene changes to InfoPath, and a form appears, titled "My Travel Itinerary." The pointer scrolls down the form to the Additional Info field, which contains the sentence, "Here is a photo of the hotel." Text appears saying You're going to love it! The pointer selects that sentence.

When you design a form in InfoPath 2003, you can enable full formatting in rich text boxes. Then people who use the form can add comments using tables, images, and text formats to personalize and clarify their input.

The pointer moves to the Formatting toolbar, where it clicks the Bold button. It then clicks the Font Color button, and a grid of sample colors appears. The pointer clicks red, and the grid closes.

The pointer clicks the Additional Info field, where the text previously selected becomes boldface and red.

It's easy to make essential information stand out from the rest. People will notice this text when it's colored red.

The pointer moves to the Insert menu, points to Picture, and then clicks From File.

In the Insert Picture dialog box, the pointer selects an image labeled "Hotel" and then clicks the Insert button.

The dialog box closes, and the Additional Info field now contains that image.

And this picture is worth a thousand words.

The form switches to Design mode. The pointer double-clicks the Comment field, and the Rich Text Box Properties dialog box opens.

On the Display tab, the pointer shows the options, and then clicks OK. The dialog box closes.

You allow rich text fields in the form design stage. InfoPath automatically provides their range of formatting once you insert them.

The form disappears, and in a blank document window the pointer moves to the File menu. The pointer clicks Open.

In the Open dialog box, the pointer selects a form, and then clicks the Open button. A form appears with saved results, including formatted text and clip art. The pointer scrolls down the form. Next the animated text Experience Your Own Great Moments appears. Under it appears the static text For more information followed by a URL: http://www.microsoft.com/office.

When people save or submit the form, all rich text formatting stays with it, clearly visible to everyone who looks at it later. Here are some form results from last month.

Helping people share all the information they need — making key data stand out from the rest — rich text formatting is another reason that InfoPath is a stand-out value.

Let Office 2003 brighten your day.