We have touched base on how to create a Microsoft Form, and how to use that form to gather feedback from presentations, but it is a Microsoft product, so there are quite a few cool things that you can do with these Forms. Let’s take a look at a few cool things that Forms has to offer, and how we can leverage them to help us get more engagement from our audience.

1. Accessible by External Users

The first cool feature is that you can set forms up to be available to users outside of your organization, and without a Microsoft 365 account. This can be done by simply clicking the “Share” button, and changing your drop down from “Only people in my organization can respond” to “Anyone with the link can respond”.

This opens up forms to be used for many different external purposes. We here at Bloom Software are using it as a questionnaire for our Bloom Software Connects (which is an amazing opportunity for a Manitoba not-for-profit), so that we can get to know the applicants a little better. It could also be used for things such as:

• Contact Us forms on your website
• Potential client questionnaire
• Customer feedback
• Complaint forms
• RSVPs

As you can see, the ability to use forms to gather external information is quite amazing.

2. Email Submission Notifications

Another great feature is the ability to receive an email, and send an email when a form has been completed. To do this, you just need to go to “…”, then “Settings”, and then you will see both options under your notifications tab.

Note: This can only be done for personal forms, if it is a group form, you must make a Power Automate flow.

This is a pretty basic feature, but it does open the door for when you are gathering information, that both you and the person filling out the questions know that they are complete, and submitted. If you are using it for things such as feedback, complaints, or really anything that is client-facing, it gives them the peace of mind that they have been heard, and that the form has been submitted. For you, it means that you will get updated as soon as a form has been completed, making sure you can respond promptly, or handle the issue as soon as possible.

3. Custom 'Thank You' Message

Another quick addition that can help bring people peace of mind that the form has been complete is a custom thank you message. This will be a pop-up that will come up once you have completed the Form. This is an amazing feature for anything client-facing, because not only do you now have the email they get, but you also have a form completion message to double down on the confirmation that they have been heard.

To implement this, click into your “Settings”, and then check off “Customized thank you message”. You will then simply enter the message you would like depending on what your circumstances are (i.e. something that requires a response, you provide a timeline.)

4. Multilingual Forms

This is my favorite feature I have seen in forms. As a bilingual person, I think it is super cool when you can access documentation in multiple languages. To create a multilingual form, simply click into “Settings” then into "Multilingual". Select “Add additional language”, then it will provide you with a drop-down of the secondary languages you can select. Select the language you want, and to start writing your questions in that language, select the pencil icon.

Once you clicked the pencil icon, it will bring you to a new screen. You will need to click on each question, and it will let you fill in the form as if you did it the first time, but in the selected language.

Once complete, just click back. When the person is completing the form, they will now have a drop-down in the top right corner that will allow them to select which language they would like to complete the form in.

5. File Attachments

Note: This is only available for internal forms. You cannot share to everyone and have file attachments.

File attachments can be an amazing way to use forms for more than just front-facing information gathering. For example, maybe you have an employee referral program, where the employee attaches a colleagues' resume. I used to work with Winnipeg Fire and Paramedics, and we had to dispute tickets with legal for certain kinds of vehicles going to emergencies, and this would have been a great tool to add all the information and attach the ticket to it.

To allow someone to add an attachment, again, make sure that it is an internally shared form. Then, add a question just like you normally would, but this time, select the drop-down at the end and select "File upload".

When the file is uploaded, it is important to note that it will be stored in one of the following destinations:

• Personal Forms - "/Apps/Microsoft Forms" folder in OneDrive.
• Group Forms - "/Apps/Microsoft Forms" folder in the default document library of the SharePoint site.

Try It Yourself

Microsoft Forms has a bunch of neat features that help us enrich the experience of our users. I have been using Forms more and more in my daily life, including COVID questionnaires for my sports teams. It has been a great time learning about these use cases, and there are so many more things that you can do using forms, including integrations with Power Automate.

If you think of a great use case for your organization, try using these features when creating your next form! To learn even more awesome ways to use Microsoft Forms, connect with us at Bloom Software, and we'll help make your ideal form a reality.