SharePoint Document Issues

How to Approve SharePoint List Items Submitted Through Microsoft Forms

John Wilson Sep 28, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user wants to hold Microsoft Forms submissions in a SharePoint list for editor review, ensuring general site visitors cannot view the submissions until they are approved.

How to Approve SharePoint List Items Submitted Through Microsoft Forms

Product: Microsoft SharePoint
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Managing incoming form submissions in a SharePoint list using a draft and approval workflow.
Observed behavior: By default, new list items are immediately visible to all site members, whereas they need to be hidden in a pending state until an editor manually approves them.

Before you start

Ensure you have 'Design' or 'Full Control' permission levels on the SharePoint list, as standard 'Edit' permissions do not grant access to modify list versioning and approval settings.

Solution 1Recommended

Enable Content Approval in SharePoint List Versioning Settings

Configure your SharePoint list to require content approval for all submitted items, which forces new Microsoft Forms entries into a hidden 'Pending' status.

By enabling content approval, any automated submissions from Microsoft Forms will be treated as drafts. You can restrict the visibility of these drafts so that only assigned approvers and the original author can view them prior to official approval.

Open List Settings

Navigate to your target SharePoint list. Click the gear icon (Settings) in the top-right corner of the screen, then select 'List settings' from the dropdown menu.

Access Versioning Settings

In the List settings page, locate the 'General Settings' column and click on 'Versioning settings'.

Require Content Approval

At the top of the Versioning Settings page, find the 'Content Approval' section. Under 'Require content approval for submitted items?', select the 'Yes' radio button.

Restrict Draft Item Visibility

Scroll down to the 'Draft Item Security' section. Select the option that says 'Only users who can approve items (and the author of the item)'. This ensures general site visitors cannot see pending submissions.

Save Changes

Click the 'OK' button at the bottom of the page to apply your changes. Editors can now review and approve new form submissions from the list view.

Enable Content Approval in SharePoint List Versioning Settings

Workflow Activated: Once configured, new items will display a 'Pending' status in the approval column. Reviewers can click the ellipsis (...) next to a list item and select 'Approve/Reject' to change its visibility.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Manage Data and Documents Easily with WPS Office

While SharePoint handles backend list approvals, WPS Office provides a powerful, free alternative to Microsoft Office for managing the exported form data, analyzing spreadsheets, and editing documents locally.

1. Export Form Data: Export your Microsoft Forms or SharePoint list data as an Excel (.xlsx) file.
2. Open with WPS Spreadsheet: Launch WPS Office and open the downloaded .xlsx file.
3. Analyze and Format: Use WPS Spreadsheet's built-in formulas, pivot tables, and formatting tools to easily review and present your collected data.

Fully compatible with Microsoft Excel (.xlsx), Word (.docx), and PowerPoint (.pptx) formats.Lightweight installation with a user-friendly, familiar tabbed interface.Built-in robust spreadsheet tools for filtering, sorting, and analyzing form data.Completely free core features, offering an excellent alternative for personal and business use.

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why can't I find the Versioning settings in my SharePoint list?

You need administrative permissions, specifically 'Design' or 'Full Control', to access Versioning settings. If you only have 'Edit' or 'Contribute' permissions, the option will be hidden. Contact your site owner to adjust your permissions.

How do editors approve or reject a pending item?

An editor can navigate to the SharePoint list, select the pending item, click the three horizontal dots (ellipsis) to open the context menu, and click 'Approve/Reject'. They can then select 'Approved' or 'Rejected' and leave a comment.

Can I automate notifications for new submissions waiting for approval?

Yes. While SharePoint handles the pending status, you can use Power Automate to create a simple workflow that sends an email or Microsoft Teams notification to editors whenever a new item is added to the list.

Will anonymous form submitters see the approval status?

No. If a Microsoft Form allows anonymous responses, SharePoint records the author as 'System Account' or 'Anonymous'. The submitter will not be able to track the item in SharePoint, nor will they have access to view the draft.

Document & File Issues