How to Duplicate an Excel Form and Change Its Owner
Question details
The user needs to duplicate a Microsoft Forms form linked to an Excel workbook and transfer ownership to a new manager while keeping additional custom response columns intact.
- Product
- Microsoft Excel
- Device & OS
- not provided
- Scenario
- Handing over a Microsoft Forms-connected Excel workbook to a new manager or owner without losing the custom data columns added to the spreadsheet.
- Observed behavior
- To successfully transfer management, the user must copy the workbook, adjust collaboration settings for the form, and understand that extra columns stay in the workbook rather than the form itself.
Ensure you are logged into the Microsoft 365 account that currently owns the form and the connected Excel workbook, and verify that you have permission to share files outside your organization if the new manager is an external user.
Duplicate the Workbook and Add a Co-owner in Microsoft Forms
This is the most reliable method for handing over a connected form and its workbook while retaining your custom spreadsheet data columns.
When a Microsoft Form is connected to an Excel workbook, any additional columns or formulas you add directly in Excel are saved exclusively in the workbook, not in the form. To pass this entire setup to a new manager, you need to copy the workbook and then grant them access to the original or duplicated form.
Locate the original Excel workbook in your OneDrive or SharePoint directory. Right-click the file, select 'Copy to', and save the duplicate in a shared folder accessible to the new manager.
Log into the Microsoft Forms portal and locate the specific form that is actively linked to your Excel workbook.
Click the 'More form settings' icon (three dots) in the top right corner of the form. Select 'Collaborate or Duplicate', then click 'Share to collaborate'. Generate an edit link and send it to the new manager. Alternatively, you can move the form to a shared Microsoft 365 Group to effectively transfer ownership to the group members.
Easily Collect and Manage Form Data with WPS Office
WPS Office features a built-in WPS Form tool that seamlessly links with WPS Spreadsheets. You can easily duplicate forms, collaborate with team members, and manage your data without complex ownership transfer hurdles.
- 1. Open WPS Forms: Launch WPS Office on your computer, navigate to the 'Apps' or 'Tools' tab, and click on 'WPS Form' to access your dashboard.
- 2. Duplicate your form: In the WPS Forms dashboard, locate the form you want to copy, click the 'More' icon next to it, and select 'Duplicate' to create an exact clone.
- 3. Share for collaboration: Open the duplicated form, click the 'Share' or 'Collaborate' button, and invite the new manager via email or a secure link to manage the form and view the connected spreadsheet.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why didn't my extra Excel columns copy over to the Microsoft Form?
Microsoft Forms only stores the default questions and responses. Any additional columns, notes, or formulas created manually in the connected Excel workbook remain strictly within that workbook and are not synced back to the form structure.
Can I directly change the sole owner of a personal Microsoft Form?
No, you cannot directly swap the single owner of a personal form to another individual user. Instead, you must move the form to a Microsoft 365 Group, which grants co-ownership to all members of that group.
Will duplicating a form also duplicate its previous responses?
No. When you duplicate a Microsoft Form, it only copies the questions, structure, and theme. The new duplicated form will start fresh with zero responses. To retain historical data, you must manually copy the original Excel workbook.
