How to Create a Google Intake Form in Google Forms

A Google intake form is a great way to collect information from people. It’s readily available for school projects, marketing campaigns, and event coordination efforts, which makes it a great tool for individuals and small business owners alike. 

With a free tool like Google Forms, it can be easy to create a basic intake form and collect responses. But you should know there are other tools on the market capable of this and much more. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you create your own Google intake form.

What Is an Intake Form?

Let’s first review what an intake form is and how it can help you achieve results. Basically, an intake form is a document that you use to collect essential information from people, primarily before they receive a service or participate in an activity. 

This type of online form collects basic data such as names, contact details, certain preferences, and other details relevant to the event or activity in question. It’s widely used in various settings such as schools, businesses, and healthcare to streamline the process of getting to know the participants or clients.

Use Cases of Intake Forms

Google intake forms have different practical uses. Let’s discover some of them:

• Event registration – Collect names, contact information, and dietary preferences for attendees.

• Student enrollment – Gather information about students (personal details, medical history, and emergency contacts).

• Healthcare – Doctors use intake forms to collect patient information before a consultation, including medical history and symptoms.

• Surveys and feedback – You can use Google intake forms to collect feedback from customers or participants after an event or service.

• Client onboarding—Intake forms help businesses gather necessary information about new clients, such as their needs, expectations, and background.

How do I Create a Google Intake Form in Google Forms?

Creating an intake form in Google Forms is easy. Here are the steps to do it:

1. Access Google Forms 

The first step is to open your web browser and go to forms.google.com. Sign in with your Google account.

2. Start a New Form

Click on the blank form icon to open a new form.

3. Title and Description

Give your form a title and, if needed, a brief description.

4. Add Questions

Now’s the time to add what is really important for your online Google intake form: questions! Click the plus sign (+) to add questions. Choose the appropriate question type, such as multiple-choice, short answer, or checkboxes, and fill in the questions and answer options.

5. Add Customization Options 

Make your form look as best as can be. Rearrange questions, make certain fields required, and change the theme to match your preferences. Visual settings are available in the Theme menu, at the top right corner (the palette icon), where you can customize fonts, font sizes, header images, and survey colors. 

You can also change the settings of your form by going to the Settings page before sharing your Google intake form. This menu allows you to make specific changes, such as how to collect the information and how to protect it. 

6. Preview and Share

Now is the time to add the finishing touches and preview your form. Make sure that everything looks good, then you can share it with your audience via email, link, or embed it on a website. 

Preview the form to make sure everything looks good, then share it via email, link, or embed it on a website.

7. Collect and View Responses

Once your form is live, you can view and manage responses directly in Google Forms or export them to Google Sheets for further analysis.

Try More Advanced Features: 123FormBuilder

While Google Forms is great for basic intake forms, you might want more advanced features for complex needs. 123FormBuilder is an alternative that offers additional customization options:

• Conditional logic: Show or hide questions based on previous answers and personalize responder experience.
• Payment integration: Collect payments directly through your form using services like PayPal or Stripe on-page.
• Advanced security: Protect sensitive data with enhanced security measures like SSL encryption and CAPTCHA.
• Drag-and-drop builder: Easily design complex forms with a user-friendly interface.
• Custom notifications: Set up custom email notifications for form submissions.

How to Set Up a 123FormBuilder Intake Form

It’s really easy to get started with 123FormBuilder and create an intake form. Simply go to our form gallery and pick one of the existing templates. We have some interesting examples below:

• Client Intake Form

• Patient Intake Form

• Animal Intake Form

• Counseling Intake Form

• Project Intake Form

• Family Law Intake Form

Of course, you can create an intake form from scratch if you want. Here are the simple steps to follow:

1. Log into your 123FormBuilder account, then select Blank Form. 

2. Use the Drag-and-drop builder to add form fields (short answer, multiple answers, long answer, single choice, dropdown, contact details, etc.) that allow you to collect the required information. 

3. Personalize and brand your form using the Design submenu. There, you can modify themes, colors, fonts, and more. 

4. Add Field and Form Rules with branching logic to further personalize responder fill out experience and collect more accurate data. 

5. Next, personalize the Thank–you note received after sending the completed forms. 

6. In the Set Up menu, you can, well… set up approvals, integrations with third-party apps like Hubspot, Dropbox, Salesforce, Stripe, and more, and security settings. 

7. The final step is to publish your intake form or embed it into a website, for example. Our platform includes a Results menu where you can check form and field insights, as well as view and export reports.

5 Tips for a Better Intake Form

To create an effective intake form, consider these tips:

• Keep it simple: Only ask for information that is absolutely necessary. Long forms can be discouraging.

• Use clear language: Make sure your questions are easy to understand to avoid confusion.

• Make It mobile-friendly: Ensure your form is easy to fill out on mobile devices.

• Test your form: Fill out the form yourself to spot any errors or awkward questions before sharing it.

• Use conditional logic: This helps keep the form relevant to each respondent by showing them only the questions that apply to them.

Conclusion 

You can create a Google intake form if you need a free option for collecting important info from individuals. But for more advanced features, consider using a more complex tool like 123FormBuilder. Just remember to keep it simple, clear, and mobile-friendly, and always test it before use. And if you’re here, give 123FormBuilder a try; it’s FREE!

Load more...