Responses for Microsoft forms

Question

Hi there, I have a workshop response spreadsheet which is linked to a form. I have split the dates between 2025 and 2026 however the new response keeps coming under 2025 and not 2026

Answer 1

New responses from a Microsoft Form always go into the single live, connected workbook for that form; Forms does not automatically split responses by year. If a “2026” sheet or file was created manually, the form will still keep writing all new responses into the original connected table (for example, the 2025 sheet/workbook).

To keep 2026 responses separate, use one of these supported approaches:

1. Use the built‑in connected workbook only
   • Open the workbook created by selecting Open in Excel from the form’s Responses tab. This workbook has a live data connection and always shows all responses together.
   • Filter or create a PivotTable in Excel to show only 2025 or only 2026 data instead of trying to split the underlying response table.
2. Export and clear to “roll over” to a new year
   • In Forms, export existing responses to Excel.
   • In Forms, clear the responses from the form (this resets the response list while keeping the form itself).
   • Use the exported workbook as the archive for 2025, and let new responses (from 2026 onward) accumulate in the live connected workbook.
3. Use Power Automate to route by year
   • Leave the form connected to its default workbook.
   • Create a flow in Power Automate with trigger Microsoft Forms – When a new response is submitted, then Get response details.
   • Add an Excel Online (Business) – Add a row into a table action that points to a separate 2026 workbook/table and maps the form’s date field and other fields.
   • In Excel, ensure the destination range is formatted as a table before using it in the flow.

If the workbook that was originally created via Open in Excel was moved, renamed, or replaced, Forms may have created a new connected workbook. In that case, verify which workbook is the live one by opening it again from Open in Excel on the form’s Responses tab and use that as the master source of truth.

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References:

• Microsoft Forms and Excel workbooks
• How do I know if the data in my Excel workbook is up to date?
• Setting Up an Automated Workflow Between Microsoft Forms and Excel Through Power Automate
• Common ways to use a form in a flow
• Set up Microsoft Forms
• Form, question, response, and character limits in Microsoft Forms