Responses missing on Microsoft Forms

Question

Good morning,

Recently I have made up two separate forms for parents to complete but seem to have missing responses. Parents have completed the form but I cannot see this response when I collect the responses. One parent did show me proof that they had completed it but I could not see this on my spreadsheet of responses.

Thanks

Answer 1

Hi @Jade Johnston-Cowan, 

Thank you for posting your question in the Microsoft Q&A forum.                   

I understand how confusing and frustrating it can be when expected form responses don’t appear, especially when parents have confirmed that they’ve submitted them. I’ll do my best to help, and to start with, I’d like to ask a few clarifying questions so we can better understand what’s happening and narrow down the possible causes:  

• Are you viewing responses directly in Forms, or via an Excel spreadsheet (either exported or stored in OneDrive/SharePoint)? 
• Did the parents submit the forms using the same link that you shared with them, or were there multiple versions of the form? 
• Have you tried creating a new test form or submitting a test response yourself? If so, does the issue occur there as well? 
• Is the Excel sheet linked directly from Forms (via "Open in Excel"), stored in OneDrive/SharePoint, or connected via Power Automate/flow? 
• When did parents say they submitted (exact dates)? 
• Did you set any response limits, end dates, or "Accept responses" toggles in Settings (via the three dots menu)? 
  

Thank you again for your time and understanding. While my initial response may not resolve the issue immediately, I’d like to gather more details about your situation so I can assist you more effectively.    

I really appreciate your patience, and I’m here to help. Looking forward to your response!              

Wishing you and your family a prosperous New Year.                                     

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Answer 2

If you are experiencing missing responses in Microsoft Forms, it could be due to a few reasons. One common issue is that responses may not appear in the response spreadsheet if there is a problem with syncing or if the responses were submitted anonymously and the settings do not allow for tracking.

To troubleshoot this issue, you can try the following steps:

1. Check the Responses Tab: Ensure that you are looking at the correct responses tab in Microsoft Forms. Sometimes, responses may not be immediately visible due to syncing issues.
2. Sync Responses: You can try syncing the responses to a new workbook. To do this, go to the Responses tab, click on the ellipses (three dots), and select "Sync all responses to a new workbook." This can help reset the order of the columns and may reveal missing responses.
3. Review Form Settings: Check if the form settings allow responses from users outside your organization. If they were submitted anonymously, you may not see identifiable information unless you required names in the form.
4. Export Responses: If you need to keep track of responses, consider exporting existing responses to an Excel workbook and clearing them from the form to collect new responses.

If the problem persists, it may be beneficial to reach out to Microsoft support for further assistance.

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References:

• Forms response columns are out of order
• Manage Forms