Google Forms is excellent for recording responses from a large group of people, but analyzing that data can be cumbersome. For easier data manipulation and more in-depth analysis, I prefer transferring Google Forms data to a Google Sheets spreadsheet. Here’s how I do that.
Linking a Google Form to a Google Sheets Spreadsheet
By linking a form to a sheet, I can automatically collect all responses in a structured format. Each question from the form shows up as a column in the spreadsheet, and every response gets recorded in a new row. The best part is that this setup requires no manual effort from me apart from linking, and the sheet updates in real-time on its own.
Here’s how you can link a Google Form to a Google Sheets spreadsheet:
- Navigate to Google Forms in your browser.
- Create a new form or open an existing one that you want to link to the spreadsheet.
- Go to the Responses tab in your form.
- Click Link to Sheets.
- Select Create a new spreadsheet.
- Enter a name for your spreadsheet in the text box and hit Create.
I can also connect multiple Google Forms to a single Google Sheets document if necessary. To do this, I need to choose the Select existing spreadsheet option and then select the spreadsheet where I want the responses to appear.
No matter which option I choose, Google Sheets will automatically format and structure the form data in a table. After that, I can customize the table in Google Sheets to fit my preferences.
Once I’ve linked the form, I can start analyzing the data right away. The responses will be neatly organized, so I can easily apply formulas, create charts, filter responses, and connect with other data analytics tools through Google Sheets’ integrations.
Enabling Email Notifications for New Form Responses in Google Sheets
To stay informed about new responses submitted in my Google Form, I like to enable email notifications in Google Sheets. This feature allows me to receive an alert immediately after someone submits a response or as a daily summary email. This way, I can stay updated on new entries and make sure that important data doesn’t go unnoticed.
To enable email notifications for new form responses in Google Sheets:
- Open the Google Sheets spreadsheets linked to your Google Form.
- Click the Tools menu at the top and select Notification settings > Edit notifications.
- Select A new user submits form option.
- Choose your preferred option for alert: Email – daily digest or Email – straight away.
- Click Save.
And that’s it! I’ll now receive notifications about new responses in real-time or daily, depending on my preference. This is especially helpful when I need to take prompt action on incoming entries.
Unlinking Google Forms to a Google Sheets Spreadsheet
Unlinking a Google Form from its connected Google Sheets spreadsheet is just as easy. Doing so prevents any new responses in the form from appearing in my Google Sheets spreadsheet.
To unlink a Google Form from the connected Google Sheets spreadsheet:
- Open the Google Form from which you want to unlink your spreadsheet.
- Alternatively, open the Google Sheets spreadsheets you want to unlink, click the Tools menu, and select Manage form > Edit form.
- Go to the Responses tab.
- Click the three-dot icon and select Unlink form.
- Click Unlink to confirm.
The good thing is that unlinking the form doesn’t affect the spreadsheet at all, so my previously recorded responses and other data will stay intact.
The sheer volume of information coming in through Google Forms can sometimes be overwhelming. To effectively analyze this data and gain valuable insights, I’ve found that transferring Google Forms responses to a Google Sheets spreadsheet is incredibly helpful. You can also try this for yourself and see how it turns out.
