Others

How to Track Monthly Survey Responses in Microsoft Forms

Maira Mehtab Sep 28, 2026 870 views

Question details

The user wants to reuse a Microsoft Form for recurring monthly surveys and needs a way to combine the responses into a single dataset to compare changes and track trends over time.

Product: Microsoft Forms
Device & OS: not provided
Scenario: Conducting recurring monthly surveys and comparing the collected data month over month.
Observed behavior: Microsoft Forms does not natively merge results from duplicated surveys into the original form's dataset, requiring manual consolidation.

Before you start

Ensure you have access to Microsoft Excel to export and combine your form responses, or verify that Power Automate is enabled for your Microsoft 365 account if you prefer an automated workflow.

Solution 1Recommended

Export and Combine Monthly Responses Manually in Excel

The most straightforward method is to export each month's survey results to Excel and manually append the new data into a master tracking spreadsheet.

Since Microsoft Forms treats duplicated forms as entirely separate entities, their data pools are isolated. Exporting them manually ensures you maintain a clean, central repository of your historical data.

Open your monthly survey responses

Log into Microsoft Forms, open the specific monthly survey you want to collect data from, and click on the 'Responses' tab.

Export data to Excel

Click the 'Open in Excel' button to download the current month's response data to your local device.

Open your master tracking spreadsheet

Open the master Excel file where you keep all previous historical survey data.

Copy and paste the new records

Select the data rows from your newly downloaded monthly Excel file, copy them, and paste them at the bottom of the dataset in your master spreadsheet.

Add a tracking column

If not already present in the survey, add a 'Survey Month' column in your master spreadsheet and label the new rows accordingly so you can filter and compare trends over time.

Tip for consistency: Always ensure you copy only the data rows (excluding the header) to avoid messing up the formatting and sorting of your master dataset.

Solution 2

Automate Data Consolidation Using Power Automate

You can set up a flow in Power Automate to automatically send responses from any duplicated monthly form into a single master Excel table hosted online.

Free Microsoft Office alternative

Analyze and Combine Survey Data Seamlessly with WPS Office

If you frequently export and merge Microsoft Forms data, WPS Office offers a free, lightweight, and highly compatible alternative to Microsoft Excel. Enjoy seamless data merging, familiar UI, and robust spreadsheet analysis tools without the hefty subscription.

1. Install WPS Office: Download and install the free WPS Office suite on your device.
2. Open Your Master Dataset: Launch WPS Spreadsheet and open your existing .xlsx master survey file.
3. Merge Monthly Data: Open your latest downloaded monthly responses and seamlessly copy or consolidate the rows into your master sheet.

100% compatible with Microsoft Excel (.xlsx) formats for easy data importingLightweight installation ensures fast processing of large survey datasetsBuilt-in data sorting, filtering, and pivot tables to analyze month-over-month trendsFamiliar interface makes migration and everyday data tasks effortless

microsoft office alternative - wps office

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I merge duplicated Microsoft Forms directly within the Forms app?

No, Microsoft Forms does not currently provide a built-in feature to merge or combine responses from multiple forms directly within its web interface. You must export the data to a spreadsheet tool like Excel to combine them.

How do I identify which month the data came from when combining spreadsheets?

It is highly recommended to add a new column named 'Survey Month' or 'Date' in your master spreadsheet. Manually fill in the corresponding month for each batch of imported responses so you can easily filter the data later.

Why should I duplicate forms each month instead of reusing the same one?

Duplicating a form gives you a distinct share link per month and clear start/stop points for your survey periods. While reusing the same form keeps all data in one file natively, it can make it harder to segment the responses by specific promotional periods or billing cycles without complex date filtering.

Do I need a premium account to use Power Automate for Forms?

Basic Power Automate features, including standard connectors for Microsoft Forms and Excel Online, are included with most Microsoft 365 business, enterprise, and educational accounts at no extra cost.

Office Quick Solutions