Microsoft Kinds cheat sheet: The best way to get began

Microsoft Kinds is an online app that enables customers to create varied sorts of types that collect data from individuals on-line and retailer that knowledge within the cloud for assessment.

Why is this convenient? Surveys, questionnaires, and different interactive types are an important a part of doing enterprise. They supply an effective way to work together with staff, teammates, prospects, and potential enterprise companions. You should utilize on-line types to gather buyer suggestions or enterprise necessities, conduct market analysis, gauge worker satisfaction, register attendees for an upcoming occasion, check learners’ information after a coaching course, and extra.

Kinds is included with Microsoft 365 subscriptions for people and companies, and a restricted model is out there without spending a dime to anybody with a Microsoft account. On this cheat sheet, we are going to cowl how you can use this program to create questionnaires, add particular sorts of questions, and consider and analyze the responses.

Table of Contents

The best way to create a type from scratch

There are a few methods to begin utilizing the Microsoft Kinds app. A technique is to navigate to your Microsoft 365 house web page, check in if you happen to haven’t already, and click on on the Apps icon within the left panel. The Kinds app ought to seem on the primary a part of your display screen close to the underside. If it isn’t there, use the search bar on the prime of the display screen to seek for types and launch the app.

microsoft forms 01 m365 home — You possibly can launch Microsoft Kinds from the Microsoft 365 house web page. (Click on picture to enlarge it.)

On the subsequent web page, click on the New Kind button.

microsoft forms 02 new form button — Click on the *New Kind* button to begin a brand new type. (Click on picture to enlarge it.)

Alternatively, you possibly can go on to types.microsoft.com and click on the New Kind button.

Both approach, you’ll begin a brand new, clean type within the Kinds app. Right here you are able to do a number of issues, together with including questions, viewing responses, and altering the aesthetics of the shape.

microsoft forms 03 new blank form — A brand new, clean type in Microsoft Kinds. (Click on picture to enlarge it.)

Altering the shape’s title

You’ll first wish to change the title of your type and add an outline. That is the very first thing anybody will see after they open your questionnaire, so that you wish to be sure that the title is simple to grasp and explains what it’s you are attempting to do.

So as to add a title, merely click on on Untitled type, and it is possible for you to to edit the title and add an outline.

microsoft forms 04 change title description — Change the title and add an outline in your type. (Click on picture to enlarge it.)

Including questions

So as to add a brand new query, click on the Add new button. A toolbar seems displaying 4 sorts of questions you possibly can add to your type.

microsoft forms 05 question toolbar — Select which type of query you wish to add. (Click on picture to enlarge it.)

Selection: A number of-choice questions assist you to preselect a set of solutions from which the consumer can select. You may as well add an Different possibility the place customers can sort in a novel response.

By default, a multiple-choice query permits the consumer to pick only one reply. To vary this, click on the A number of solutions slider on the decrease proper to toggle it on. The radio buttons subsequent to the solutions change to checkboxes, and customers can select a couple of.

microsoft forms 06 multiple choice question — This multiple-choice query lets respondents select a couple of reply. (Click on picture to enlarge it.)

To rearrange the solutions in a multiple-choice query, hover your cursor over the reply you wish to transfer till you see six dots seem to the left of the merchandise. Click on and maintain the six dots, then drag and drop the reply to its new location.

Textual content: That is an open-ended query the place you enable the consumer to sort in a solution — good if you wish to accumulate particular person data corresponding to an e mail tackle or hear detailed ideas from respondents. By default, textual content questions settle for quick solutions, however you possibly can allow longer responses by turning on the Lengthy reply toggle.

To limit responses to quantity format, click on the three-dot icon within the lower-right nook of the query field and choose Restrictions. To specify that the quantity be inside a sure vary, corresponding to between 10 and 500, click on the Quantity dropdown, choose Between, and sort within the applicable numbers.

microsoft forms 07 text question — Proscribing the responses for a textual content query to numbers between 10 and 500. (Click on picture to enlarge it.)

Ranking: This query permits respondents to price efficiency, sometimes on a scale of 1 to five (dangerous to glorious). This can provide you an concept of how staff really feel about their supervisor, for example, or how prospects view your services or products. You possibly can regulate the variety of ranges supplied (as much as 10) or change the score symbols from stars to numbers, hearts, smiley faces, checkmarks, or others.

Date: This query shows a calendar and asks respondents to pick a particular date, such because the date an merchandise is requested.

Different query sorts: In the event you click on the down arrow on the proper finish of the query sort toolbar, a pop-up menu seems with 4 further query sorts that you just’ll in all probability use much less ceaselessly:

Rating: Lets respondents rank gadgets so as of choice or significance to them.
Likert: Shows an inventory of things, every with its personal score scale. A standard state of affairs for this sort of query could be to learn the way glad staff are with varied firm advantages.
Add File: Lets respondents add a file. Supported file sorts embody Phrase, Excel, PowerPoint, PDF, pictures, movies, and audio information.
Web Promoter Rating: Asks respondents how doubtless they’re to advocate your services or products, on a scale from 0 (by no means doubtless) to 10 (extraordinarily doubtless).

microsoft forms 08 net promoter score question — A typical Web Promoter Rating query. (Click on picture to enlarge it.)

When you’ve chosen the query sort, enter the query and responses you need respondents to see, then make any changes or restrictions, such because the “a number of solutions” possibility for multiple-choice questions.

Listed below are a number of further duties you’ll doubtless use when including inquiries to your type:

To make a query required (i.e., respondents should reply it with a purpose to full the survey): flip the Required toggle on on the decrease proper of the query field.
To discover further choices for a query, corresponding to the flexibility to shuffle responses or add a subtitle: click on the three-dot icon to the correct of the Required toggle.
So as to add a picture or video to a query: click on the picture icon on the proper finish of the sector the place you enter the query textual content. On the “Insert media” pane that opens, select Insert Picture or Insert Video. For a picture, you are able to do a Bing net search, browse your OneDrive folders, or add a picture out of your pc. For a video, you possibly can paste in a Microsoft Stream or YouTube URL. In a multiple-choice query, it’s also possible to add pictures to the responses.

microsoft forms 09 insert media pane — You possibly can add a picture or video to a query. (Click on picture to enlarge it.)

Constructing out your type

So as to add extra inquiries to your type, simply maintain clicking the Add new button and repeating the steps above. Listed below are a number of extra issues which are helpful to know how you can do:

To duplicate a query: choose the query and click on the Copy query button on the higher proper of the query field. A replica of the query seems instantly beneath it. That is helpful when you have a couple of query with related formatting: it can save you time by duplicating the query and modifying it fairly than ranging from scratch every time.

microsoft forms 10 copy question delete move up down icons — Use the buttons on the higher proper to duplicate a query, delete it, transfer it up, or transfer it down. (Click on picture to enlarge it.)

To maneuver a query up or down: choose the query and use the up or down arrow icons on the higher proper of the query field.

To insert a query in between present questions: choose the query above the place the place you wish to insert the brand new query. Click on the Insert new button (which seems rather than “Add new”) and proceed as standard.

To delete a query: choose the query and click on the trash can icon in its query field.

So as to add a brand new part to the survey: choose the query above the place the place you need the brand new part to look. Choose Add new or Insert new, click on the down arrow on the proper finish of the toolbar, and choose Part from the pop-up menu. Enter a title for the brand new part. You possibly can optionally add a subtitle and picture or video as properly.

microsoft forms 11 new section — It may be useful to interrupt a type into sections. (Click on picture to enlarge it.)

Including branching to your type

This function is non-obligatory, however it’s highly effective: You’ll have a number of questions in your type that you just wish to department — that’s, if the respondent solutions the query a technique, you wish to ship them to a special follow-up query than in the event that they reply the query one other approach. Thus, branching makes essentially the most sense for multiple-choice questions.

It’s greatest to attend till you’ve added all of your inquiries to the survey earlier than you add branching. When you’ve accomplished so, choose the query you wish to department, click on the three-dot icon at its decrease proper, and choose Add branching.

A “Go to” field seems subsequent to every of the solutions. Click on the drop-down menu subsequent to every reply and select the place you wish to ship respondents who select that reply — the subsequent query (the default), the tip of the shape, or a particular query or part within the type.

microsoft forms 12 branching question — Including branching to a query enables you to set totally different follow-up actions for various responses. (Click on picture to enlarge it.)

The best way to create a type from a template

Somewhat than beginning a brand new type from scratch each time, you will get a head begin by utilizing one of many templates Microsoft gives. Go to Microsoft’s Kinds template gallery, the place you possibly can select from a wide range of templates together with a market analysis survey, supervisor suggestions survey, workplace facility request type, and extra. Click on any template to open it in your browser.

microsoft forms 14 template gallery — The Kinds template gallery has greater than a dozen templates to select from. (Click on picture to enlarge it.)

You’ll see a type that’s prepopulated with questions and solutions. You possibly can edit any of the prevailing questions, delete these you don’t need, and add your personal questions into the combination.

microsoft forms 15 employee satisfaction survey template — Utilizing templates provides you a head begin on many commonplace enterprise types. (Click on picture to enlarge it.)

Ranging from a template not solely saves you from having to enter all of your questions manually, it might additionally present priceless questions you wouldn’t consider by yourself.

The best way to create a quiz

Quizzes are much like surveys and different questionnaires, however there are appropriate and incorrect responses. You possibly can assign factors to every query, report respondents’ scores, and clarify why sure responses are proper or improper. A quiz is an effective strategy to assess how properly attendees of a coaching course have realized the subject material and coach them in areas they don’t absolutely perceive.

To create a brand new quiz, go to types.microsoft.com and click on the New Quiz button on the prime of the web page.

Alternatively, you possibly can go to your Microsoft 365 house web page and launch the Kinds app as described earlier within the story. On the Kinds begin web page, click on the down arrow subsequent to the New Kind button and choose New Quiz.

Making a quiz is rather like making a type — you add a title/description and questions the identical approach — besides that you just designate the right reply and assign some extent rating to every query. While you enter the solutions for a query, you’ll see a circled checkmark to the left of every reply. Click on one of many checkmarks to mark it as the right reply. Then go to the Factors field on the backside of the query field and sort the variety of factors the query is value.

microsoft forms 13 quiz format — Quizzes allow you to check respondents’ information. (Click on picture to enlarge it.)

The best way to change your type’s theme

Now that we now have coated the useful facets of Microsoft Kinds, let us take a look at how one can change the feel and appear of your questionnaire. On the highest proper of your type, click on the Theme button to open a panel filled with theme concepts that you should use to alter how your questionnaire seems. Go searching this tab and choose a theme that you just prefer to characterize your organization.

microsoft forms 16 theme ideas panel — Select a theme that fits your organization and the shape itself. (Click on picture to enlarge it.)

To preview how your type will look to respondents as they’re filling it out, click on the Preview button to the left of the Theme button on the prime proper of the web page. You possibly can toggle between Pc view and Cellular view by clicking the buttons on the prime proper of the preview web page.

microsoft forms 17 mobile preview — You possibly can see how your type will look to each desktop and cellular customers. (Click on picture to enlarge it.)

The best way to share your type for others to reply to

As soon as your type is finalized and also you’re prepared to begin sending it to purchasers, staff, or different respondents, choose the Accumulate responses button on the prime proper. On the pane that seems, you possibly can create and customise the hyperlink that you’ll use to share your questionnaire with others.

microsoft forms 18 send collect responses pane — You possibly can ship out a survey hyperlink publicly or privately. (Click on picture to enlarge it.)

If this survey is supposed for individuals exterior your organization, click on the choice that enables anybody to reply. If it’s meant for workers in your organization, select the second possibility. And if you happen to’re on the lookout for suggestions solely from particular individuals in your group, select the third possibility and enter the names or e mail addresses of these individuals.

Subsequent, choose the choice to shorten your URL in order that it is much less spammy and simpler to share with different individuals in a textual content, e mail, or immediate message. You possibly can ship the hyperlink out by clicking the Copy button and pasting it into an e mail or different message. Alternatively, you possibly can fill out the shape on the correct to ship an e mail with an embedded hyperlink.

The best way to view responses

Microsoft robotically retains observe of all responses to your type and gives you with a abstract of that data in a visible dashboard. Merely click on the tab on the prime proper that claims Responses to view your abstract:

microsoft forms 19 responses summary — Kinds collects and summarizes your survey’s responses. (Click on picture to enlarge it.)

To view responses individually, click on the View outcomes button on the left-hand facet underneath your preliminary abstract of responses. On this web page, you possibly can scroll by means of the entire responses that you’ve got obtained to your type.

microsoft forms 20 individual responses — Viewing the solutions from a person respondent. (Click on picture to enlarge it.)

You may as well export your outcomes to Excel for offline viewing. Click on Open in Excel on the correct underneath the preliminary abstract.

microsoft forms 21 open in excel — Click on this button to export your outcomes to Excel. (Click on picture to enlarge it.)

Lastly, you possibly can share this outcomes web page with anybody you need through a hyperlink supplied by Microsoft. Click on on the three-dot icon to the correct of the “Open in Excel” hyperlink and select Share a abstract hyperlink from the pop-up menu. Kinds will generate a hyperlink which you can copy and share.

microsoft forms 22 share summary link — Sharing a abstract hyperlink. (Click on picture to enlarge it.)

Microsoft Kinds cheat sheet: The best way to get began