Using one Form to collect multiple responses

[JoshQLDEDU]

Howdy folks,

This place seems a liiiiitle bit empty but I am currently beating my head against a problem that seems like something i should be able to handle via forms, but i can't figure it out. 

I need to collect some data that will have the user entering some information that would be repetitive if they had to fill out a form multiple times. But that information needs to be linked to a bunch of other, non repetitive data. 

Instead of making a form per user and populating the data myself, I would like to make a form that gives the user an option to repeat a set of questions, but providing different responses with each subsequent iteration.  I have made a high quality diagram illustrating how i would like it to work.

But when I test the form, using a branch to point back to section already completed once, the form ends.

As i don't know how many possible entries the user might make, I can't simply create a bunch of duplicates of the same section, because I don't know when I would stop. It would also mean having to do a lot of manual data moving around once I have gathered responses. Ideally, i want to end up with an output that looks something like the image below. I have highlighted the once off entry information to illustrate how much additional work a particular user would have to repeat if they were to complete a whole fresh form for each of the unique entries.

the ideal form would have the blue user from "Example School" filling out section 1 of a form to collect the blue highlighted data, then moving on to Section 2, which will capture the unique information. They are then given the option to add another entry or end. If they want to add more, they fill out Section 2 again, asked again if they want to add more, until they eventually say no and the form ends. 

Please help! I unfortunately do not have access to Flows/Automate, which i think could resolve my issue. I am hoping I am missing something that already exists in Forms.

(i also realise it probably looks like I am spending 20hrs trying to streamline what would be 5 minutes of manual data handling. Because that is exactly what is happening . But seriously, if I can figure this out there are many additional use cases and scaling issues that get managed)

Appreciate any advice anyone can give me.

[#2 · Accepted solution]

@JoshQLDEDU  you said "I would like to make a form that gives the user an option to repeat a set of questions, but providing different responses with each subsequent iteration." This is not possible; Forms is a simple one-pass submission forms and there is no way to iterate through it multiple times.

Actually a flow in Power Automate wouldn't solve this either; all it does is to take the forms response that has been submitted and then do something with it, for example save it to SharePoint, send out an email etc.

Rob
Los Gallardos
Intranet, SharePoint and Power Platform Manager (and classic 1967 Morris Traveller driver)

[#3]

@RobElliott, Thanks so much for the quick reply.

While not being able to do what i'd like to is a shame, getting clarification that I wasn't just missing something makes it a lot easier to "let go" of the problem and work on a different method. 

---

Actually a flow in Power Automate wouldn't solve this either; all it does is to take the forms response that has been submitted and then do something with it, for example save it to SharePoint, send out an email etc.

I haven't had the opportunity to tinker with Power Automate, so I haven't been able to get a grasp of its capabilities and limitations. From examples I have seen I thought It would be possible to get a flow to recognise when a yes response is made to a certain question (Would you like to enter another student's info?) then present a new Form to the user via an email. Perhaps even be able to generate a form that by scraping answers from the initial form and pre-fill the repetitive sections.

Or use Automate to extract information from a Form that has a "dumb" repeat (a series of duplicated sections, say, 20) by getting it to place responses to questions in defined table columns, but ignore empty responses. Then some other action to insert <information from section 1> n times, with n being the number of "dumb repeats" with filled fields. 

Aaaaanyway, i really appreciate your help. Fingers crossed that one day my place of work decides to let staff use Automate so I can give it a whirl. 

Much appreciated,

- Josh

[#4]

@JoshQLDEDU 

"get a flow to recognise when a yes response is made to a certain question (Would you like to enter another student's info?)" -  yes it can do that easily. But why not just add a custom message and then the user click the Submit another response link. Doesn't require a flow at all.

"then present a new Form to the user via an email." - see my answer above

"Perhaps even be able to generate a form that by scraping answers from the initial form and pre-fill the repetitive sections." - it is not possible to pre-populate anything in Forms.

You mention having about 20 sections. Be careful, you have a hard limit of 100 questions in a form and that reduces quickly if you use likert questions as each statement counts as a question.

Rob
Los Gallardos
Intranet, SharePoint and Power Platform Manager (and classic 1967 Morris Traveller driver)

[#5]

@JoshQLDEDU 

Hi! I don't suppose you've manage to find a solution to your problem?

As I have exactly the same one 😄 Seems like the solution should be quite simple, right?

I'm also trying to find the way to collect data from a third party ideally via Forms, but I'd like to be able to gather multiple responses in one Form, otherwise they will have to fill out the same form 100+ times.

If not Forms, is there another way that does not involve Excel?

Thanks a lot! 

Daria

[#6]

@DariaAp it is still not possible to use 1 form for multiple responses.

Rob
Los Gallardos
Microsoft Power Automate Community Super User.
Principal Consultant, SharePoint and Power Platform WSP UK (and classic 1967 Morris Traveller driver)

[#7]

Hi Rob,

I know, thank you for your response. Is there an alternative though? I can think of a few workarounds that would involve Excel and some manual input, however I'm looking to keep the process automated with minimal manual intervention as much as possible.

Thank you,

Daria