Forum Discussion
Need the ability for external users to upload files into MS Forms
Afternoon all,
Our company has some lengthy bid tenders to carry out. MS forms is the perfect way for potential external suppliers to fill in the form and for us to capture the repsonses. However external users cannot use the upload file feature in MS Forms. Why is this? Is there a way to switch it on? If not do we know if its a feature that is likely to be implemented soon?
83 Replies
- Exactly, this makes certain workflows so much easier.
This was previously slated to roll out for Dynamics 365 Customer Voice (what used to be "Forms Pro") in the Oct 2020 release. It was recently slated for a Sep 2022 rollout.
https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/dynamics365-release-plan/2022wave1/change-history, this feature was "moved to the next release wave" on Sept 12, 2022. But it's not listed anywhere in Wave 2.
https://experience.dynamics.com/ideas/idea/?ideaid=8e975cb3-4bde-ea11-bf21-0003ff68cd36.
Rob_Pidgley
I suspect this is because they have a reasonable caution that someone could find all the forms file upload links out there, and send bots to upload massive numbers of garbage files. I'm sure that there's fairly easy ways they can work around that.Until they do work around that, and enable this, I've done a workaround. What I've done was to make a microsoft form that eventually leads to a OneDrive file request folder link. That link I put in a separate section, and all that contains is the section header, "Click here to upload your files", and the body of that has the link to the file request.
I would like it cleaner, but it will, hopefully, do the trick.Yes, I know that workaround, but is prone to side-effect. Rather than putting it in the header section, you could make a mandatory multi-selection question where the header contains: "Click here to the following link to upload your files and the body field has "YES" "NO" radio buttons so that you're sure that any response can be closed, after only that the respondent has uploaded the files. Obviously, he could cheat by choosing "YES" even though he hasn't uploaded anything and this event might cause side effects on the power-automate workflow. You would find the workflow successful with no uploaded files, despite your question is mandatory. That's the big issue! Instead, when the file upload feature is built-in and makes mandatory the question you're 100% sure that each respondent must upload the required files to close and send the form. Another big advantage is that you'll get the files associated with the right response ID, while you may have a mismatch by using the workaround.
Yes I need this too! This drives me back in the warm cosy arms of Google
- This is just one more example of where the ability to setup "trusted domains" would be so useful. It would help so much having the possibility to add trusted external and have them work as internal users so that we could invite them to Teams, send them files in Teams chats, receive their files via Forms, have them in the Exchange contact list, ... for example. So many of Microsoft features are blocked for external and it is so limiting that we can't collaborate with trusted external organizations. Do you know if Google have those functionnalities?
- This is unbelievable. Ultimately, when you find yourself in a situation where you need to share a form with a customer and enable them to upload files, what suggestions do you have?
- +1 from us as well - we also need the feature that external users can upload files.
I agree - this lack of functionality really limits what microsoft forms can do.
Rob_Pidgley it is not possible at all currently for external responders to upload a file. Microsoft have said they will consider it but there s nothing on the roadmap yet.
Rob
Los Gallardos
Intranet, SharePoint and Power Platform Manager (and classic 1967 Morris Traveller driver)RobElliott pls can you suggest what alternative I can implement so that external gird can upload files and those files can be dropped in one target teams folder or Sharepoint/ OneDrive location?
RajivSingh - My organization currently uses Formstack for external-facing forms that require a file upload question. JotForm is another good product, I believe.
You might also want to familiarize yourself with how the files are stored in a 3rd party service; I believe my organization chose Formstack because it met our regulatory/privacy requirements well.
As for the file-handling, both of these products have Power Automate connectors that would allow you to build a flow based on a form being completed and then manipulate the file (rename it, save it to SharePoint Online/OneDrive, etc., but be aware they're both premium connectors so your licensing might be a consideration.
We're hoping that Microsoft figures this out and offers this feature soon in either Forms, Dynamics CustomerVoice or both. Forms in particular lacks much of the enterprise administration/management and data governance that it needs to truly be an "enterprise" product, so even though Microsoft bundles it in with their enterprise licensing, it still seems to have one foot squarely in the "consumer" realm and that's unfortunate.
Hope that helps.
RobElliott Where the information or article about this?
MedeiroZZ what article are you trying to find?
Wow, I find it unbelievable that this is not an option and unfortunately I didn't figure this out until I completed a large survey. Not to mention that if Forms was more functional we could sunset our use of Alchemer as a survey tool. Also, as Forms integrates with SharePoint it would be most beneficial to have full functionality to upload required documents
DanielleLewis the best option is to change the product since this feature has been required for 2 or more years at least....just a waste of breath
