Which SharePoint form are you using? (2024)

Welcome to our in-depth guide on leveraging SharePoint forms, Microsoft List, and Power Apps to enhance your data management processes. In our latest video, we dive into these tools, exploring their features, benefits, and limitations. Whether you're new to SharePoint or a seasoned user, this guide will provide you with valuable insights to optimize your workflows.

If you want to see all of the tools in action this check out this video on Getting SharePoint Data? Use the right tool!

SharePoint Or Microsoft Lists default form

The Built in Experience When you create a SharePoint list whether through the SharePoint or Microsoft Lists experience, there is automatically an included experience to Create, Edit, and View your SharePoint data.

With that default form you can make some tweaks by using JSON. It let's you make them look a little different but doesn't really change their functionality. Still, sometimes that is all you need and if so cool. It has literally worked for millions of people over the last 20 years.

Understanding SharePoint Forms

The New SharePoint Forms Button Recently, Microsoft introduced a new forms button in SharePoint, aimed at simplifying data collection. This feature is perfect for quickly setting up forms without needing extensive technical knowledge. However, while it's user-friendly, it comes with some limitations, such as lack of advanced customization and branching logic.

Also, keep in mind these forms only work when you send someone the link. They don't change the default SharePoint experience. You cannot change the look and feel much but collecting data simply is where they shine.

Use Cases and Limitations

  • Quick Data Entry:Ideal for simple data collection scenarios.

  • Security Considerations:Allows data entry without requiring users to have access to the entire list, which can be useful in controlled data collection environments.

Which SharePoint form are you using? (2)

Leveraging Microsoft Forms for Data Collection

Introduction to Microsoft Forms Microsoft Forms is a versatile tool within the Microsoft 365 suite, designed for creating surveys, quizzes, and forms. Unlike the other tools discussed, Microsoft Forms is not directly tied to SharePoint, but it offers a flexible and easy-to-use interface for collecting data from both internal and external sources.

Features and Integration

  • User-Friendly Interface:Microsoft Forms provides a straightforward setup, allowing you to quickly create forms with various question types, including multiple choice, text, and more.

  • External Access:One of the standout features of Microsoft Forms is its ability to collect data from external users, making it ideal for public surveys or feedback forms.

  • Data Storage:Data collected through Microsoft Forms is stored in an Excel file, which can then be integrated into other tools or systems using Power Automate.

Limitations and Considerations

  • No Direct SharePoint Integration:While Microsoft Forms is excellent for collecting data, it does not natively integrate with SharePoint lists. This means that additional steps, such as using Power Automate, are needed to transfer the data into SharePoint.

  • Customization Limits:While it offers basic customization, Microsoft Forms does not provide the same level of control and customization as Power Apps.

Which SharePoint form are you using? (3)

Advanced Customization with Power Apps

Power Apps Integration Power Apps is the go-to tool for creating highly customized forms and applications that interact with SharePoint data. It provides extensive capabilities, allowing users to create complex, multi-step workflows and custom interfaces.

With Power Apps there are two ways to use it here.

  • First, you can use it to make SharePoint better by replacing the SharePoint default form. This will replace that default SharePoint form with one you build in Power Apps. Making the SharePoint Browser experience better.

  • Second, you can build a complete standalone custom app, and have it save data directly to SharePoint. This works great in those complex business scenarios. One of our specialties here at PowerApps911.

Pros and Cons

  • Customization:Power Apps offers unparalleled customization, from simple color changes to complex data manipulation and workflow automation.

  • Security Requirements:Requires proper permissions for users, making it less accessible for broader, anonymous data collection.

Which SharePoint form are you using? (4)

Choosing the Right Tool

Choosing the right tool depends on your specific needs:

  • For simple data collection:The new SharePoint forms are quick and easy to set up.

  • For a more user-friendly interface:Microsoft List offers a clean and straightforward experience.

  • For a flexible experience you can use anywhere: Microsoft Forms allow a host of security options, including anonymous but do require you to build a Power Automate flow to get data into SharePoint.

  • For advanced customization:Power Apps is the best choice, providing a comprehensive suite of tools for building sophisticated applications.

Conclusion

Our goal at PowerApps911 is to help you navigate the complexities of Microsoft 365 and the Power Platform. If you have any questions about these tools or need assistance with other Power Platform or Microsoft 365 solutions, we're here to help. Just scroll down and fill out the contact form, and one of our experts will be in touch!

Which SharePoint form are you using? (2024)

FAQs

What are the forms in SharePoint? ›

SharePoint forms are web-based applications used to enter data into SharePoint lists. SharePoint forms can be created in InfoPath, SharePoint Forms Designer, Power Apps, and Visual Studio.

How do you choose more than one answer on Microsoft Forms? ›

Click on the "More options" button (three dots) and select "Multiple answers" to allow users to select more than one option.

Can you limit the amount of responses in Microsoft Forms? ›

I understand your concern and to my knowledge, I am sorry to convey that there is no setting or feature in the Microsoft Forms to restrict the form responses to only first 50 respondents.

What are the two types of SharePoint? ›

Foundationally, SharePoint has two different types of sites in the modern experience - communication sites and team sites. Each type of site has it's own set of templates that contain pre-populated content, pages, and web parts that can be customized to fit the needs of your organization.

How many responses in Microsoft Forms? ›

If you're using a Microsoft personal account like Hotmail, Live, or Outlook.com, then a free account has a limit of 200 responses. A paid account can receive up to 1,000 responses.

How to choose the correct answer in Microsoft Forms? ›

Select the Correct Answer check mark next to the correct answer or answers. Note: You can select All of the above or None of the above as an option.

Can everyone see the answers on Microsoft Forms? ›

Only the owners of the form can see the responses. 2) Use the Share to Collaborate link from Share in the top right to give your colleague full access to the manage the form and see the responses.

How to share Microsoft Forms for responses? ›

In the Share pane under Send and collect responses, select the drop-down list and choose from whom you want to collect responses.

What is the limit number of responses in a SharePoint survey? ›

Re: Limit number of responses in a survey created in FORMS

You can bypass the limit of 5,000 responses by creating copies of a Form and then storing all the results in a SharePoint list.

What is the maximum number of questions on Microsoft Forms? ›

Microsoft Forms allows you to create up to 200 questions per form/quiz. However, there is no limit on the amount of branching you can use in a form. It's important to note that you can only branch to a question that comes after the current one, and not a preceding question.

Can I have more than 10 options on Microsoft Forms? ›

However, you can exceed the number of options in your survey and all that Forms will do is display a courteous warning message at the top of the page. Now, if you were to fill-in the survey and select an option that is greater than 60, all those responses get pooled into the "Other" option.

What is the difference between a list and a form in SharePoint? ›

Microsoft Forms is a simple product to create and submit forms, quizzes and surveys. Lists is for listing items, similar to a database but wiothout the one-to-many type of relationships.

What are the benefits of SharePoint forms? ›

They allow users to easily create and share forms, collect data and analyze the results. These numerous features and functions make SharePoint Forms the best, easiest and most affordable way to digitize or modernize business processes.

What is form library in SharePoint? ›

A form library is a folder in which a collection of forms that are based on the same form template is stored and shared. Each form in a form library is associated with user-defined information that is displayed in the content listing for that library.

What are out of the box forms in SharePoint? ›

What is SharePoint Out of the Box functionality? Also known simply as SharePoint OOTB, the philosophy revolves around one simple rule: You just configure the functionality already available in SharePoint to achieve the objective, whether you build an Intranet or a Document Management system.

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