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How to Generate a Serial Number After a Microsoft Forms Response

Natalie Taylor Sep 30, 2026 868 views

Question details

The user wants to generate and provide a unique serial number to respondents immediately after they submit a Microsoft Form.

How to Generate a Serial Number After a Microsoft Forms Response

Product: Microsoft Forms
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Creating a structured tracking or ticketing system where respondents receive a unique reference number upon form submission.
Observed behavior: Microsoft Forms natively lacks a feature to generate a rule-based serial number and display it directly on the post-submission thank-you page.

Before you start

Ensure you have active access to Microsoft Forms, Power Automate, and a SharePoint site with permissions to create a new list for data storage.

Solution 1Recommended

Use Power Automate and SharePoint to Email a Serial Number

Since Microsoft Forms cannot display dynamic variables on the thank-you page, use a Power Automate flow to assign a SharePoint ID as a serial number and email it to the respondent.

This workaround automatically saves form submissions into a SharePoint list, utilizing the auto-generated SharePoint Item ID as the unique serial number. The system then emails this number to the respondent to serve as their reference.

Update the Forms Thank-You Message

Open your Microsoft Form, go to Settings, and customize the thank-you message to inform respondents that their unique reference number will be sent to their email shortly.

Create a SharePoint List

Navigate to your SharePoint site and create a new List. Add columns that correspond to the questions in your Microsoft Form so the data can be mapped correctly.

Set Up a Power Automate Trigger

Open Power Automate, create a new Automated Cloud Flow, and select 'When a new response is submitted' (Microsoft Forms) as your trigger. Select your form from the dropdown menu.

Get Response Details

Add a new action called 'Get response details'. Select your form ID again and use the dynamic content 'Response Id' in the corresponding field.

Create a SharePoint Item

Add the 'Create item' SharePoint action. Select your Site Address and List Name, then map the form responses to the respective columns in your SharePoint list.

Send an Email Notification

Add the 'Send an email (V2)' action. In the 'To' field, insert the respondent's email. In the email body, include the dynamic content 'ID' from the SharePoint 'Create item' step to serve as their serial number.

Use Power Automate and SharePoint to Email a Serial Number

Formatting Serial Numbers: You can customize the appearance of the ID in your email. For example, type 'REQ-00' before the dynamic ID token to output a serial number like 'REQ-0015'.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I display the serial number directly on the Microsoft Forms thank-you page?

Currently, Microsoft Forms does not support dynamic content or variables on the post-submission thank-you page. The generated reference number must be sent via email or another notification method after the submission is processed.

Do I need a premium license to use Power Automate for this workaround?

No. The standard Power Automate connectors for Microsoft Forms, SharePoint, and Outlook/Office 365 are included in most standard Microsoft 365 business and enterprise plans and do not require a standalone premium license.

What happens if multiple people submit the form at the exact same time?

SharePoint handles the assignment of the unique Item ID sequentially. Even if multiple submissions occur simultaneously, Power Automate and SharePoint will queue the entries and assign a distinct, non-duplicating ID to each response.

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