SharePoint Document Issues

How to Move a Forms for Excel Form to Another SharePoint Site

Algirdas Jasaitis Oct 13, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user needs to move an existing Forms for Excel workbook from one SharePoint site to another without losing the ability to receive new form responses.

How to Move a Forms for Excel Form to Another SharePoint Site

Product: Microsoft Excel
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Reorganizing document libraries or migrating data between different SharePoint sites while keeping active form workflows intact.
Observed behavior: Moving the workbook directly via SharePoint's native move feature changes the file path, which breaks the connection and prevents new form responses from updating the original workbook.

Before you start

Ensure you have owner or edit permissions for both the source Microsoft Form and the document library of the destination SharePoint site before starting the migration.

Solution 1Recommended

Sync Responses to a New Workbook via Microsoft Forms

This is the safest and recommended method to migrate your data. It establishes a fresh connection to a new workbook in the destination site without breaking incoming responses.

Because Forms for Excel relies on a specific file path to push new responses to a workbook, moving the file directly breaks this path. By initiating the sync from Microsoft Forms instead, you allow the system to safely generate a new workbook at the destination and restore the data pipeline.

Open Microsoft Forms

Log into Microsoft 365 and open the specific form you wish to migrate in the Microsoft Forms interface.

Navigate to Responses

Click on the 'Responses' tab located at the top of the form editing screen.

Access More Options

Click on the 'More options' icon (represented by three dots) situated next to the 'Open in Excel' button.

Sync to a New Workbook

Select 'Sync all responses to a new workbook' from the dropdown menu. This action will automatically create a new response workbook in the default document library of the destination SharePoint site.

Sync Responses to a New Workbook via Microsoft Forms

Migration Complete: All historical responses will be populated into the newly created workbook, and future responses will correctly update this new file.

Solution 2

Move the File Directly for Archival Purposes

Use this method only if the form is no longer active and you simply need to archive the existing data to a different SharePoint site.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Looking for a Lightweight Alternative for Your Spreadsheets?

While migrating complex Forms for Excel workflows relies heavily on the SharePoint ecosystem, you can handle your everyday spreadsheet analysis and data management tasks more efficiently with WPS Office. It provides a familiar interface, robust functionality, and complete compatibility with standard Office files.

1. Download WPS Office: Visit the official WPS website and download the free WPS Office installer for your operating system.
2. Install and Launch: Follow the on-screen instructions to install the suite, then launch WPS Spreadsheet.
3. Open Your Excel Data: Click 'Open' and select your exported .xlsx form responses to instantly view and analyze your data.

100% compatible with Microsoft Excel (.xlsx, .xls, .csv) formatsLightweight installation with fast, responsive startup timesFree to use with a familiar and intuitive user interfaceSeamlessly open and edit exported form data without compatibility issues

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why did my Excel workbook stop updating after I moved it in SharePoint?

When you move an Excel workbook directly using SharePoint, the internal file path URL changes. Microsoft Forms is unable to track this new location, which permanently breaks the connection for incoming form responses.

Can I manually relink a moved Excel workbook to the original Microsoft Form?

No, Microsoft Forms does not currently support manually re-linking to an existing, moved workbook. You must use the 'Sync all responses to a new workbook' option to establish a new active connection.

Where does the newly synced workbook get saved?

When you choose to sync responses to a new workbook from Microsoft Forms, the new Excel file is automatically generated and saved in the destination SharePoint site's default document library.

Document & File Issues