Data Import & Export

How to Fix Deleted Microsoft Forms Responses Still Appearing in Excel

John Wilson Oct 10, 2026 870 views

Question details

The user deleted responses in Microsoft Forms but found that they still appear in the connected Excel workbook, and needs a way to report only the current day's submissions.

How to Fix Deleted Microsoft Forms Responses Still Appearing in Excel

Product: Microsoft Forms / Microsoft Excel
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Exporting and managing form responses in an Excel workbook for daily reporting.
Observed behavior: Deleted responses in Microsoft Forms are not removed from the connected Excel file, leaving outdated or unwanted data in the reports.

Before you start

Ensure you have access to the original Microsoft Form and the connected Excel workbook. It is highly recommended to create a backup copy of your Excel file before applying bulk filters or automated workflows.

Solution 1Recommended

Filter Excel Data to Show Only Current Submissions

The most direct way to handle lingering responses is to use Excel's built-in filtering tools to display only the data from your desired date.

Because Microsoft Forms uses a one-way sync to push data to Excel, deleting a response in the form does not delete the row in the spreadsheet. Filtering allows you to hide deleted or old responses without permanently altering the source data.

Open the connected Excel workbook

Locate and open the Excel file that is synced with your Microsoft Forms responses.

Enable the Filter tool

Select the header row of your data table, navigate to the 'Data' tab on the ribbon, and click 'Filter'.

Filter by Completion Time

Click the filter drop-down arrow on the 'Completion time' column (or whichever column tracks the submission date).

Select the current date

Go to 'Date Filters' and select 'Today', or specify a custom date range to view only the current day's submissions.

Filter Excel Data to Show Only Current Submissions

Data Persistence: Filtering only hides the rows from view. If you export this filtered view or create charts, only the visible data will be used.

Solution 2

Use Power Automate to Separate Daily Responses

Automate your data management by setting up a Power Automate flow to save each day's new responses into a fresh, separate Excel file.

Solution 3

Create a New Form for Each Day

If you strictly need fresh, isolated data daily without relying on filters or automation, duplicating the form is a reliable workaround.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Manage Your Spreadsheet Data Smoothly with WPS Office

While Microsoft Forms integration behaviors are specific to the Microsoft ecosystem, reviewing, filtering, and analyzing your exported Excel data doesn't have to be difficult. WPS Office is a highly compatible, free alternative to Microsoft Office that lets you effortlessly manage your daily spreadsheet exports.

1. Download your data: Download your Microsoft Forms response data as an Excel (.xlsx) file to your computer.
2. Open with WPS: Open the downloaded .xlsx file using WPS Spreadsheets.
3. Filter your results: Use the 'AutoFilter' tool under the Data tab to easily isolate and view your current day's submissions.

Fully compatible with Microsoft Excel (.xlsx, .xls) formats.Powerful built-in data filtering and pivot table tools to sort daily form responses.Lightweight design for fast, smooth loading of large data exports.Familiar user interface makes switching easy with zero learning curve.

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Why doesn't deleting a response in Forms remove it from the connected Excel file?

Microsoft Forms pushes data to the connected Excel workbook using a one-way synchronization process. Deleting a record in the Forms portal does not trigger a deletion command in the Excel file. This behavior is designed to prevent accidental data loss in your main spreadsheet.

Can I manually delete the unwanted rows in the connected Excel file?

Yes. You can open the connected Excel workbook and manually delete the rows containing the removed responses. However, you must be careful not to corrupt or alter the main table structure, as doing so might cause future form submissions to fail to sync properly.

Is there a way to automatically clear old responses every day in Microsoft Forms?

Microsoft Forms does not currently have a built-in auto-clear or daily reset feature. To achieve this, you need to rely on Microsoft Power Automate to build a custom workflow that routes data daily, or manually duplicate the form each day.

Excel & Data Problems