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How to Populate a Microsoft Forms Dropdown from SharePoint or Excel

WPS Content Manager Oct 7, 2026 869 views

Question details

The user needs to dynamically populate a dropdown field in a Microsoft Forms visitor attendance form using data stored in a SharePoint list or an Excel table.

How to Populate a Microsoft Forms Dropdown from SharePoint or Excel

Product: Microsoft Forms
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Creating an attendance form that requires an up-to-date dropdown list based on an external data source.
Observed behavior: Microsoft Forms does not natively provide a connection to dynamically pull or update dropdown choices from external sources like SharePoint or Excel.

Before you start

Before proceeding, please note that standard Microsoft Forms does not feature a native, out-of-the-box solution to dynamically sync dropdown choices with a SharePoint list or Excel table. You will need to rely on manual updates or migrate to Power Apps for true dynamic functionality.

Solution 1Recommended

Migrate to Power Apps for True Dynamic Dropdowns

Since Microsoft Forms cannot dynamically pull data, building a customized form in Power Apps is the best approach for live integration with SharePoint or Excel.

Power Apps is designed to seamlessly integrate with Microsoft ecosystem databases. By replacing your standard Microsoft Form with a Power App canvas app, you can create a dropdown menu that updates automatically whenever the underlying SharePoint list or Excel table changes.

Create a Canvas App

Log into Power Apps, select 'Create', and start a new blank Canvas App.

Connect the Data Source

Navigate to the Data pane on the left, click 'Add data', and select your SharePoint list or OneDrive Excel table.

Insert a Dropdown Control

Go to the Insert menu at the top, select 'Input', and choose 'Drop down'.

Link Dropdown to Data

Select the dropdown control, open the Properties pane, and set the 'Items' property to the name of your SharePoint list or Excel table column.

Migrate to Power Apps for True Dynamic Dropdowns

Licensing Requirement: Using Power Apps may require specific Microsoft 365 or Power Platform licenses depending on the data connectors you utilize.

Solution 2

Manually Copy and Paste from Excel or SharePoint

If you cannot use Power Apps, the simplest workaround is to manually copy your updated list into the Microsoft Forms dropdown.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Manage Data and Attendance Effectively with WPS Office

If the limitations of Microsoft Forms are hindering your attendance tracking, consider using WPS Spreadsheet to manage your data directly. WPS Office is a lightweight, fully compatible Microsoft Office alternative that lets you create dynamic dropdown lists, track attendance, and analyze data efficiently for free, without needing complex Power Apps workflows.

1. Open WPS Spreadsheet: Launch WPS Office and create a new blank spreadsheet for attendance.
2. Access Data Validation: Select the cells for your dropdown, go to the 'Data' tab, and click 'Data Validation'.
3. Create Dynamic List: Choose 'List' in the Allow dropdown, and select your source data range to instantly create an updatable dropdown menu.

Fully compatible with Microsoft Excel (.xlsx) file formats.Easily create dynamic data validation dropdown lists within spreadsheets.Lightweight software with a familiar interface for seamless migration.Free alternative to costly Microsoft Office and Power Platform subscriptions.

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Can Power Automate dynamically update choices in Microsoft Forms?

No, Power Automate cannot dynamically alter or update the predefined choice options inside a standard Microsoft Form. You must use Power Apps to achieve a live, dynamic dropdown connection.

How many options can I paste into a Microsoft Forms dropdown?

Microsoft Forms supports up to 1,000 choices per question. You can safely copy up to 1,000 rows from your Excel or SharePoint list and paste them into the form.

Can I sync Microsoft Forms responses back to SharePoint?

Yes. While you cannot pull dropdown options dynamically from SharePoint, you can easily use a Power Automate flow to send submitted Microsoft Forms data directly into a SharePoint list or Excel table.

Does creating a Form in Excel Online allow dynamic dropdowns?

No. Creating a form directly from Excel Online (Forms for Excel) automatically syncs the responses to the workbook, but it still does not allow the form to pull its dropdown choices from the spreadsheet data.

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