MS Form not syncing with Excel

Question

I created a MS Form (I don't remember exactly where, but it was most likely through Forms on the web). Originally, the data entered into the Form seemed like it was syncing with the Excel sheet, but at some point, it stopped. I thought that since some time had passed since I had first created the Form and Excel sheet, that the data had not been syncing after the initial creation of it, and that I was now looking at just the original data on the Excel sheet from the first time I created the Form.

I then went into the Form and clicked the option "Sync all responses to new workbook" and all the responses that were entered into the Form at that point showed up on the new Excel sheet. I then entered another Form response, and it did not sync to the new Excel sheet. How do I get the Form to always sync to the excel sheet?

Answer 1

Hi Jessica,

Welcome to Microsoft Community.

Based on the description, what happened on your side is actually a default behavior, see this official reference: Microsoft Forms and Excel workbooks - Excel.

Generally, if a form is created from Forms on the Web, then we can only get workbook each time via clicking the 'Open in Excel' button and can NOT sync with new responses. While forms created in OneDrive or Excel for the Web will be able to sync latest updates in that workbook.

The reason is mainly because if you want to use the sync feature, it has to be connected with some cloud storage service to save the workbook. Hence, forms created in OneDrive or Excel for the web will make a workbook connected with the form and save it in your OneDrive storage place and update the data in there automatically.

Hope this can help you understand the way how synced workbooks work with forms and make your work more efficiently next time you use Forms.

Have a nice day and take care.

Best Regards,

Mia

Answer 2

Hi,

Feel free to post back if you have any further concern.

Best Regards,

Mia

Answer 3

Oh wow, I had no idea! Of course, I chose the one thing that would not do what I needed it to do.

Thanks for your help! I really appreciate it.

~Jessica

Answer 4

Is it possible to convert a form already made through the Web app into a Onedrive form? I would like to enable the sync capability without having to recreate the form.

Answer 5

Hi,

We are sorry to convey the starting point is the key to decide if a form has the connection to cloud storage.

Best Regards,

Mia