How can I sync deleted responses from Forms to the response Excel worksheet?

Question

My Microsoft Form is linked to an Excel workbook that is saved in SharePoint. This workbook is then connected to PowerBI for other functions, so I am trying to avoid creating a new workbook. I have a bunch of test responses I would like to delete and not have reflected in my downstream workflows tied to the workbook. However, when I delete them, they do not stay deleted in the workbook.

• When I delete the responses within the Form, the workbook does not reflect the changes.
  • I have tried deleting each response individually, as well as deleting all responses. The workbook does not update.
  • I have tried deleting all responses within the form first, then deleting the response rows in the workbook. However, when I add a new test response, all of the previously deleted rows reappear.
  • I have tried deleting all the response rows in the workbook first and then deleting all the responses in the form, and all of the previously deleted rows reappear after a new response is submitted.
• Furthermore, we are using forms to request a date and trainer for a training session. Sometimes these training session dates get rescheduled and a different trainer gets assigned.
  • Is there a way to update the response details so my downstream PowerBI can see the reflected changes, without being overridden by the original submission each time a response is added?
  • There will be one main user populating the form, so the "change submission" option is not ideal, their Forms homepage would be flooded with hundreds of options with no way to differentiate which submission they want to change.

Answer 1

Hi @Melanie Luttig, 

Welcome to the Microsoft Q&A forum.     

Thank you for reaching out and providing detailed information about your scenario. I appreciate the time you took to explain your requirements clearly. 

The Q&A assist response accurately confirmed that Microsoft Forms does not support syncing deleted responses to Excel, deletions in Forms do not remove data from the linked workbook, and Power Automate can be used to automate updates to Excel or other sources. 

I would also like to add some additional information, and I hope you find it helpful: 

1/ Why deleted responses reappear in Excel 

• The link between Forms and Excel works as a one-way, append-only sync. This means that any deletions in Forms or manual removals in Excel won’t persist because the sync process restores previous rows. 
• As a result, Excel linked to Forms isn’t designed for full CRUD (Create–Update–Delete) operations. 

2/ Impact on Power BI 

Power BI simply reflects the data available in Excel. If old or test records remain in the workbook, they will appear in reports. This is not a Power BI issue but a limitation of the data source. 

3/ Short-term workarounds 

• Disconnect and sync to a new workbook to start fresh. Please note this only resets the connection and doesn’t address long-term update/delete needs. 
• Add a field such as “IsTest” or “Status” in Forms and filter these records out in Power BI. 

4/ Sustainable solution  

Consider moving to a SharePoint List as the main data source and using Power Automate to: 

• Automatically write responses from Forms to the List. 
• Use a unique identifier (e.g., BookingID) to Update or Create items when rescheduling. 
• Delete or edit directly in the List so Power BI reflects changes immediately. 

You can refer to these articles:  

• Introducing Forms data sync to Excel | Microsoft Community Hub 
• Save Microsoft Forms Responses to SharePoint List Using Power Automate 

Note: Microsoft is providing the above information as a convenience to you. Some of the websites are not under Microsoft's control. Microsoft cannot make any representations regarding the quality, safety, or suitability of any software or information found there. Please make sure that you completely understand the risk before retrieving any suggestions from the above link    

In case you require more in-depth guidance or support for these steps, I’d recommend posting your query in the Microsoft Power Automate Community. This is a dedicated channel for Power Automate discussions. The reason I suggest posting a new topic there is that in the general Q&A Forum, resources and expertise on Power Automate are limited. In the Microsoft Power Platform Community Forum, you’ll find the most qualified group of respondents, and other partners who regularly read the forums can share their knowledge or learn from your interaction. 

I hope this information is helpful. Please follow these steps and let me know if it works for you. If not, feel free to share them in the comments on this post so I can continue to assist you.   
Thank you again for your time and for raising this important usability concern.  

---

If the answer is helpful, please click "Accept Answer" and kindly upvote it. If you have any extra questions about this answer, please click "Comment".  

Note: Follow the steps in our documentation to enable email notifications if you want to receive email notifications related to this topic.  

Answer 2

Currently, Microsoft Forms does not provide a built-in feature to sync deleted responses directly to the linked Excel workbook. When you delete responses from Microsoft Forms, those deletions do not automatically reflect in the Excel workbook that is linked to the form. This can lead to confusion, especially when managing data for downstream applications like Power BI.

Here are some detailed steps and workarounds you can consider:

1. Exporting Responses: Instead of deleting responses directly in Microsoft Forms, consider exporting the responses to an Excel spreadsheet. This allows you to manage the data manually. You can delete unwanted responses from the exported file without affecting the original form.
2. Syncing Responses: If you want to reset the response data in the Excel workbook, you can try the following:
   • Go to the Responses tab in Microsoft Forms.
   • Click on the ellipses (three dots) and select "Sync all responses to a new workbook." This will create a new workbook with the current responses, but it won't delete responses from the original workbook.
   • You can then manually manage the data in the new workbook.
3. Updating Response Details: For situations where details like training dates or trainers need to be updated:
   • Unfortunately, once a response is submitted, it cannot be edited directly in Microsoft Forms. You might consider creating a new form for updated responses or using a different method to track changes.
   • Alternatively, you can maintain a separate Excel sheet where you log changes and updates, which can be referenced in Power BI.
4. Using Power Automate: To automate the process of updating your Excel workbook based on form responses, consider using Power Automate. You can set up a flow that triggers when a new response is submitted, allowing you to update the Excel workbook accordingly. This can help ensure that your data remains current without needing to delete and resubmit responses.
5. Managing Form Responses: If there will be one main user populating the form, consider using a unique identifier for each submission. This way, you can track which submissions need to be updated without overwhelming the user's Forms homepage with numerous options.

In summary, while there is no direct way to sync deleted responses from Forms to the Excel workbook, using these workarounds can help you manage your data more effectively and ensure that your downstream workflows in Power BI are accurate.

---

References:

• Forms response columns are out of order
• Microsoft Forms and user accounts