Microsoft Forms is a simple, browser-based tool included in KAUST's Microsoft 365 environment. It allows the KAUST community to create surveys, quizzes, polls, registrations, and feedback forms without writing any code or needing technical experience.
On This Page
No VPN or additional software installation is required. Microsoft Forms works from any modern browser on desktop and mobile.
Microsoft Forms URL Transition
Microsoft is gradually transitioning Microsoft Forms to a new web address:
Both addresses currently work and may redirect automatically during the transition period. The Microsoft Forms application itself is not changing. This update is part of Microsoft's broader move to the cloud.microsoft domain, which provides improved security, better protection against spoofing, and a more consistent experience across Microsoft 365 services. If you use Microsoft Forms with Power Automate workflows, see the Power Automate section below for important guidance on how this transition may affect your existing flows.
Microsoft Forms is commonly used at KAUST for:
Microsoft Forms allows you to quickly build professional-looking forms using a simple visual editor. Responses are collected automatically and can be reviewed directly within Forms or exported to Microsoft Excel for additional analysis.
Microsoft Forms integrates with other Microsoft 365 tools including:
This makes it useful for lightweight workflows, notifications, approvals, and information collection processes. Forms automatically adapts to desktop and mobile devices, making it easy for respondents to complete forms from phones, tablets, or computers.
Easy Form Creation
Build forms using a simple visual editor without needing technical skills or development experience.
Real-Time Responses
Responses appear immediately and include built-in charts and summaries for quick analysis.
Microsoft 365 Integration
Connect Forms with Excel, Teams, SharePoint, OneDrive, and Power Automate to support collaboration and automation.
Sharing and Access Controls
Control whether forms are available internally within KAUST or externally to anyone with the link.
Branching and Logic
Show or skip questions dynamically based on how a respondent answers earlier questions. See the Branching and Logic section below for full details.
Sections
Divide a form into multiple pages or stages. Sections work with branching to route respondents through different paths based on their answers.
Embedding in SharePoint and Teams
Microsoft Forms can be embedded directly into SharePoint pages and added as a tab within a Microsoft Teams channel. This allows departments to surface forms without distributing a separate link, making them easier to find and complete within existing workspaces.
Quiz and Assessment Features
Create quizzes with automatic grading, point values, scoring, and correct answer tracking.
Microsoft Forms supports several question types depending on what information you need to collect. Choosing the right question type improves response quality and makes forms easier to complete.
Some question types include additional sub-options and configuration settings. Branching support also varies by question type. Both are noted below.
| Question Type | Best Used For | Key Options and Notes | Supports Branching |
|---|---|---|---|
| Choice | Multiple choice or checkbox selections | Single-select (radio) or multi-select (checkbox). Only single-select supports branching. Can add an "Other" open text option and shuffle answer order. | Single-select only |
| Text | Short or long written responses | Short answer (single line) or long answer (paragraph). Short answer supports branching and input restrictions. Long answer does not support branching. | Short answer only |
| Rating | Satisfaction scoring | Configurable as 1–5 stars or a 0–10 number scale. Low and high labels are customizable (e.g., "Not satisfied" to "Very satisfied"). | Yes |
| Date | Collecting a specific date | Simple date picker. No time component. | No |
| Ranking | Prioritizing options in order | Respondents drag options into their preferred sequence. No branching support. | No |
| Likert | Agreement or opinion scales | Grid-style question where multiple items share the same scale (e.g., Strongly Agree to Strongly Disagree). Efficient for collecting opinions across several topics at once. | No |
| File Upload | Collecting documents or images | Requires KAUST authentication. Disables anonymous sharing. No branching support. See the File Upload Limitations section for important details. | No |
| Net Promoter Score (NPS) | Measuring recommendation likelihood | Fixed 0–10 scale. Branching support is limited and inconsistent. Treat as unsupported for planning purposes. | No |
Short answer Text questions support optional input restrictions. These are useful when you need a specific type of response and want to reduce errors or inconsistent formatting.
Available restrictions include:
These restrictions are optional. By default, Text questions accept any typed input.
Branching allows you to build adaptive forms that adjust based on how a respondent answers earlier questions. Instead of showing every question to every person, you can route respondents to different questions, skip irrelevant sections, or end the form early based on their answers.
| Question Type | Branching Support |
|---|---|
| Choice (single-select) | Yes |
| Rating | Yes |
| Text (short answer) | Yes |
| Text (long answer) | No |
| Choice (multi-select / checkboxes) | No |
| Date | No |
| Ranking | No |
| Likert | No |
| File Upload | No |
| Net Promoter Score (NPS) | No |
Branching is configured per question. For each possible answer option, you assign a destination: either a specific question later in the form, or the end of the form.
Branching only works forward. You cannot route a respondent back to a previous question. This means question order matters significantly. Plan your form structure before enabling branching.
Sections divide a form into separate pages. When combined with branching, you can route entire groups of questions rather than individual items. For example, branching a respondent from Question 2 directly to Section 3 skips everything in between. This is how more complex multi-path forms are built in Microsoft Forms.
A post-event feedback form asks: "Did you attend in person or virtually?" If the respondent selects "In person," they are routed to questions about the venue and catering. If they select "Virtually," those questions are skipped and they go directly to questions about the online experience.
Microsoft Forms supports both standard forms and quizzes.
| Feature | Form | Quiz |
|---|---|---|
| Primary use | Surveys, registrations, feedback | Tests, assessments, knowledge checks |
| Correct answers | Not required | Supported |
| Automatic grading | No | Yes |
| Point values per question | No | Yes |
| Score shown to respondent | No | Configurable |
| Best for | Data collection and feedback | Training and learning activities |
When quiz mode is enabled, additional options become available:
Quiz mode is well suited for onboarding assessments, training evaluations, and academic knowledge checks.
Microsoft Forms includes several response-level controls in addition to question-level settings.
| Setting | What It Does |
|---|---|
| Accept responses | Manually opens or closes the form at any time, independent of date settings |
| Start and end date | Automatically opens or closes the form at a specified date and time |
| Response limit | Stops accepting responses after a defined number of submissions |
| One response per person | Restricts authenticated respondents to a single submission. Requires KAUST login. |
| Shuffle questions | Randomizes question order for each respondent |
| Email receipt | Sends a copy of the respondent's answers to them after submission |
| Response notifications | Sends you an email notification each time a new response is submitted. This is a native setting that does not require Power Automate. Useful for low-volume forms where you want to know immediately when someone responds. |
Microsoft Forms integrates with Microsoft Power Automate to help automate workflows and processes triggered by form submissions.
Common examples include:
Power Automate workflows connected to Microsoft Forms typically use the trigger "When a new response is submitted," followed by the action "Get response details" to extract and use the respondent's answers.
Important: URL Transition and Existing Power Automate Flows
As Microsoft transitions Forms from forms.office.com to forms.cloud.microsoft, some existing Power Automate workflows may require review or updates.
If you have existing flows connected to Microsoft Forms:
This is especially important for workflows connected to notifications, Excel exports, SharePoint automation, approval processes, and Teams integrations.
Before sharing your form, decide who should be able to respond.
| Sharing Option | Best For |
|---|---|
| Anyone can respond | Public registrations or anonymous surveys |
| Only people in KAUST can respond | Internal forms and surveys requiring authentication |
| Specific people or groups | Restricted or approval-based forms |
Be mindful of the sharing settings you choose, especially when collecting files or sensitive information.
Important: File uploads require KAUST authentication
If your form includes a File Upload question:
This limitation also applies to Google Forms. If you need public-facing forms, anonymous uploads, or external participants to submit files, consider using Formstack or another approved enterprise solution.
Files uploaded through Microsoft Forms are stored in:
Ensure the form owner and storage location are planned before distributing a form that collects files.
The default file size limit per question is 10 MB. If you expect respondents to submit larger files such as PDFs, presentations, or images, increase this manually in the question settings before sharing the form.
Available size options per upload question:
Microsoft Forms supports up to 10 files per question. When restricting file types, the available categories are: Word documents, Excel spreadsheets, PowerPoint presentations, PDF files, Images, Video files, and Audio files.
Note: file type restrictions apply to broad categories only. You cannot restrict to specific extensions within a category (for example, you cannot limit Image uploads to JPG only). Actual storage limits depend on the OneDrive or SharePoint quota associated with the form owner's account.
Keep forms short and focused
Long forms reduce completion rates. Include only what is genuinely needed.
Use clear and simple language
Avoid technical terms or ambiguous phrasing. Write questions the way you would ask them in conversation.
Avoid making every question required
Only mark questions as required when the information is truly necessary.
Use Choice questions when possible
Structured responses are easier to analyze and summarize than open text.
Plan your structure before enabling branching
Since branching only works forward, map out your question flow before building.
Use sections for longer or multi-path forms
Sections improve readability and make branching logic easier to manage.
Increase the file size limit if collecting documents
The default is 10 MB. If you expect respondents to submit presentations, reports, or images, increase this to 100 MB or 1 GB in the question settings before sharing the form.
Test before sharing
Preview your form on both desktop and mobile before distributing it. Complete a test submission and check how the response appears in the results view.
Be mindful of sensitive information
Do not collect restricted or highly sensitive information unless appropriate safeguards and approvals are in place.
Microsoft Forms is designed for lightweight surveys, quizzes, registrations, and information collection. Before investing time in building your form, it is worth confirming the tool meets your requirements.
Microsoft Forms may not be suitable for:
For more advanced requirements, KAUST departments may use other approved enterprise solutions such as Formstack or custom-built workflows. Visit the Create a Form or Survey page for a comparison of available tools at KAUST.
Microsoft Forms is included as part of KAUST's Microsoft 365 environment and is available at no additional cost to the KAUST community. No separate license request is needed.
Microsoft Forms supports:
